Stonewall at 50: How public opn on gay rights moved so far so fast - The Washgton Post

gay rights 50 years on

While the June 1969 uprisg at the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street New York Cy was a val talyst expandg gay activism, limatns rema.

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AMERINS’ VIEWS FLIPPED ON GAY RIGHTS. HOW DID MDS CHANGE SO QUICKLY?

* gay rights 50 years on *

They didn't set out to change history; they weren't the first LGBTQ Amerins to mobilize agast the June 1969 uprisg by young gays, lbians and transgenr people New York Cy, clashg wh police near a bar lled the Stonewall Inn, was a val talyst expandg LGBTQ activism natnwi and abroad. In 1969, every state but Illois outlawed gay sex, psychiatric experts classified homosexualy as a mental disorr, and most gays stayed the closet for fear of losg jobs and, same-sex marriage is the law of the land the U.

LGBTQ Amerins serve as ernors, big-cy mayors and members of Congrs, and one — Pete Buttigieg — is wagg a spired mpaign for those lookg back wh marvel is Stephen Rutsky, 68, a lifelong New Yorker who joed rtg and protts sparked by a police raid targeted at gay patrons of Stonewall.

And jt last week, the High Court of Botswana rejected laws that meant up to seven years prison for those nvicted of havg gay sex, a landmark se for Ai gay sex is outlawed dozens of untri, while Asia and Ai each have only one natn that has legalized same-sex marriage.

GAY RIGHTS

Fifty years after the Stonewall rts, the transformatn attus toward gay people stands out among social movements, rearchers say. * gay rights 50 years on *

Government astronomer Frank Kameny, who sued after he was fired for beg gay, took his anti-discrimatn se to the Supreme Court 1961 (the jtic cled to hear his appeal), and helped stage the first gay rights prott outsi the Whe Hoe 1966, Mattache Society members New York Cy succsfully staged a "sip-" to prott laws that banned bars om servg alhol to gays and lbians.

AFTER YEARS OF PROGRS ON GAY RIGHTS, HOW DID THE US BEE SO ANTI-LGBTQ+?

The gay rights movement the Uned Stat began the 1920s and saw huge progrs the 2000s, wh laws prohibg homosexual activy stck down and a Supreme Court lg legalizg same-sex marriage. * gay rights 50 years on *

Supreme Court stck down all state bans activists suggt that the ph for marriage equaly nsumed too much of the LGBTQ rights movement's energy, divertg attentn om vlence agast transgenr people and the persistently high HIV fectn rate among gay and bisexual black men. But some of the largt nomatns — cludg the Roman Catholic Church, the Southern Baptist Conventn and the Church of J Christ of Latter-day Sats — refe to take those clive steps and still nsir gay sex Robson, who 2003 beme the first openly gay bishop the Epispal Church, says there's a spl on LGBTQ acceptance between many rank-and-file churchgoers and the lears of the big, nservative nomatns.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GAY RIGHTS 50 YEARS ON

Gay Rights - Movement, Marriage & Flag | HISTORY .

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