Gay Rights - Movement, Marriage & Flag | HISTORY

Contents:

• GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT
• GAY RIGHTS
• THE LGBT EQUALY ACT BEGAN LIFE 1974. IT'S STILL WAG TO BE PASSED.HISTORY LSONIF PASSED, THE EQUALY ACT WOULD AMEND THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT TO ADD PROTECTNS FOR LGBTQ PEOPLE PUBLIC SPAC, EMPLOYMENT, HOG, AND TN. BUT 'S NOT A NEW IA.NI LANGKATE SOSUPDATED APR. 13, 2019 2:44AM EDT / PUBLISHED APR. 12, 2019 9:46PM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY LYNE LUCIEN/THE DAILY BEAST/GETTYWHEN THE NEWS BROKE THAT REP. BELLA ABZUG HAD TRODUCED A BILL TO PROTECT LBIAN AND GAY PEOPLE OM DISCRIMATN TO CONGRS, DAVID MIXNER CUT OUT THE ARTICLE AND HID THE TOP DRAWER OF HIS DRSER. THE YEAR WAS 1974. MIXNER, LATER AN ADVISER TO THEN-PRINT BILL CLTON, WASN’T YET OUT AS GAY. “MOST OF HATED OURSELV AND DIDN’T THK WE SERVED EQUALY,” THE NATNALLY RENOWNED ACTIVIST AND THOR REMEMBERS. “THAT WAS A SYMBOL OF GREAT HOPE TO HAVE SOMEONE THE UNED STAT [CONGRS] SAY THE PEOPLE SERVE EQUALY.” THE EQUALY ACT OF 1974, WHICH NEVER MOVED OUT OF MTEE, CHANGED MIXNER’S LIFE. “TWO YEARS LATER, I ME OUT GOOD PART BEE I THOUGHT THEY WERE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED WE WILL NORMAL AND OK AND THAT WE SERVE PROTECTN,” HE SAID. THE ORIGAL BILL STATED ALL PEOPLE SHOULD BE EE OM DISCRIMATN “REGARDLS OF THEIR RACE, LOR, RELIGN, SEX, MARAL STAT, SEXUAL ORIENTATN OR NATNAL ORIG.” GENR INTY PROTECTNS, WHICH VER TRANSGENR PEOPLE, WEREN’T PART OF THE ORIGAL LANGUAGE. THE BILL VERED PUBLIC ACMODATNS, TN AND OTHER BS SERVIC.FOR THE FIRST TIME 45 YEARS, A HOE OF CONGRS ULD PASS AN ERATN OF THE BILL, WHICH NOW CLUS TRANSGENR PROTECTNS. ON MARCH 13, NGRSNAL DEMOCRATS TRODUCED THE EQUALY ACT, AN UPDATED VERSN OF THE 1974 BILL. IT THEN HAD S FIRST EVER HEARG THE HOE JUDICIARY COMMTEE. IF PASSED, THE LANDMARK NONDISCRIMATN BILL WOULD AMEND THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 TO ADD PROTECTNS FOR LGBTQ PEOPLE PUBLIC SPAC, EMPLOYMENT, HOG, TN, FERAL PROGRAMS, CRED, AND JURY SERVICE.THE EQUALY ACT IS WELL-POSNED TO MAKE HISTORIC ADVANC 2019. ITS RETRODUCTN WAS GREETED WH 240 TOTAL SPONSORS THE U.S. HOE AND SENATE, MEANG THAT 45 PERCENT OF CONGRS HAS ALREADY E OUT SUPPORT OF THE BILL.IF SIGNED, WOULD BE THE FIRST NATNAL NONDISCRIMATN LAW PROTECTG LGBTQ PEOPLE.FEW OF THE BILL’S ORIGAL SPONSORS 1974 WILL BE ALIVE TO SEE THAT VICTORY, HOWEVER. ABZUG, WHO RETRODUCED THE LANDMARK LEGISLATN THE FOLLOWG YEAR AS THE CIVIL RIGHTS AMENDMENTS OF 1975, DIED 1998.ELIZABETH HOLTZMAN, ONE OF THE LIVG SPONSORS OF THE 1975 BILL, SAID SHE WAS “VERY PROUD TO BE AN EARLY SUPPORTER OF THAT LEGISLATN.”