Show Menu
Cheatography
  1. Home >
  2. Education >

Gay Rights Movement Lecture Cheat Sheet (DRAFT) by

Gay Rights Movement Lecture notes

This is a draft cheat sheet. It is a work in progress and is not finished yet.

Compre­hensive Overview

The Gay Rights Movement is one of the most signif­icant and transf­orm­ative social movements of the 20th and 21st centuries. It has played a crucial role in challe­nging societal norms, securing legal rights, and fostering greater acceptance of LGBTQ+ indivi­duals. This movement has evolved over decades, with its roots in earlier struggles for equality and its influence continuing to shape contem­porary debates about civil rights and social justice.

Historical Background and Early Struggles

LGBTQ+ Life Before the Movement
Crimin­ali­zation and Margin­ali­zation: For much of history, homose­xuality was crimin­alized and considered immoral or pathol­ogical. In many societies, LGBTQ+ indivi­duals faced severe legal and social conseq­uences, including impris­onment, violence, and social ostracism.
 
Homose­xuality and Religion: Religious doctrines often condemned same-sex relati­ons­hips, further margin­alizing LGBTQ+ people. In Christ­ian­-do­minated societies, homose­xuality was often seen as sinful, and same-sex relati­onships were harshly punished.
The Early 20th Century: Founda­tions of Resistance
Sexology and the Early Theorists: In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, sexolo­gists like Magnus Hirschfeld in Germany began to study homose­xuality scient­ifi­cally. Hirschfeld founded the Scient­ifi­c-H­uma­nit­arian Committee in 1897, one of the earliest organi­zations advocating for gay rights, which aimed to repeal Paragraph 175 of the German Penal Code that crimin­alized homose­xua­lity.
 
The Harlem Renais­sance and Queer Expres­sion: The Harlem Renais­sance (1920s­-1930s) in the United States was a period of cultural flouri­shing for African Americans, during which LGBTQ+ indivi­duals like Langston Hughes and Gladys Bentley found spaces to express their sexuality, although often discreetly due to prevailing societal norms.
Mid-20th Century: The Rise of Gay Subcul­tures
The Lavender Scare: During the 1950s, the U.S. govern­ment, partic­ularly under Senator Joseph McCarthy’s influence, targeted homose­xuals in what became known as the Lavender Scare. Homose­xuals were purged from government jobs under the pretext that they were security risks and suscep­tible to communist influence.
 
The Mattachine Society and The Daughters of Bilitis: The Mattachine Society, founded in 1950 by Harry Hay in Los Angeles, was one of the first sustained LGBTQ+ rights organi­zations in the United States. Similarly, The Daughters of Bilitis, founded in 1955, became the first lesbian civil and political rights organi­zation in the U.S. Both groups sought to create safe spaces for LGBTQ+ indivi­duals and to challenge discri­min­atory laws and societal attitudes.

Birth of the Modern Gay Rights Movement

Context Leading Up to Stonewall
Police Harassment of LGBTQ+ Commun­ities: In the 1960s, LGBTQ+ people, partic­ularly in large cities like New York, faced regular harassment by police. Raids on gay bars were common, as homose­xuality was still crimin­alized, and establ­ish­ments that served gay patrons were often targeted.
 
Civil Rights and Anti-War Movements: The broader context of the 1960s, with the rise of the Civil Rights Movement, the anti-V­ietnam War movement, and the women’s liberation movement, provided a backdrop for increased activism among margin­alized groups, including LGBTQ+ commun­ities.
The Stonewall Uprising (1969)
The Raid on Stonewall Inn: On June 28, 1969, a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City’s Greenwich Village, sparked sponta­neous and violent resistance from the patrons. Unlike previous raids, the crowd fought back, leading to several nights of protests and clashes with police.
 
Signif­icance of Stonewall: The Stonewall Uprising is widely regarded as the catalyst for the modern gay rights movement. It marked a shift from passive acceptance of discri­min­ation to active resistance and pride in LGBTQ+ identity. The slogan “Gay Power” became a rallying cry for the movement.
The Formation of LGBTQ+ Activist Groups
Gay Liberation Front (GLF): In the wake of Stonewall, the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) was formed. It was a radical organi­zation that linked the fight for gay rights to other struggles for social justice, including anti-war efforts and the women’s movement.
 
