Gay rights movement, civil rights movement that advot equal rights for LGBTQ persons—that is, for lbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenr persons, and queer persons—and lls for an end to discrimatn agast LGBTQ persons employment, cred, hog, public acmodatns, and other areas of life.
Contents:
- GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT
- A GLIMPSE INTO 1970S GAY ACTIVISM
- GAY RIGHTS
- A BRIEF HISTORY OF LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENR SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
- LGBTQ HISTORY MONTH: EARLY PNEERS OF THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT
- THE LAVENR MENACE FORMSCREATED 1970, "THE WOMAN INTIFIED WOMAN" WAS A MANIFTO OUTLG THE RE PRCIPL OF RADIL LBIANS THAT THE LAVENR MENACE HAND OUT AT THEIR "ZAP" OF THE SEND CONGRS TO UNE WOMEN 1970. THE LAVENR MENACE WAS THE PEJORATIVE NAME GIVEN TO LBIANS BY FEMIST BETTY FRIEDAN. FRIEDAN ARGUED THAT CREASGLY POLICIZED LBIANS WERE A THREAT TO THE FEMIST MOVEMENT AND ULD HURT THE NATNAL MOVEMENT FOR SOCIAL EQUY FOR WOMEN. FRIEDAN WAS A MEMBER OF THE NATNAL ORGANIZATN FOR WOMEN (NOW) AND THEIR STANCE WAS MOST WOMEN FELT AS IF LBIAN ISSU WERE IRRELEVANT TO THEM AND THAT IF THEY WERE TO PARTNER WH LBIANS, WOULD BE HARR TO PH POLICY MAKERS THE RIGHT DIRECTN.THE TERM WAS RECLAIMED BY LBIANS WH THE WOMEN’S MOVEMENT 1970 WHO MAND CLN AND REGNN. SOME STAFF MEMBERS OM NOW RIGNED OM THEIR JOBS TO JO THE GROUP. THAT SAME YEAR MEMBERS OF THE LAVENR MENACE DISPTED THE SEND CONGRS TO UNE WOMEN, A NFERENCE SPONSORED BY NOW BY CUTTG THE LIGHTS AND CHANGG TO SHIRTS WH THE NAME “LAVENR MENACE” ON THEMLBIAN RIGHTS WERE CLUD NOW’S SIX KEY ISSU 1971 AND 1977, BETTY FRIEDAN APOLOGIZED FOR HER PERV REMARKS AND ACTIVELY SUPPORTED A ROLUTN AGAST SEXUAL PREFERENCE DISCRIMATN.MARSHA P. JOHNSON AND SYLVIA RIVERA FOUND STARMARSHA P. JOHNSON AND SYLVIA RIVERA AT THE 1973 CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATN DAY PARA NEW YORK CYMARSHA P. JOHNSON, PART OF THE “VANGUARD” DURG THE STONEWALL RTS, WAS A PROMENT FIGURE OF THE GAY LIBERATN MOVEMENT. SHE AND SYLVIA RIVERA CREATED THE STREET TRANSVTE ACTN REVOLUTNARI (STAR) HOE 1970 TO ADVOTE FOR AND PROVI HOG, FOOD, AND CLOTHG TO LGBTQ HOMELS YOUTH. THE TWO WERE PROMPTED TO ADDRS THE ISSU FOLLOWG THE WESTE HALL S-S WHICH WERE SPARKED BY NEW YORK UNIVERSY’S CISN TO NCEL A SERI OF DANC WHICH CID WH THE FIRST PRI PARA 1970. OVER THE URSE OF FIVE DAYS, PROTTERS PLANNED AND WORKED WHEN RIVERA FIRST GOT THE IA FOR THE STAR HOE. BOTH ACTIVISTS FACED THE CHALLENG OF HOMELSNS AND THROUGH A FUNDRAISG EVENT THEY WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE THE STAR HOE 1970, A 4-BEDROOM APARTMENT THE EAST VILLAGE. THE ANIZATN IS REGNIZED AS THE FIRST SHELTER FOR LGBTQ+ HOMELS YOUTH NORTH AMERI AND ONE OF THE FIRST ANIZATNS LED BY TRANSGENR PEOPLE OF LOR. LBIAN DELEGATE MALE DAVIS BLAZ TRAIL AT DNCIN 1972, MALE DAVIS WAS THE FIRST OUT LBIAN LEGATE ELECTED TO THE DEMOCRATIC NATNAL CONVENTN. DURG THE CONVENTN, SHE LLED FOR THE CLN OF GAY RIGHTS THE