America's LGBT Community Analysis

There are certainly various points in history that can be construed as trailblazing for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. One event in particular, however, sparked awareness and a call to action that previously could never have been conceptualized in the United States. This unforgettable incident, the Stonewall riots of 1969, altered the public’s view of the gay community and arguably jumpstarted the next revolution in an entirely new civil rights movement.

In the Introduction to LGBT+ Studies class we discussed many themes of the history of the LGBT+ community, these themes include; oppression, fighting for our visibility and having it delayed, and a sort of power within the community. The LGBT+ community has gone through an immense amount of oppression, having to fight its way into the light and having it be pushed aside multiple times. In a historical context when the LGBT+ community started to show itself so to speak was around the 1920’s there were the first gay rights movements starting, and surprisingly it was the start of some acceptance. However, when World War II began in 1939 it oppressed the movement, as well as setting it back by gay men being denied from the military because

The LGBTQ community has struggled for decades to receive equal treatment but despite many advancements, this group of people is still not treated justly. The prevalent discrimination and prejudice enacted against the LGBTQ community can be witnessed on accounts of the Stonewall Riots and laws that affect the community such as not allowing gay men to donate blood, sexual orientation in connection to the military, et cetera. The gay rights movement has united to eradicate these issues through support of the LBGTQ community and to help people understand the process, timing, advantages, dangers, and pitfalls of coming out, as well as recent local and international rulings of the Supreme Court on same-sex marriage and the methods, laws, and attitudes of having children.

Being in the closet as gay, lesbian, transgender, or bisexual is very frightening, but since the U.S has evolved into a more accepting and loving country, people in the LGBTQ+ community are more free to express themselves. Organizations like the Stonewall Youth, which “is an organization of youth, activists, and allies that empowers [LGBTQ+] youth to speak for themselves, educate their communities, and support each other” (“Stonewall Youth”). Stonewall Youth, which is an organization that branched off from the Stonewall Inn protests, protects kids in the LGBTQ+ community that might be facing discrimination at home or at school. Because of the Stonewall Protests that brought more attention to the fight for equality, Stonewall youth was created. After being able to understand what exactly happened in 1969 through news reports and hearing from protesters, “...many consider the Stonewall riots to be the launch of the modern gay rights movement, and a symbol of ‘coming out of the closet’—of homosexuals no longer hiding or denying their sexual orientation” (Ritter). Before the fight for gay rights sparked with the Stonewall riots, being out of the closet as gay, bisexual, lesbian, or transgender was considered illegal. Sometimes if someone was found being involved in homosexual interactions, they could face a life sentence. Now,

Kidd and Witten define the term transgender vaguely, stating it “describe[s] people who transcend the conventional boundaries of gender, irrespective of physical status or sexual orientation” (Kidd & Witten, 2007, p. 36). This term is a reference for the ‘other gender’ that is not particularly male or female. Currently, within the American society, there is a growing awareness of individuals who are transgender. Much of this awareness comes from LGBT movements and

The country of America was founded on the idea that every person should be treated equal and have the opportunity to live a happy, successful life. Therefore, it is important that Americans educate themselves on the proper terms to use when discussing the LGBTQ community. No one should feel threatened or offended because of improper vocabulary, and I feel that our country would be a better place if more people took the time to educate themselves on how to treat every American with respect, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. I also believe that discussions about LGBTQ demographics could benefit our entire country. Discussing the reality and facts about demographics will allow Americans to become more aware of the gender

Throughout history, society’s views of homosexuality and of people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, queer or questioning (LGBTQ) have changed. These views have changed how the members of this community feel about their personal identity as a whole. Over the last ten years, homosexuality and the LGBTQ community have become more accepted in society. In fact, a recent victory for the LGBTQ community occurred in June of 2015 when gay marriage become legalized in all fifty states. Despite the immense torture that members of the LGBTQ have received over decades, they are slowly becoming more accepted in today’s society. As society begins to become more tolerant with different ideals, the new and younger generations will continue to become more accepting of the people who identify as members of the LGBTQ community. These members will become more comfortable in their own skin and be allowed the same opportunities so other members of society.

A. Thesis. With their ideology and their demand for equal rights and personal freedoms, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, and queer (LGBTQ) community has played a major part in the rise of identity politics in modern American politics.

