Gay Rights Activist: A Short Story

It is often a misconception that the Stonewall Riots marked the beginning of the gay rights movement. In actuality, the riots served as a vital catalyst for the birth of widespread activism in the LGBT community, but did not mark the movement’s birth. Before Stonewall, there were leftist lobbyists in the Mattachine Society pushing for law reform and there was the lesbian organization, Daughters of Bilitis, who published The Ladder in order to garner acceptance in society.9 This homophile movement was conservative in its actions, working within the system’s rules in effort to gain societal acceptance.9

“Sex was something mysterious which happened to married couples and Homosexuality was never mentioned; my mother told me my father did not believe it existed at all ‘until he joined the army’. As a child, I was warned about talking to ‘strange men’, without any real idea what this meant. I was left to find out for myself what it was all about.” Mike Newman, who was a child during the 1950s America recalls how homosexuality was perceived during the post-World War II era (F). This sexual oppression was not only in Newman’s household, but in almost everyone’s. While the civil rights movement began in the mid-1950s and ended late 1960s, the LGBT community started to come out of the closet slowly. The gay rights movement stemmed from the civil rights movement

In “A Gay Man’s Case Against Gay Marriage” by Michael Bronski – a gay rights activist and professor of gay and lesbian studies at Dartmouth - Bronski argues that homosexuals are too focused on the legalization of gay marriage. He begins this article with his involvement and knowledge of gay rights and history. Then, he discusses the fact that marriage itself is problematic regardless of sexual orientation and that the gay community has developed healthier relationships without the need for marriage. Although, he is in complete support of the gay community to get this right and get the benefits that come along with it; He disagrees that it’s a necessity and the biggest problem facing lesbians and gays. In this article Bronski does fail to mention the 50% of marriages that prosper, abuse and adultery that occurs outside of marriage. He also doesn’t mention how the civil benefits affect marriages negatively or positively. Ensuring tax breaks, loans and inheritance arrangements for unwedded people can be very problematic. Although, he makes valid point on how the civil benefits should be available to all. He doesn’t go into depth about how problematic this could be. Bronski doesn’t go into how the same things can happen outside of marriage.

“When all Americans are treated as equal, no matter who they are or whom they love, we are all more free” (U.S. President Barack Obama, 2013). As early as 1924 our country has debated the idea of gays. In 1969 The Stonewall riots sparked the gay rights movement. In previous weeks debates continue involving the shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando on June 12, 2016. However, our nation has fought for the ability to be equal, to embrace differences, and to build upon different ideas and cultures. Although, prejudice and discrimination still lerk among the hearts of Americans who will argue negative consequences involving the ability of same-sex marriage; yet embracing same-sex marriage supports financially, will support children involved, and

“God said Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve” we have all heard this quote. People use this quote because it is part of the Bible and people think that the Bible is the best judge out there. People diminish others by saying these types of quote. People also do not realize that the LGBTQA still do not have equal rights. People think that just because gay marriage was legalized that they also got equal. Some issues that the LGBTQA community faces is that they do not have any anti-discrimination laws. People should at least try not to be less hateful and be a little more informed.

In 1965 during the Civil Rights Movement, was the first gay rights demonstration which led to the gay liberation movement in the 70’s. Being such an impactful commemoration it inspired more liberating groups in the growing gay and lesbian world such as: feminist movements, record labels, music festivals and the National Organization for Women. This quickly evolved into acceptance in a place of worship when the first gay minister was ordained in ’72. Soon after, several large political groups formed in support of the growing “outing” of a gay society in a stand for gay rights. (Morris, 2017)

I learned that gay oppression stems from capitalistic ideas and nature. When the industrial revolution came around in the early 19th century it brought with it the traditional ideals of family that we know today (Carlin, 2007). Capitalists didn’t like the ideal of homosexuality because it defeated the purpose of sex only being for reproduction (Carlin, 2007). They thought that gays were getting in the way of producing the next generation of workers (Carlin, 2007). They quickly deemed them unnatural in the eyes of the Christian church and society (Carlin, 2007). Gays were routinely harassed and physically assaulted by police (Carlin, 2007). Capitalists tried to justify this oppression by saying that homosexuality was blatantly abnormal and unacceptable

When it comes to the gay rights movement, the structure and the history of how it got to where it is today is a huge factor in today’s society. There have been a lot of things that negatively influenced gay rights. In some ways, things have happened in a positive way as well. The gay rights movement today and legalizing gay marriage has struck some people the wrong way because of their beliefs. For the gay community, though, it has been a very positive thing. Some of the big key moments in history went the way they did because of important events and important people causing it to go that way. These include Jeremy Bentham, Magnus Hirschfield, Henry Gerber, the making of the Mattachine Society, Stonewall Riots, Clela Rorex, the Ryan White

The United States of America should adopt a federal law that gives rights, protection and recognition of LGBT people based on sexual orientation and gender identity as constitutionally and respectfully equal as others uniformly throughout the nation.

In the 1960s many movements were starting to form. The three main movements that stand out to me are women's liberation, gay liberation, and the civil rights movement. I believe all of these movements have proved a point in the lives of many Americans. Each movement has brought a group of many Americans together to help show their concerns with the situations.

Through paralleling the success of gay rights with the more recent successes secured for marriage equality, one can pin point the steps necessary to create successful political mobilization within a conservative political system. A key point to understand the success of political mobilization is the political logic, or “background set of assumptions about how society works” (Armstrong 2002:14). Political logics drive the transformation of movement organization and social change. Only through the creation of new political logics can mobilization occur. Yet, “New political logics cannot simply be created at will through the strategic framing efforts of activist, but only emerge under specific conditions of heightened cultural creativity” (Armstrong

The history of the gay rights movement goes as far back as the late 19th century. More accurately, the quest by gays to search out others like themselves and foster a feeling of identity has been around since then. It is an innovative movement that seeks to change existing norms and gain acceptance within our culture. By 1915, one gay person said that the gay world was a "community, distinctly organized" (Milestones 1991), but kept mostly out of view because of social hostility. According to the Milestones article, after World War II, around 1940, many cities saw their first gay bars open as many homosexuals began to start a networking system. However, their newfound visibility only backfired on them, as

Brought together by various organizations, and united by shared persecution, the gay community came together and pushed for their rights, and were able to obtain them through science and litigation. The outset of the gay rights movement can be traced back to World War I. The World War brought America out of its isolationism and exposed Americans to life outside America. For the first time Americans saw firsthand the way countries like, England, France, Germany, and others treated their citizens. For many Americans World War I was a catalyst for change, and the fight for gay rights is no exception.

Looking back throughout history at the rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender individuals, it isn’t hard to see that we have made the majority of our strides in the past 10 years. As a society we have decided the time is now to put an end to the lack of rights for people of different sexual orientations. Accepting LGBT individuals and providing them the same rights and protections as all other Americans makes us a more united, respectable Country. Everyone deserves equal treatment and opportunities regardless of what their sexual orientation may be.

"You robbed me of something very precious and I will never forgive you for that. Mr. McKinney, I give you life in the memory of one who no longer lives. May you have a long life and may you thank Matthew every day for it." Those were the words said by Dennis Shepard at the sentencing of Aaron McKinney, one of the men who tortured, robbed, and murdered his son Matthew Shepard. He was given a life sentence. States must inflict a harsher punishment for people who commit gay violence crimes because over the years hate crimes based on sexual orientation have become the third highest category reported.