Argentinean actress, politician and cult figure Eva Perón was BOTD in 1919. Born María Eva Duarte in Los Toldos, Las Pampas, the illegitimate daughter of a married man, she grew up in poverty in Junín. At 15, she ran off with a young musician to Buenos Aires, and pursued a career as an actress, becoming well-known with regular roles in radio dramas. In 1944, aged 24, she became the mistress of the 48 year-old politician Colonel Juan Perón, undertaking radio broadcasts to bolster his popularity, and marrying in 1945. Juan survived an attempted military coup to overthrow him, and was elected president in 1946, again supported by Eva, who appealed on his behalf to working class voters (who she addressed as los descamisados (the shirtless ones). In 1947, Eva undertook a highly-publicised “Rainbow Tour” to raise support for Argentina, meeting heads of state including Francisco Franco, Charles de Gaulle and Pope Pius XII, and appearing on the cover of Time magazine. As First Lady, she exerted significant influence over government health and labour policies, awarding wage increases to trade unionists, and redirecting government funds into her own charitable foundation to build hospitals, schools, orphanages and retirement homes. She supported the extension of the vote to women, a law change that Juan symbolically attributed to her, and formed the Partido Peronista Femenino to encourage women’s involvement in politics. Typically dressed in couture Christian Dior gowns and Cartier jewels, she nonetheless maintained her reputation as a champion of the poor, carefully cultivating her image as a secular saint. Despite the virulent homophobia of the Perónist government, Eva was popular with gay men, surrounding herself with sycophants including fashion designer Paco Jamandreu and hairdresser Julio Alcaraz, who helped create her iconic look. She also befriended the Spanish singer Manuel de Molina, intervening to allow him to remain in Argentina. In the 1951 general election, Juan nominated her as his vice-president, which was blocked by the army and rival politicians. On his re-election in 1952, Juan gave her the title of “Spiritual Mother of the Nation”. She died later that year, aged 33, following a long battle with cervical cancer. Her death and funeral prompted weeks of state mourning, with riots as hundreds of thousands of people flocked to pay their respects. Her body was embalmed and kept on permanent display until 1955, when Juan was overthrown in a military coup. After a 16-year “disappearance”, it was discovered that she had been buried in Milan, Italy. In 1971, Juan, now living in exile in Spain, arranged for her body to be exhumed and returned to him. He returned to Argentina in 1973 and was re-elected president. After his death in office in 1974, Eva’s body was repatriated to Argentina and displayed next to Juan, before receiving a state burial. Eva’s popularity was significantly boosted by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s 1978 musical Evita. A global hit, it made stars of stage performers Patti LuPone and Elaine Paige, and was successfully filmed in 1996 starring Madonna. Still a controversial figure in Argentinean history, Eva’s outsider status, struggle for visibility and highly constructed glamour has inspired a loyal LGBT fanbase.