“I'VE ALWAYS FOUGHT AGAST DISCRIMATN,” THE FORMER NEW YORK NGRSWOMAN SAID. “I WAS THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT THE SOUTH THE EARLY DAYS OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT THE EARLY 1960S. I FOUGHT FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS WHEN I FIRST GOT TO CONGRS. THIS JT SEEMED LIKE PART OF THE EFFORT TO FIGHT FOR JTICE.”OF THE 23 -SPONSORS WHO SIGNED ONTO THE 1975 BILL, JT A HANDFUL ARE STILL ALIVE. THE DAILY BEAST SUCCSFULLY NTACTED JOHN BURTON AND CHARL RANGEL, WHOSE MEMORI OF THE 44-YEAR-OLD LEGISLATN HAVE FAD SOMEWHAT OVER THE YEARS. “I DON’T RELL NOW ANYBODY EVER ASKG WHY AMONG ALL THE HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS THAT I WAS SENT TO WASHGTON TO SUPPORT, WHY WOULD I BE SUPPORTG GAY RIGHTS. IT NEVER, NEVER WAS A URAGEO THG ON MY PART” WHEN ASKED WHAT LED HIM TO SUPPORT GAY RIGHTS S BEFORE THE UNTRY UGHT UP TO EQUALY, RANGEL TOLD THE DAILY BEAST WAS THE “RIGHT THG TO DO.”“I DON’T RELL NOW ANYBODY EVER ASKG WHY AMONG ALL THE HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS THAT I WAS SENT TO WASHGTON TO SUPPORT, WHY WOULD I BE SUPPORTG GAY RIGHTS,” SAYS THE RETIRED CALIFORNIA NGRSMAN. “IT NEVER, NEVER WAS A URAGEO THG ON MY PART.”BURTON, WHOSE RELLECTNS OF THE BILL WERE EQUENTLY PUNCTUATED WH EXPLETIV AND LORFUL ASIS, REMEMBERS BEG ASKED WHAT HIS MOTHER WOULD THK OF HIM SUPPORTG GAY RIGHTS. SHE WAS A “PRETTY VOUT CATHOLIC,” HE RELLED. THE FORMER CALIFORNIA NGRSMAN SHOT BACK: “SHE WOULDN'T GIVE A SH ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.” WHILE BURTON CLAIMS WHAT OTHER PEOPLE DID THE BEDROOM WASN’T A “BIG AL” TO HIM, HE SAYS THE ISSUE WAS BIGGER THAN SEXUAL ORIENTATN. IT WAS ABOUT NTUG AMERI’S MARCH TOWARD PROGRS.“WHEN I GREW UP, THERE WEREN'T ANY AIN AMERINS PLAYG BASKETBALL THE PRO LEAGUE,” HE TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “I REMEMBER WHEN ABORTN WAS A CRIME, AND THE SENTENCE FOR MARIJUANA GOT YOU 20 YEARS PRISON. THE UNTRY IS EVOLVG. IT’S NOT GONE AS FAST AS SHOULD HAVE, BUT ’S GONE PRETTY FAST.”JOHN D’E, THE RENOWNED LGBTQ HISTORIAN, REMEMBERS THE BILL’S RETRODUCTN 1975 WELL. THE CIVIL RIGHTS AMENDMENTS OF 1975 CID WH A PAIR OF MAJOR TON THE EQUALY MOVEMENT. LAMBDA LEGAL, THE ADVOCY ANIZATN WHICH LOBBI FOR LGBTQ EQUALY THROUGH THE URT SYSTEM, WAS FOUND THE YEAR PRR. SO WAS THE NATNAL GAY TASK FORCE, WHICH IS NOW KNOWN AS THE NATNAL LGBTQ TASK FORCE. “IT'S NOT LIKE THERE WAS EVEN THE SLIGHTT CHANCE THAT ANY PROGRS WOULD BE MA ON . IT WAS MORE OF A SYMBOLIC ACTN AT THAT POT” D’E SAYS HE PAID LTLE ATTENTN TO THE LEGISLATN AT THE TIME.