Queer as Folk: Over the extent of of the United States’ history, we have had a lot of social movements. One of the most notable being the fight for equality for LGBTQI — that is, lesbian, gays, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and inter-sexual. The LGBTQ started its uprise in the ‘50s as homosexuals started to become more well known — not necessarily accepted, however — among society. The LGBTQI community has quickly progressed since the ‘50s and ‘60s, bringing along with it many social changes, transgressions, feelings of hate, misconceptions, and a plethora of stereotypes — changing society’s views on sex, marriage, love, and what it is to be human. It is important to understand the impact the LGBTQI community has had on our society, and which titles have made the greatest impact. Out of all six titles, one has became the most prominent in today’s society: gay men.

One might assume that because Rustin is not spoken of as a prominent figure in the peace movement to the same degree as Gandhi and Martin Luther King, that he was of lesser importance, and I would like to argue that while he has not received as much public attention for his contributions to society through peaceful methods, that he is nonetheless a significant figure in achieving peace for minorities. In my opinion, this is not as heavily publicized because of his sexual orientation. Since being a member of the LGBT+ community in the early 1900’s was not widely acceptable, it often posed challenges for him in attempting to advocate on behalf of African

Throughout the years, the LGBT community has put forth tremendous effort to gain rights and recognition in the United States. Yet there have been numerous laws that have discriminated and made them feel unequal. LGBT stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered. Many people in the community have a hard time accepting who they truly are in terms of sexual orientation or gender identity. Coming out is challenging enough on its own, and laws and regulations that discriminate against those who only wish to live freely can make it hard for them to do so. Living in the time period we do, we have seen many changes in the right direction as far as having equal rights for all, but it has not always been this way. There have been many movements and actions the LGBT community has taken over the years to get to where we are today. There have also been many laws and regulations specifically targeted at same-sex and transgendered individuals, some of which that still apply today.

In the last few years the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community have made major strides in a positive direction toward equal rights within the legal system, including the recent Supreme Court decision ruling that same-sex marriages will be recognized in all 50 states. Sixteen of those states and the District of Columbia have full anti-discrimination laws that include protecting gender identity and expression. This leaves roughly 70% of the country’s population living in states without comprehensive anti-discrimination laws (Cobos & Jones, 2009). The work has just begun, as the LGBT population continue to face discrimination regarding education, employment, housing, and healthcare.

The history of the United States tends to be understood through analysis of periods of conflict. From the Revolutionary War, to the Civil War, both World Wars, the Cold War (and its affiliate proxy incidents), and finally modern day. What this skeletal description misses are the individual struggles of people who spent their lives marginalized due to societal stereotypes and discriminatory legislation. Groups have been affected due to identities that include but are not limited to: race, religion, ethnicity, immigration status, and sexual orientation. Of course this history of identity politics is not limited to the US, but the exploration of the LGBT movement within these borders can offer an important perspective on the tumultuous

San Francisco, California is widely recognized a gay mecca, even a “refugee camp for homoxexuals,” but such wide-spread acceptance of all that strays from the heteronormative was not easily earned. The modern queer identity is one that is rich in culture and history- a history that is much longer than previously believed. The American LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, queer, intersex, asexual, and more) community has fought for recognition since Europeans first landed in the Americas. Because of the nuanced views on sexuality and gender across cultures and time periods, open expression of either has long been considered taboo; however, history shows that certain pockets of open displays of homosexuality and cross gender expression prevail in even the least tolerant of environments. The state of California, for hundreds of years, has been associated with a libertine attitude, but in spite of California’s ever prevailing progressive reputation, San Francisco has endured much adversity to maintain its strong queer identity.

Despite on how the country has developed over the years with technological advances and cultural acceptance, lack of acceptance in gender identity is a problem many Americans face. As defined by Oxford Dictionary, Gender is “The state of being male or female” (2016). Although gender is usually separated into being either a man or a woman, it is important to state that gender is socially constructed and can differ between different societies. Gender is used as a mechanism to differentiate a person’s masculinity or femininity using their biological features (Babatunde & Durowaiye, 2015). Sadly, those who do not conform to their designated gender are not typically accepted into society and are out-casted by many, including the individual’s