PARTY’S PLATFORM FOR THE YEAR. FOLLOWG HER SPEECH, SHE BEME A MEMBER OF THE DEMOCRATIC COMMTEE AND WORKED WH THE PARTY FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF GAYS AND LBIANS. SHE ALSO TGHT THE FIRST URSE ON LBIANISM THE U.S. AT THE UNIVERSY OF BUFFALO NEW YORK. TWENTY STUNTS SIGNED UP FOR “LBIANISM 101” WHICH WAS TGHT AGA UNR THE NAME “WOMEN + WOMEN.” WORLD’S FIRST OUT GAY JUDGE APPOTED IN CALIFORNIA PHOTO BY KAREN OMBA LAWYER, ACTIVIST AND -FOUNR OF THE NATN’S FIRST GAY POLIL ACTN MTEE, STEPHEN LACHS WAS APPOTED BY CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR JERRY BROWN FOR AN OPEN POSN ON THE LOS ANGEL COUNTY SUPERR COURT 1979. HE MA HISTORY AS THE FIRST OUT LGBTQ+ JUDGE THE WORLD AS WELL AS THE FIRST OUT LGBTQ+ APPOTMENT BY GOV. BROWN. IN THE EY OF THOSE WHO SENT HIM ATH THREATS, A CRIMAL WAS ADJUDITG THE LAW. NOHELS, LACHS WAS ELECTED 1980 AND THRICE MORE TIM BEFORE RETIRG 1999 AS A WELL-RPECTED JUDGE AND EXPERT FAY LAW. “I BELIEVE THAT MY BEG A JUDGE CHANGED MANY PERCEPTNS WH THE CALIFORNIA JUDICIARY. JUDG ALL OVER THE STATE HAD TO AL WH A LLEAGUE WHO WAS OPENLY GAY, WHICH IS QUE DIFFERENT THAN READG ABOUT A MAGAZE,” LACHS WROTE AN SAY FOR THE “OUT AND ELECTED THE USA: 1974–2004” PROJECT FOR “I NNOT WRE ABOUT MY REER WHOUT REMEMBERG THE MANY MEN AND WOMEN, MUCH MORE URAGEO THAN I, UNSELFISH, IALISTIC AND WILLG TO RISK EVERYTHG FOR THEIR E, WHO LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR MY APPOTMENT AND MY SUBSEQUENT FOUR ELECTNS. THEY HAVE BEEN MY SUPPORT AND MY FORT FOR MANY YEARS AND THEY HAVE CHANGED THE HISTORY OF OUR UNTRY.”KATHY KOZACHENKO BE FIRST OUT LGBTQ+ CANDIDATE TO W PUBLIC OFFICE THE U.S.KATHY KOZACHENKO ENTERED LLEGE AT THE UNIVERSY OF MICHIGAN AS A SOCIAL JTICE ADVOTE AND JOED THE HUMAN RIGHTS PARTY – A PRO-FEMIST, PRO-RACIAL JTICE AND PRO-LGBTQ+ PARTY. PARTY OFFICIALS ENURAGED HER TO N FOR ANN ARBOR CY COUNCIL AND TO DO SO AS AN OUT LBIAN. BOTH GERRY DEGRIECK AND NANCY WECHSLER HAD BEEN ELECTED TO THE UNCIL AS HUMAN RIGHTS PARTY MEMBERS BEFORE HER, AND BOTH ME OUT WHILE OFFICE, BEG THE FIRST ELECTED OFFICIALS TO DO SO. BUT KOZACHENKO CID TO TAKE THE PARTY OFFICIALS’ ADVICE AND N HER MPAIGN WHILE OUT – ALTHOUGH SHE DID NOT MAKE HER SEXUAL ORIENTATN CENTRAL TO HER MPAIGN.ON APRIL 2, 1974, A LIBERAL DISTRICT LIBERAL ANN ARBOR, KOZACHENKO FEATED HER OPPONENT BY 52 POTS AND BEME THE FIRST OUT LGBTQ+ PERSON EVER ELECTED THE UNED STAT. THE MICHIGAN DAILY REPORTS ON KATHY KOZACHENKO'S UPSET VICTORY.SHE SPOKE TO HER SEXUAL ORIENTATN HER VICTORY SPEECH:“THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE HISTORY OF THE U.S. THAT SOMEONE HAS N OPENLY AS A GAY PERSON AND BEEN ELECTED TO PUBLIC OFFICE. GAY LIBERATN WAS NOT A MAJOR ISSUE THE MPAIGN — BOTH NDIDAT THIS WARD SAID THEY SUPPORTED GAY RIGHTS, BUT 10 YEARS AGO, OR EVEN THREE YEARS AGO, LBIANISM WOULD HAVE MEANT TOMATIC FEAT. THIS YEAR WE TALKED ABOUT RENT NTROL. WE TALKED ABOUT THE CY’S BUDGET. WE TALKED ABOUT POLICE PRRI, AND WE HAD A RERD OF ACTN TO N ON. MANY PEOPLE’S ATTUS ABOUT GAYNS ARE STILL FAR OM