The Gay Rights Movement

I. The “History” of Gay People? Some scholars have argued that gay people lack a history (in the traditional sense) –Problem of “invisibility” –Concept of homosexuality has changed radically over time (e.g., in 1973 the DSM removed it from its list of disorders)

II. Discrimination In the twentieth century United States, gay people faced a number of obstacles –Entrapment (gay men especially) –Lack of job security –Suspected ties to radical movements increased harassment (state department list)

III. Attempts at Integration Mattachine Society (gay men) and Daughters of Bilitis (lesbian women) –Attempted to convince American society that gay people were only different in their sexual orientation –Tried to do so through literature and very orderly demonstrations –Really, really unsuccessful

IV. The Stonewall Riots Riot at the Stonewall Inn –June 28, 1969 –Police raided the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar in Greenwich Village –Crowd gathered and attacked the police –Riots consumed Greenwich Village for several weeks after

V. The Gay Rights Movement Significance of Stonewall –Inspired a new sense of gay pride (militancy in others) –Rise of the Gay Liberation Front, demise of Mattachine Society and Daughters of Bilitis –While gay people became more open about their sexuality, class and gender issues became more apparent as the movement grew (lesbians vs. transvestites, poor gay men vs. wealthy gay men, etc.)

V. The Gay Rights Movement Significance (con’t) –June 28, 1970 saw the first gay pride parade to commemorate the riots. –In 2009, President Obama declared June 2009 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month, citing the riots as a reason to "commit to achieving equal justice under law for LGBT Americans”

Further Reading es/exhibitions/sw25/case1.htmlhttp:// es/exhibitions/sw25/case1.html imestopics/subjects/s/stonewall_rebellion/i ndex.htmlhttp://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/t imestopics/subjects/s/stonewall_rebellion/i ndex.html