The Issue Of The Gay Rights Movement Essay

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

“The freedom to marry has long been recognized as one of the vital personal rights

The 1960’s was a change for the world. One of the major things that happened was the Gay Liberation. The 1960’s was a sensitive decade. Would you want to be punished for your sexuality or liking the same gender.? NO, you shouldn’t. You don’t choose who you like or how you feel.

Often when we think of American civil rights history, we picture the African American struggle for equality; we think of famous court cases like Brown v. Board, a milestone in ending segregation in public schools; we think of Dr. King and the NAACP’s efforts to organize the black community through speeches, boycotts, and peaceful protests. But often times, when we discuss civil rights history in classrooms we tend to overlook the discrimination faced by other minorities and their separate movements towards social equality.

The greatest issue facing America today is the ongoing battle for social justice among minority groups such as: African-Americans, the LGBT+ community, and Native Americans who've suffered harsh treatment in the present and past. Since the early colonization of America, these minority groups have continuously fought for their rights because of the oppression that society placed on them. They’ve sought justice through non-violent/violent protests, movements, and laws to spark change among an unfair society that has endlessly persecuted them. However, this injustice doesn’t happen entirely from racism or prejudice but from the majority “refusing to take a stand against the problem causing it to grow further” (Thoreau 326).

Out of the 316 million people in the United States of America, nine million of them relate as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning collectively known as LGBTQ. This makes up about four percent of the population and while this may seem like a small number, the LGBTQ equal rights movement is as big as ever. While there are many fronts to fight in the war for equal rights, the major points I will be discussing are the history of LGBTQ fight for equal rights, marriage rights and equality, and the mistreatment of LGBTQ youth in regards to bullying in schools, homelessness, and depression/suicide.

“The gay rights movement is not a party. It is not a lifestyle… It is not about sin or salvation. The gay rights movement is an integral part of the American promise of freedom” (Urvashi Vaid). Many people were not supportive of the minority of people coming out to the world and becoming a part of the LGBTQ+ community. The actions of the many who did not accept the idea of being gay, lesbian or transgender, would interfere with their confidence and freedom of being who they want to be. The idea of gay rights was not socially accepted since it had differed from the social norm of a male and female sexually attracted to one another. However, there would be a ‘safe haven’ in most cities for the LGBTQ+ community to thrive and reveal themselves towards the people that truly accepted them for who they are. Although there were very few ‘safe havens’ around, these places would be tormented by the police and many of the people in them would become oppressed since they wanted to be in a place of acceptance. From June 28, 1969 through July 1, 1969, the gay community faced massive oppression from police raids in Greenwich Village, NYC at Stonewall Inn, which caused them to start a riot which ignited a major conflict for the sake of their own safety and freedom. This riot allowed them to show their oppressors that they are human as well and are able to fight back for themselves and for the future generations ahead of them. Due to the lack of a formal compromise between the gay community and the police, many people questioned as well as oppressed them because of certain religious aspects and social norms, but the conflict resulted in the development of the Gay Liberation Front and allowing the LGBTQ+ community to freely express themselves.

When Aristotle discussed the material premises of enthymemes as being important in rhetoric, he was prescient of the kind of appeals that would be tendered by opponents in the discourse over gay rights issues long after his time. Smith and Windes express the nature of this conflict accurately when they write, “symbols expressing fundamental cultural values are invoked by all sides” (1997: 28). Similarly, Sarah S. Brown describes the participants in a “struggle to stake out symbolic positions of good and to frame their side in terms of morally powerful conceptions of right and wrong” (2000: 458). Fascinatingly, she suggests, “even people with deeply conflicting opinions appeal to the same moral

Since the beginning of time, our society has been dealing with systems of oppression, whether it is regarding sexual orientation, social class, or race. These three topics have each had their time in the spotlight with social movements. Three key social movements including the Gay Rights Movement, the Occupy Wall Street movement, and the Black Lives Matter movement, has worked to confront and challenge forms of oppression and has created change as a result.

The Gay Rights Movement has come a long way from 1960 through the 1990’s. There were many milestones and important events that occurred and helped to propel rights for this segment of society in a positive direction. Although this is a great thing and I believe there have been many positive advances I continue to believe that we have a long way to go to accomplish equality. The word “equality” has been used a lot over our recent fight for rights but truly believe it is the most accurate term to convey what is so lacking for the GLBT community.

"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.

The 20th century was a period of mass change, from technology to the ideals that people put forth to the reformation movements that occurred. A major, but not well known movement that took place was the gay and trans rights movement. This centered around the idea of those of the queer (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender+, or LGBT+) community that sought to be understood during a time of extreme prejudice against them. This led to incidents like the Stonewall Inn riots led by Marsha P. Johnson and to political figures like José Sarria and Harvey Milk, who worked tirelessly to help reform social views to make America a safer place.

Throughout history the gay rights movement was primarily a minority among the cultures and religions around it. The movement initially was thought of as morally incorrect, and an act of criminalization. However, as time went on and the gay rights movement continued to voice their opinion to others, attitudes and views began to change and breakthroughs in their mission began to be noticed. In the 21st century much of the Western culture has accepted the inclusion of gays, lesbians, bisexuals, etc in to its culture and accepts them for who they are. Attitude and social interactions continue to approve positively as more people become informed on this topic. As a result, the inclusion of the LGBT group in to Western

Although the gay liberation movement had very little impact at that time, it set the stage for bigger and better changes in the future. Since the 1960’s America has added, removed, and adjusted laws against homosexuals. On May 17, 2004, Massachusetts becomes the first state in the United State to legalize same–sex marriage. The Massachusetts Chief Justice concluded, “to deny the protections, benefits, and obligations conferred by civil marriage to gay couples was unconstitutional because it denied the dignity and equality of all individuals and made them second-class citizens.” Now 37 states have legalized same-sex marriage and 13 states have laws that still prohibit it. A year before the state of Massachusetts decided to legalize same-sex

I am writing in regard to an article written by Leigh Keily. This article, “Liam Payne: On his wild nights, gay rights, and why homophobia should be a thing of the past,” published in Attitude's October edition, is contradictory to the LGBTQ+ community and is disparaging to your credibility as a pro-gay publication.