The history of this movement goes as far back as 1924 when the first known gay rights organization was established. Moving along to 1951 when Harry Hay, who is seen as the founder of the gay rights movement, formed the first national gay rights organization named The Mattachine Society.
In 1962, the movement was granted the right to have sex with someone of the same gender in Illinois and it not be a crime. It was in 1969 when the gay rights movement began to take a turn due to riots broke out at a bar in New York's Greenwich Village, "A group of gay customers at a popular gay bar in Greenwich Village called the Stonewall Inn, who had grown angry at the harassment by police, took a stand and a riot broke out. As word spread throughout the city about the demonstration, the customers of the inn were soon joined by other gay men and women who started throwing objects at the policemen, shouting 'gay power'." Stonewall Riots This event sparked a turning point in the world of the LGBTQ community. They were gay and they wanted to be heard no matter the cost. In 1973 Homosexuality was taken off of the American Psychiatric Association's list of mental disorders. It was also the year that a first out gay individual ran for a government position, Harvey Milk, ran for city supervision in San Francisco. In 1978 Harvey Milk was sworn in to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Harvey's first matter of business was to sponsor a civil rights bill that outlaws sexual orientation discrimination. However Harvey's fight for the LGBT community was short lived Harvey was assassinated by Dan White, the man known in the Criminal Justice world for the "Twinkie defense".
In 1980 political parties began to set forth their views on gays. "At the 1980 Democratic National Convention held at New York City's Madison Square Garden, Democrats took a stance supporting gay rights, adding the following to their plank: 'All groups must be protected from discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, language, age, sex or sexual orientation'."Timeline. In 1993 the "Don't ask, Don't Tell" policy was put into affect within the United States military, while it was meant to be as a protection for gays and lesbians in the military, it was the most horrific form of discrimination, in my opinion that they faced.
In 2000 Vermont became the first state to recognize the civil union between gays and or lesbians, which gave them the same rights and benefits as straight couples. 2003 was a big year, "The U.S. Supreme Court rules in Lawrence v. Texas that sodomy laws in the U.S. are unconstitutional. Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote, 'Liberty presumes an autonomy of self that includes freedom of thought, belief, expression, and certain intimate conduct.' In November of 2003, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that barring gays and lesbians from marrying violates the state constitution. The Massachusetts Chief Justice concluded that 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.” Strong opposition followed the ruling."Timeline
Fast forward to 2012 Maryland has become the eighth state to legalize gay marriage, "Don't ask, Don't Tell" has now been abolished by President Barack Obama. The President has also come out in support of gay marriage along with Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.
This week will be a very important week in the history of the LGBTQ movement. The US Supreme Court will be hearing two very important cases. "One is a challenge to the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (more commonly known as DOMA), which bars federal recognition of same-sex marriages. The other is a challenge of California's Proposition 8, a ban on same-sex marriage that was approved by voters in 2008." Same-Sex Marriage
The movement of this community is one that is history making. They have gone through so much to be able to live like everyone else and just be normal. I hope that one day they will finally just be excepted by everyone and allowed to live the lives they fight for with every step they take.
Refrences:
1. Info Please. (2012). The American Gay Rights Movement: A Timeline. Retrieved March 23, 2013 from http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0761909.html
2. The Leadership Conference. (2009). Stonewall Riots: The Beginning of the LGBT Movement. Retrieved March 23, 2013.http://www.civilrights.org/archives/2009/06/449-stonewall.html.
3. U.S. News on NBCNEWS.com. (2013). Same-sex marriage's big day in court: What's at stake?. Retrieved March 23, 2013. http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/23/17418817-same-sex-marriages-big-day-in-court-whats-at-stake?lite
I FIRMLY BELIEVE EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO MARRY WHOMEVER THEY WANT!!!!! PERIOD!
ReplyDeleteI can see why same sex marriage is a hotly contested issue. I personally can see both sides of the argument but would lean towards allowing gay couples to legally marry. Justice Scalia, one of the most conservative justices on the Supreme Court, stated during arguments that one of the main functions of marriage is to procreate. A response from another justice, asked if that meant any man and women say over the age of 55 who cannot have children should be banned from marriage. I think that shuts down Scalia’ argument. After reading the recent articles I will not be surprised if the court decides that they should not be even hearing the challenge to California’s Proposition 8 law which would probably allow gay marriages to resume in California.
ReplyDeleteThe decision by the Supreme Court on whether the Constitution requires that people be allowed to marry whom they chose regardless of either partner’s gender will have major implications involving over 1,000 federal laws. However, no matter how the court rules, I think that if state law allows gay marriage, then they should be entitled to the same survivor benefits and tax breaks that any heterosexual married couple are entitled to.
Terrific! Your best post yet. One thing that isn't strictly "Gay Rights", but helped to improve the situation dramatically for homosexuals was the Kinsey Report on Sexuality in America where he showed that there were a lot more Gays in America than previously estimated a fact that was instrumental to Harvey Milk's political success. He famously said something to the effect if all the Gays came out of the closet at once there would be Gay Rights over night. Again, awesome!
ReplyDeleteGay marriage really is the most important civil rights issue going on in the USA right now. Will be interesting to see how far and how fast this movement goes. So far it is legal in 11 states...but will the conservative states allow this measure to pass? Time will tell...great post.
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