Gay Rights Movement in the U.S.
By: Caela Dalia
Background Information
- Small movement started in 1950's-1960's
- Multiple hate crimes against gay people were committed
- "Don't ask, don't tell" was created to keep openly gay people from serving in the army
- October 15, 1979: Washington D.C. was the place of the first march
- Supreme Court allowed states to ban homosexual conduct in 1986
- Texas banned all homosexual conduct, rendering it illegal
- LGBT couples don't get the same legal benefits/duties as straight couples
Stonewall Inn
- Gay bar in New York was raided in early July, 1969
- Police reasoning was "immoral conduct laws"
- Bar was tied to organized crime
- Patrons of the bar were arrested
- People gathered around the bar to protest
- Protest became violent - people threw things
- "Gay power" was chanted repeatedly
- All protests around the bar were violent
Minds Being to Change
Many people are for gay rights:
- 2003 - Supreme Court ruled the Texas ban unconstitutional
- 2004 - Massachusetts became first state to legalize gay marriage
- multiple support organizations sprang up to advocate for gay rights
Many People Are Against Gay Rights
- many people claim that LGBT people want "special rights" over equal rights
- religions - "morally wrong"
What Happens Now
- 2010 - President Obama signed law ending military's ban on openly gay soldiers
- After the Texas law was reversed, gay marriage has been in the spotlight
- June 2015 - Supreme Court ruled that states could not ban gay marriage
- It has been declared that states cannot outlaw private behaviours
- Gay marriage is now legal in all states
The Gay Rights Movement Part II
How Did The Participants Demonstrate Their Belief System Through Their Protest?
For the most part, they remained peaceful. They only fought back when they were treated unfairly and by force. I think they showed that they were just like the rest of us: people. They weren't going to be violent to get what they wanted, they were going to be peaceful. I think they demonstrated that they deserve to be treated equally because they are human.