“IT'S NOT LIKE THERE WAS EVEN THE SLIGHTT CHANCE THAT ANY PROGRS WOULD BE MA ON ,” D’E TOLD DAILY BEAST. “IT WAS MORE OF A SYMBOLIC ACTN AT THAT POT.” WHEN WAS ORIGALLY TRODUCED 1974, ONLY ABZUG SIGNED ONTO THE BILL. DPE THE ADDN OF NAM LIKE SHIRLEY CHISHOLM AND ED KOCH, SUPPORTERS OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS AMENDMENTS OF 1975 HAD NO ILLNS ABOUT S CHANC. THIS WAS JT TWO YEARS AFTER THE AMERIN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATN CLASSIFIED HOMOSEXUALY AS A MENTAL ILLNS AND THREE YEARS BEFORE HARVEY MILK’S ASSASSATN.“NO ONE EXPECTED THAT WOULD PASS OR BE SIGNED TO LAW,” TASK FORCE DIRECTOR OF ADVOCY AND ACTN STACEY LONG SIMMONS SAID.AS THE LGBTQ MOVEMENT ADVANCED ISSUE AFTER ISSUE, THE BASIC PROTECTNS TRODUCED 1974 TOOK A BACKSEAT TO THGS LIKE MARRIAGE AND OPEN ARY SERVICE. WHILE WISNS BEME THE FIRST STATE TO BAN EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMATN ON THE BASIS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATN 1982, 29 STAT HAVE YET TO PASS FULLY CLIVE LGBTQ PROTECTNS. NO STATE TOOK ACTN AGAST GENR INTY DISCRIMATN UNTIL 1993, WHEN MNOTA PASSED S HUMAN RIGHTS ACT. THAT LAW STILL ONLY OFFERED PROTECTN EMPLOYMENT, MEANG THAT TRANS PEOPLE ULD STILL BE NIED HOG BEE OF WHO THEY ARE.EVEN THAT STEP WENT FARTHER THAN THE NATNAL NONDISCRIMATN BILLS 1974 AND 1975, WHICH SNUBBED GENR INTY ENTIRELY.D’E BELIEV THE LEGISLATN—WHICH MET NOTABLE RISTANCE OM TRANS LEARS BEE OF S PARTIAL SOLUTN TO LGBTQ EQUALY—WAS ABOUT TAKG A FIRST STEP TOWARD THE FUTURE. FEW OF S PROPONENTS WOULD HAVE PREDICTED, HOWEVER, THAT WOULD TAKE 45 YEARS FOR THE BILL TO CLEAR A SGLE CHAMBER.“YOU HAVE TO START A PROCS AT SOME POT,” SAID D’E.AS WAS THE SE FOUR S AGO, EVEN THE EQUALY ACT’S MOST ARNT SUPPORTERS SAY THE LEGISLATN FAC A TOUGH ROAD TO PASSAGE. REPUBLINS HOLD A SIX-SEAT MAJORY THE SENATE. MEANWHILE, PRINT TMP HAS VOICED SUPPORT FOR A BILL THAT WOULD LEGALIZE DISCRIMATN AGAST LGBTQ PEOPLE BY ALLOWG BS TO NY THEM SERVIC IF THEY CE RELIG NVICTNS.WHILE THE BILL WILL NTUE TO FACE CHALLENG UNR AN ADMISTRATN THAT HAS UNILATERALLY ROLLED BACK LGBTQ RIGHTS, HOLTZMAN BELIEV S DAY IS G. “FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN STGGLG AGAST DISCRIMATN AND AGAST BIGOTRY, YOU N'T LOSE HEART,” HOLTZMAN CLAIMED. “THERE'S STILL SO MUCH HATRED, ANGER, AND ONGOG STGGLE, BUT ENORMO PROGRS HAS BEEN MA. WE HAVE TO REGNIZE THAT.” NI LANG
• GAY HISTORY – JANUARY 14 1974: 49 YEARS AGO OTD BELLA ABZUG INTRODUC THE FIRST EQUALY ACT TO CONGRS

GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT

E., for lbians, gays [homosexual mal], bisexuals, transgenr persons, and queer persons); seeks to elimate sodomy laws; and lls for an end to discrimatn agast LGBTQ persons employment, cred, hog, public acmodatns, and other areas of life.

(Although the term gay is monly ed reference to homosexual mal, is also ed more generally to refer to homosexual mal together wh some or all other orientatns wh the LGBTQ muny. ) Gay rights prr to the 20th century Relig admonns agast sexual relatns between dividuals of the same sex (particularly men) long stigmatized such behavur, but most legal s Europe were silent on the subject of homosexualy and bisexualy. Dpe Paragraph 175 and the failure of the WhK to w s repeal, homosexual and bisexual men and women experienced a certa amount of eedom Germany, particularly durg the Weimar perd, between the end of World War I and the Nazi seizure of power.

GAY RIGHTS

In the Uned Stat this greater visibily brought some backlash, particularly om the ernment and the police: the ernment often fired gay civil servants, the ary attempted to purge s ranks of gay soldiers (a policy enacted durg World War II), and police vice squads equently raid gay bars and arrted their patrons. In the Uned Stat the first major male anizatn, found 1950–51 by Harry Hay Los Angel, was the Mattache Society (s name reputedly rived om a medieval French society of masked players, the Société Mattache, to reprent the public “maskg” of homosexualy), while the Dghters of Bilis (named after the Sapphic love poems of Pierre Louÿs, Chansons Bilis), found 1955 by Phyllis Lyon and Del Mart San Francis, was a leadg group for women.