Gay Activists Alliance (GAA): The Gay Activists Alliance (GAA), founded in 1969, focused on more struct­ured, single­-issue politics. The GAA sought to reform laws and policies affecting LGBTQ+ indivi­duals through lobbying, public education, and direct action.
 

The 1970s: Expansion and Challenges

The Growth of Pride Movements
First Pride Marches: The first Gay Pride Marches were held on the annive­rsary of the Stonewall Uprising in June 1970. These marches, in cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, were both celebr­atory and political, aiming to increase visibility and demand equal rights.
 
The Spread of Pride Events: Throughout the 1970s, Pride events spread to cities across the United States and intern­ati­onally, becoming an annual tradition that celebrated LGBTQ+ identity and called for social and legal change.
Legal and Political Advances
Decrim­ina­liz­ation of Homose­xua­lity: The 1970s saw signif­icant progress in the decrim­ina­liz­ation of homose­xua­lity. In 1972, Sweden became the first country to remove homose­xuality from its list of mental illnesses. In the United States, the state of Illinois had already decrim­ina­lized homose­xuality in 1962, and other states began to follow suit.
 
The American Psychi­atric Associ­ation (APA) Decision: In 1973, the APA removed homose­xuality from its Diagnostic and Statis­tical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), a major victory for the movement that helped reduce the stigma associated with homose­xua­lity.
The Backlash and Rise of the Religious Right
Anita Bryant and the “Save Our Children” Campaign: In 1977, singer and orange juice spokes­person Anita Bryant led the "Save Our Childr­en" campaign in Florida, which sought to repeal a local ordinance that prohibited discri­min­ation on the basis of sexual orient­ation. Bryant’s campaign was successful and marked the beginning of a broader conser­vative backlash against gay rights.
 
Emergence of the Religious Right: The late 1970s saw the rise of the Religious Right in the United States, which mobilized against gay rights as part of a broader conser­vative agenda. Groups like the Moral Majority, founded by Jerry Falwell, linked homose­xuality to moral decline and lobbied for policies that would restrict LGBTQ+ rights.

The AIDS Crisis and Its Impact on the Movement

The Emergence of AIDS
Initial Outbreak: The first cases of what would later be known as AIDS (Acquired Immuno­def­iciency Syndrome) were reported in the United States in 1981, predom­inantly among gay men. The disease was initially termed GRID (Gay-R­elated Immune Defici­ency), reflecting the widespread belief that it was a “gay disease.”
 
Stigma and Homoph­obia: The AIDS crisis exacer­bated existing prejudices against LGBTQ+ indivi­duals. The disease was often portrayed as divine punishment for homose­xua­lity, and many people with AIDS faced discri­min­ation, isolation, and inadequate medical care.
Activism in Response to AIDS
Formation of ACT UP: The AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) was founded in 1987 in New York City. ACT UP used direct action and civil disobe­dience to demand a more effective response to the AIDS crisis, including faster drug approval processes and greater public education about the disease.
 
Changing the Narrative: Activists worked to change the narrative around AIDS, emphas­izing that it was not just a gay disease and advocating for compassion and scientific research. The iconic “Silence = Death” slogan became a powerful symbol of the movement.
Political and Social Conseq­uences
Ryan White and Public Awareness: The story of Ryan White, a hemoph­iliac teenager who contracted AIDS through a blood transf­usion, helped shift public perception of the disease. White’s case highli­ghted that AIDS was not limited to the gay community and led to greater public support for AIDS research and education.
 
The Role of Govern­ment: The U.S. govern­ment's slow response to the AIDS crisis was widely critic­ized, partic­ularly the Reagan admini­str­ation's initial silence on the issue. Activists fought to hold the government accoun­table and to secure funding for research and treatment.
 

The 1990s: Legal Battles and Growing Visibility

Legal Progress and Setbacks
Bowers v. Hardwick (1986): This U.S. Supreme Court case upheld the consti­tut­ion­ality of a Georgia sodomy law, which crimin­alized consensual homosexual acts. The decision was a major setback for LGBTQ+ rights and highli­ghted the legal challenges the movement continued to face.
 
