Gay Right Movements in the US Essay Example

The movement which is also called homosexual rights movement is a movement whose objective is to advocate for equal rights for gay men. The movement aim also is to deal with sodomy laws that prevents homosexuality between two adults who have agreed to engage in the act. The movement advocates for end of discrimination against gay men in credit lending, employment, public accommodations, housing as well as all other areas of life. In 1940s gay citizens in America faced challenges as they were harassed by both the government and the police and were persecuted not for committing any offence but because they were gays.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

In united States the society for human rights in Chicago was the first gay rights organization which was founded in 1924. In1948 Alfred Kinsey published sexual behavior in the human male which made the public aware that gay behavior was spread more than they really thought (Fejes, 2016). In first gay association was established in 1951 by Harry Hay who is the founder of the movement for gay people. In 1962 Illinois decriminalized acts of homosexuality in private for people who have mutually consented.

The gay rights movement were transformed from a movement with limited activists to protests involving large group of people protesting for equality by Stonewall riots. The riots which lasted for three days started when police raided a gay bar in Greenwich Village and Stonewall Inn a move which made the patrons of the facilities to fight back (Swan, 2016). The movements were bearing fruits because in 1973 homosexuality was stroked out from the list of mental disorders (Lewis, 2016). In the same year Harvey Milk vied for the post of city supervisor ad emerged number ten out of thirty two candidates. He won in neighborhoods such as Castro District and others that were liberal. He became famous for his courageous speeches and skills in media.

He was appointed to the board dealing with permit appeals in 1976 by Mayor of San Francisco George Moscone. He was the first gay commissioner in United States although he didn't last long in this position as he was fired when he decided to vie for California State Assembly (Stone, 2016). He had only worked for five weeks and lost the election he was vying for and founded the San Francisco gay democratic club. Activists in Miami presented an ordinance that viewed discrimination on sexual basis illegal in the county of Dade. The ordinance was however overturn with 70% vote as parents were concerned about the impact of such ordinance to their children.

Harvey was sworn in on January 8 1978 as the supervisor for the city board and the bill he had presented was signed into law since it was opposed by only one person. He was assassinated together with the city mayor in November 27 of the same year. In 2,000 civil unions between couples of the same gender were legalized in Vermont and in 2004 Massachusetts also legalized such marriages. Several states also followed suite and in 2007 a bill was passed that ensured equal employment rights for gays and lesbians (Fejes, 2016). In June 6, 2014 the Supreme Court blocked same sex marriages but the Obama administration announced that the coupes who had already obtained certificates would be recognized. In 2015, the court ruled that the gay couples had the right to marry and states should not restrict marriage to that of heterosexuals only. Since then the LGBT have been fighting for equality in all aspects of life.

References

Fejes, F. (2016). Gay rights and moral panic: The origins of America's debate on homosexuality. Springer.

Stone, A. L. (2016). The Impact of AntiGay Politics on the LGBTQ Movement. Sociology Compass, 10(6), 459-467.

Swan, W. (Ed.). (2016). Handbook of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender administration and policy. CRC Press.

Lewis, A. J. (2016). "We Are Certain of Our Own Insanity": Antipsychiatry and the Gay Liberation Movement, 1968-1980. Journal of the History of Sexuality, 25(1), 83-113.