THE LGBT EQUALY ACT BEGAN LIFE 1974. IT'S STILL WAG TO BE PASSED.HISTORY LSONIF PASSED, THE EQUALY ACT WOULD AMEND THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT TO ADD PROTECTNS FOR LGBTQ PEOPLE PUBLIC SPAC, EMPLOYMENT, HOG, AND TN. BUT 'S NOT A NEW IA.NI LANGKATE SOSUPDATED APR. 13, 2019 2:44AM EDT / PUBLISHED APR. 12, 2019 9:46PM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY LYNE LUCIEN/THE DAILY BEAST/GETTYWHEN THE NEWS BROKE THAT REP. BELLA ABZUG HAD TRODUCED A BILL TO PROTECT LBIAN AND GAY PEOPLE OM DISCRIMATN TO CONGRS, DAVID MIXNER CUT OUT THE ARTICLE AND HID THE TOP DRAWER OF HIS DRSER. THE YEAR WAS 1974. MIXNER, LATER AN ADVISER TO THEN-PRINT BILL CLTON, WASN’T YET OUT AS GAY. “MOST OF HATED OURSELV AND DIDN’T THK WE SERVED EQUALY,” THE NATNALLY RENOWNED ACTIVIST AND THOR REMEMBERS. “THAT WAS A SYMBOL OF GREAT HOPE TO HAVE SOMEONE THE UNED STAT [CONGRS] SAY THE PEOPLE SERVE EQUALY.” THE EQUALY ACT OF 1974, WHICH NEVER MOVED OUT OF MTEE, CHANGED MIXNER’S LIFE. “TWO YEARS LATER, I ME OUT GOOD PART BEE I THOUGHT THEY WERE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED WE WILL NORMAL AND OK AND THAT WE SERVE PROTECTN,” HE SAID. THE ORIGAL BILL STATED ALL PEOPLE SHOULD BE EE OM DISCRIMATN “REGARDLS OF THEIR RACE, LOR, RELIGN, SEX, MARAL STAT, SEXUAL ORIENTATN OR NATNAL ORIG.” GENR INTY PROTECTNS, WHICH VER TRANSGENR PEOPLE, WEREN’T PART OF THE ORIGAL LANGUAGE. THE BILL VERED PUBLIC ACMODATNS, TN AND OTHER BS SERVIC.FOR THE FIRST TIME 45 YEARS, A HOE OF CONGRS ULD PASS AN ERATN OF THE BILL, WHICH NOW CLUS TRANSGENR PROTECTNS. ON MARCH 13, NGRSNAL DEMOCRATS TRODUCED THE EQUALY ACT, AN UPDATED VERSN OF THE 1974 BILL. IT THEN HAD S FIRST EVER HEARG THE HOE JUDICIARY COMMTEE. IF PASSED, THE LANDMARK NONDISCRIMATN BILL WOULD AMEND THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 TO ADD PROTECTNS FOR LGBTQ PEOPLE PUBLIC SPAC, EMPLOYMENT, HOG, TN, FERAL PROGRAMS, CRED, AND JURY SERVICE.THE EQUALY ACT IS WELL-POSNED TO MAKE HISTORIC ADVANC 2019. ITS RETRODUCTN WAS GREETED WH 240 TOTAL SPONSORS THE U.S. HOE AND SENATE, MEANG THAT 45 PERCENT OF CONGRS HAS ALREADY E OUT SUPPORT OF THE BILL.IF SIGNED, WOULD BE THE FIRST NATNAL NONDISCRIMATN LAW PROTECTG LGBTQ PEOPLE.FEW OF THE BILL’S ORIGAL SPONSORS 1974 WILL BE ALIVE TO SEE THAT VICTORY, HOWEVER. ABZUG, WHO RETRODUCED THE LANDMARK LEGISLATN THE FOLLOWG YEAR AS THE CIVIL RIGHTS AMENDMENTS OF 1975, DIED 1998.ELIZABETH HOLTZMAN, ONE OF THE LIVG SPONSORS OF THE 1975 BILL, SAID SHE WAS “VERY PROUD TO BE AN EARLY SUPPORTER OF THAT LEGISLATN.”“I'VE ALWAYS FOUGHT AGAST DISCRIMATN,” THE FORMER NEW YORK NGRSWOMAN SAID. “I WAS THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT THE SOUTH THE EARLY DAYS OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT THE EARLY 1960S. I FOUGHT FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS WHEN I FIRST GOT TO CONGRS. THIS JT SEEMED LIKE PART OF THE EFFORT TO FIGHT FOR JTICE.”OF THE 23 -SPONSORS WHO SIGNED ONTO THE 1975 BILL, JT A HANDFUL ARE STILL ALIVE. THE DAILY BEAST SUCCSFULLY NTACTED JOHN BURTON AND CHARL RANGEL, WHOSE MEMORI OF THE 44-YEAR-OLD LEGISLATN HAVE FAD SOMEWHAT OVER THE YEARS. “I DON’T RELL NOW ANYBODY EVER ASKG WHY AMONG ALL THE HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS THAT I WAS SENT TO WASHGTON TO SUPPORT, WHY WOULD I BE SUPPORTG GAY RIGHTS. IT NEVER, NEVER WAS A URAGEO THG ON MY PART” WHEN ASKED WHAT LED HIM TO SUPPORT GAY RIGHTS S BEFORE THE UNTRY UGHT UP TO EQUALY, RANGEL TOLD THE DAILY BEAST WAS THE “RIGHT THG TO DO.”