The Hawaii Marriage Case (1993): In 1993, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled in Baehr v. Lewin that the state’s ban on same-sex marriage was uncons­tit­utional unless the state could show a compelling interest. Although the ruling did not immedi­ately legalize same-sex marriage, it ignited a national debate on the issue.
The Rise of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and DOMA
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (1994): Introduced during the Clinton admini­str­ation, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) was a policy that allowed gay and lesbian indivi­duals to serve in the U.S. military, provided they did not openly acknow­ledge their sexuality. While seen as a compro­mise, DADT was criticized for perpet­uating discri­min­ation and forcing LGBTQ+ service members to hide their identi­ties.
 
Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) (1996): DOMA was a federal law that defined marriage as the union between one man and one woman, denying federal recogn­ition of same-sex marriages. It allowed states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states and was a signif­icant legal barrier to marriage equality.
Increasing Repres­ent­ation in Media and Culture
Ellen DeGeneres and “The Puppy Episode” (1997): Comedian Ellen DeGeneres made history when her character came out as gay on her sitcom Ellen in 1997. “The Puppy Episode” was a landmark moment for LGBTQ+ repres­ent­ation on televi­sion, though it also led to backlash and a temporary decline in DeGeneres’ career.
 
Growing LGBTQ+ Presence in Pop Culture: The 1990s saw an increase in LGBTQ+ visibility in media and popular culture, with more LGBTQ+ characters appearing in television shows, movies, and litera­ture. This growing repres­ent­ation played a crucial role in normal­izing LGBTQ+ identities and fostering greater accept­ance.

The 21st Century: Wins & Ongoing Struggles

The Fight for Marriage Equality
Massac­husetts Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage (2004): In 2004, Massac­husetts became the first U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage, following a ruling by the state’s Supreme Judicial Court. This was a major milestone in the fight for marriage equality and set the stage for further legal battles across the country.
 
Obergefell v. Hodges (2015): The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015 legalized same-sex marriage nation­wide, marking a monumental victory for the gay rights movement. The ruling affirmed that the right to marry is a fundam­ental right guaranteed to all Americans, regardless of gender or sexual orient­ation.
Repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
The End of DADT (2011): In 2011, President Barack Obama signed the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” allowing LGBTQ+ indivi­duals to serve openly in the U.S. military. The repeal was a signif­icant step forward in the struggle for LGBTQ+ equality in the armed forces.
The Transg­ender Rights Movement
Increased Visibility and Advocacy: The early 21st century saw a growing focus on transg­ender rights, with increased visibility and advocacy for transg­ender indivi­duals. The transg­ender rights movement has fought for legal recogn­ition, access to health­care, and protection from discri­min­ation.
 
Challenges and Backlash: Despite progress, the transg­ender community continues to face signif­icant challe­nges, including violence, discri­min­ation, and legal battles over bathroom access, health­care, and military service. The fight for transg­ender rights remains a critical issue within the broader LGBTQ+ movement.
Intern­ational Develo­pments
Global Progress and Setbacks: While signif­icant progress has been made in many countries, with same-sex marriage legalized in several nations and anti-d­isc­rim­ination laws enacted, LGBTQ+ rights remain severely restricted in many parts of the world. In some countries, homose­xuality is still crimin­alized, and LGBTQ+ indivi­duals face persec­ution, violence, and even death.
The Continuing Struggle for Equality
Ongoing Legal Battles: Despite the successes of the gay rights movement, ongoing legal battles continue over issues such as adoption rights, healthcare access, and religious exemptions that allow discri­min­ation against LGBTQ+ indivi­duals.
 
The Role of Activism and Advocacy: Activism and advocacy remain central to the movement, with organi­zations and indivi­duals continuing to fight for full equality. Pride events, legal challe­nges, and grassroots organizing all play crucial roles in advancing LGBTQ+ rights.

Conclusion

The Gay Rights Movement has achieved remarkable successes over the past century, transf­orming societal attitudes, securing legal rights, and fostering a greater unders­tanding and acceptance of LGBTQ+ indivi­duals. From the early struggles against crimin­ali­zation and margin­ali­zation to the modern battles for marriage equality and transg­ender rights, the movement has contin­ually evolved, responding to new challenges and opport­uni­ties.
While signif­icant progress has been made, the fight for full equality is ongoing. The movement’s history is a testament to the power of collective action and the enduring importance of standing up for human rights, dignity, and equality for all, regardless of sexual orient­ation or gender identity.