“I DON’T RELL NOW ANYBODY EVER ASKG WHY AMONG ALL THE HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS THAT I WAS SENT TO WASHGTON TO SUPPORT, WHY WOULD I BE SUPPORTG GAY RIGHTS,” SAYS THE RETIRED CALIFORNIA NGRSMAN. “IT NEVER, NEVER WAS A URAGEO THG ON MY PART.”BURTON, WHOSE RELLECTNS OF THE BILL WERE EQUENTLY PUNCTUATED WH EXPLETIV AND LORFUL ASIS, REMEMBERS BEG ASKED WHAT HIS MOTHER WOULD THK OF HIM SUPPORTG GAY RIGHTS. SHE WAS A “PRETTY VOUT CATHOLIC,” HE RELLED. THE FORMER CALIFORNIA NGRSMAN SHOT BACK: “SHE WOULDN'T GIVE A SH ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.” WHILE BURTON CLAIMS WHAT OTHER PEOPLE DID THE BEDROOM WASN’T A “BIG AL” TO HIM, HE SAYS THE ISSUE WAS BIGGER THAN SEXUAL ORIENTATN. IT WAS ABOUT NTUG AMERI’S MARCH TOWARD PROGRS.“WHEN I GREW UP, THERE WEREN'T ANY AIN AMERINS PLAYG BASKETBALL THE PRO LEAGUE,” HE TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “I REMEMBER WHEN ABORTN WAS A CRIME, AND THE SENTENCE FOR MARIJUANA GOT YOU 20 YEARS PRISON. THE UNTRY IS EVOLVG. IT’S NOT GONE AS FAST AS SHOULD HAVE, BUT ’S GONE PRETTY FAST.”JOHN D’E, THE RENOWNED LGBTQ HISTORIAN, REMEMBERS THE BILL’S RETRODUCTN 1975 WELL. THE CIVIL RIGHTS AMENDMENTS OF 1975 CID WH A PAIR OF MAJOR TON THE EQUALY MOVEMENT. LAMBDA LEGAL, THE ADVOCY ANIZATN WHICH LOBBI FOR LGBTQ EQUALY THROUGH THE URT SYSTEM, WAS FOUND THE YEAR PRR. SO WAS THE NATNAL GAY TASK FORCE, WHICH IS NOW KNOWN AS THE NATNAL LGBTQ TASK FORCE. “IT'S NOT LIKE THERE WAS EVEN THE SLIGHTT CHANCE THAT ANY PROGRS WOULD BE MA ON . IT WAS MORE OF A SYMBOLIC ACTN AT THAT POT” D’E SAYS HE PAID LTLE ATTENTN TO THE LEGISLATN AT THE TIME.“IT'S NOT LIKE THERE WAS EVEN THE SLIGHTT CHANCE THAT ANY PROGRS WOULD BE MA ON ,” D’E TOLD DAILY BEAST. “IT WAS MORE OF A SYMBOLIC ACTN AT THAT POT.” WHEN WAS ORIGALLY TRODUCED 1974, ONLY ABZUG SIGNED ONTO THE BILL. DPE THE ADDN OF NAM LIKE SHIRLEY CHISHOLM AND ED KOCH, SUPPORTERS OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS AMENDMENTS OF 1975 HAD NO ILLNS ABOUT S CHANC. THIS WAS JT TWO YEARS AFTER THE AMERIN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATN CLASSIFIED HOMOSEXUALY AS A MENTAL ILLNS AND THREE YEARS BEFORE HARVEY MILK’S ASSASSATN.“NO ONE EXPECTED THAT WOULD PASS OR BE SIGNED TO LAW,” TASK FORCE DIRECTOR OF ADVOCY AND ACTN STACEY LONG SIMMONS SAID.AS THE LGBTQ MOVEMENT ADVANCED ISSUE AFTER ISSUE, THE BASIC PROTECTNS TRODUCED 1974 TOOK A BACKSEAT TO THGS LIKE MARRIAGE AND OPEN ARY SERVICE. WHILE WISNS BEME THE FIRST STATE TO BAN EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMATN ON THE BASIS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATN 1982, 29 STAT HAVE YET TO PASS FULLY CLIVE LGBTQ PROTECTNS. NO STATE TOOK ACTN AGAST GENR INTY DISCRIMATN UNTIL 1993, WHEN MNOTA PASSED S HUMAN RIGHTS ACT. THAT LAW STILL ONLY OFFERED PROTECTN EMPLOYMENT, MEANG THAT TRANS PEOPLE ULD STILL BE NIED HOG BEE OF WHO THEY ARE.EVEN THAT STEP WENT FARTHER THAN THE NATNAL NONDISCRIMATN BILLS 1974 AND 1975, WHICH SNUBBED GENR INTY ENTIRELY.D’E BELIEV THE LEGISLATN—WHICH MET NOTABLE RISTANCE OM TRANS LEARS BEE OF S PARTIAL SOLUTN TO LGBTQ EQUALY—WAS ABOUT TAKG A FIRST STEP TOWARD THE FUTURE. FEW OF S PROPONENTS WOULD HAVE PREDICTED, HOWEVER, THAT WOULD TAKE 45 YEARS FOR THE BILL TO CLEAR A SGLE CHAMBER.“YOU HAVE TO START A PROCS AT SOME POT,” SAID D’E.AS WAS THE SE FOUR S AGO, EVEN THE EQUALY ACT’S MOST ARNT SUPPORTERS SAY THE LEGISLATN FAC A TOUGH ROAD TO PASSAGE. REPUBLINS HOLD A SIX-SEAT MAJORY THE SENATE. MEANWHILE, PRINT TMP HAS VOICED SUPPORT FOR A BILL THAT WOULD LEGALIZE DISCRIMATN AGAST LGBTQ PEOPLE BY ALLOWG BS TO NY THEM SERVIC IF THEY CE RELIG NVICTNS.WHILE THE BILL WILL NTUE TO FACE CHALLENG UNR AN ADMISTRATN THAT HAS UNILATERALLY ROLLED BACK LGBTQ RIGHTS, HOLTZMAN BELIEV S DAY IS G. “FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN STGGLG AGAST DISCRIMATN AND AGAST BIGOTRY, YOU N'T LOSE HEART,” HOLTZMAN CLAIMED. “THERE'S STILL SO MUCH HATRED, ANGER, AND ONGOG STGGLE, BUT ENORMO PROGRS HAS BEEN MA. WE HAVE TO REGNIZE THAT.” NI LANG

In Bra 1957 a missn chaired by Sir John Wolfenn issued a groundbreakg report (see Wolfenn Report) remendg that private homosexual liaisons between nsentg adults be removed om the doma of crimal law; a later the remendatn was implemented by Parliament the Sexual Offenc Act.

GAY HISTORY – JANUARY 14 1974: 49 YEARS AGO OTD BELLA ABZUG INTRODUC THE FIRST EQUALY ACT TO CONGRS

In the 1970s and ’80s, gay polil anizatns proliferated, particularly the Uned Stat and Europe, and spread to other parts of the globe, though their relative size, strength, and succs—and toleratn by thori—varied signifintly.

Now headquartered Geneva and renamed the Internatnal Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Associatn (ILGA World), plays a signifint role ordatg ternatnal efforts to promote human rights and fight discrimatn agast LGBTQ and tersex persons.

This support, along wh mpaigns by gay activists urgg gay men and women to “e out of the closet” (ed, the late 1980s, Natnal Comg Out Day was tablished, and is now celebrated on October 11 most untri), enuraged gay men and women to enter the polil arena as ndidat. In addn, 2019 Lori Lightfoot beme the first openly gay person to be elected mayor of Chigo, and two years later Pete Buttigieg beme the first openly gay bet member Amerin history. At the lol and natnal levels, the number of openly gay policians creased dramatilly durg the 1990s and 2000s, and 2009 Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir beme prime mister of Iceland, which ma her the world’s first openly gay head of ernment.

In Ai, Asia, and Lat Ameri, openly gay policians have had only limed succs wng office; notable electns to natnal legislatur clud Patria Jiménez Flor Mexi (1997), Mike Waters South Ai (1999), and Clodovil Hernans Brazil (2006). The issu emphasized by gay rights groups have varied sce the 1970s by time and place; different natnal anizatns have promoted polici specifilly tailored to their untry’s i. Other issu of primary importance for the gay rights movement sce the 1970s clud batg the HIV/AIDS epimic and promotg disease preventn and fundg for rearch; lobbyg ernment for nondiscrimatory polici employment, hog, and other aspects of civil society; endg the ban on ary service for gay and lbian dividuals; expandg hate crim legislatn to clu protectns for gays, cludg transgenr dividuals; and securg marriage rights for same-sex upl (see same-sex marriage).