HEALTHY, BUT MY MPAIGN FORCED SOME PEOPLE AT LEAST TO RE-EXAME THEIR PREJUDIC AND STEREOTYP.”HER MPAIGN WAS THE FIRST SUCCS WHAT WOULD BEE A POLIL MOVEMENT TO BUILD LGBTQ POWER. ON APRIL 2, 2019, WH KOZACHENKO’S BLSG, LGBTQ+ VICTORY INSTUTE LNCHED S ANNUAL NATNAL OUT TO W DAY, TO HONOR HER ACHIEVEMENT AND TO ENURAGE MORE LGBTQ+ PEOPLE TO N FOR OFFICE.FIRST OUT STATE LEGISLATOR ELECTED THE U.S.EDUTOR ELAE NOBLE WAS ENURAGED TO N FOR THE MASSACHETTS HOE OF REPRENTATIV 1974 BY FORMER CONGRS MEMBER BARNEY FRANK’S SISTER, ANN WEXLER. THE TWO WOMEN HAD FORMED THE WOMEN’S POLIL CC, AND WEXLER THOUGHT NOBLE WOULD REPRENT HER IRISH CATHOLIC BOSTON DISTRICT WELL, EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS LGBTQ+.IT WAS THE HEIGHT OF SEGREGATN, SO NOBLE RO B WH CHILDREN OF LOR AND HAD MPAIGN WORKERS MONOR SCHOOL B STOPS TO MONSTRATE HER EP BELIEF EQUALY. A GAY NEWSPAPER REPORTER TOLD HER, “YOU SHOULD STICK TO YOUR OWN KD, OR WE’RE GOG TO GET SOMEONE ELSE TO REPRENT .” NOBLE RPOND, “WELL, I BELIEVE, DAVID, I AM STICKG WH MY OWN KD,” ACRDG TO AN TERVIEW NOBLE GAVE RON SCHLTLER FOR HIS “OUT AND ELECTED THE USA: 1974–2004” PROJECT FOR “YOU N’T SAY THAT YOU WANT PROGRS OR CHANGE FOR ONE GROUP AND NOT FOR ANOTHER. IT DON’T HAPPEN THAT WAY.”NOBLE EXPERIENCED SUCH HARASSMENT—OM BOMB THREATS TO BEG SPAT UPON BY AN EIGHTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD MAN—THAT AT ONE POT SHE MPAIGNED PROTECTED BY STATE TROOPERS. “IT WAS A VERY UGLY MPAIGN. UGLY,” SHE TOLD SCHLTLER. “THERE WAS A LOT OF SHOOTG THROUGH MY WDOWS, STROYG MY R, BREAKG WDOWS AT MY MPAIGN HEADQUARTERS, SER HARASSMENT OF PEOPLE VISG MY HOE AND MPAIGN OFFICE— WAS REALLY BAD.”NOHELS, NOBLE PREVAILED, WNG WH 59 PERCENT OF THE VOTE. THE HARASSMENT, HOWEVER, NTUED AS SHE FOUND HUMAN FEC ON HER SK AND FEND OFF OBSCENE PROFANI. “I JT TRIED TO MATA WH WHAT LEVEL OF DIGNY THAT I ULD,” SHE SAID.EVENTUALLY, MOST OF THE UGLS DIED DOWN, AND NOBLE WON A SEND TERM WH ALMOST 90 PERCENT OF THE VOTE. NOBLE’S DIGNIFIED PERSEVERANCE SPIRED MANY CLOSETED AND POTENTIAL PUBLIC OFFICIALS TO E OUT DURG A DIFFICULT TIME, A LEGACY EVEN MORE LASTG THAN HER TWO TERMS OFFICE.HARVEY MILK ELECTEDHARVEY MILK ON THE MPAIGN TRAIL 1976HARVEY MILK IS TERNATNALLY RENOWNED AS AN LGBTQ+ HERO, HAVG ED HIS POSN AS THE FIRST OUT LGBTQ+ ELECTED OFFICIAL CALIFORNIA TO LOUDLY FIGHT BACK AGAST THE TORNADO OF ANTI-LGBTQ+ DISCRIMATN FURLY WHIPPG THE UNTRY TO A ENZY WH THE RISE OF THE MORAL MAJORY AND ANA BRYANT’S CSA TO “SAVE OUR CHILDREN” 1977. EFFECTIVELY G HIS BULLHORN ON THE SAN FRANCIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, MILK HELPED LEAD THE NAIL-BG SUCCSFUL MPAIGN TO STOP THE BRIGGS INIATIVE, WHICH WOULD HAVE PERMTED THE FIRG OF GAY TEACHERS AND THEIR ALLI 1978.AS THE OSR-WNG FICTNALIZED FILM BGRAPHY MILK DITED, HE DID NOT HAVE AN EASY ROAD TO ELECTORAL VICTORY. BUT GLOSSED OVER MILK HISTORI IS THAT AFTER HIS SEND FAILED MPAIGN, HIS CLOSE IEND AND ALLY MAYOR GEE MOSNE APPOTED HIM TO THE BOARD OF PERM APPEALS, MAKG HIM THE FIRST OUT GAY CY MISSNER AMERI. AFTER HIS THIRD FAILED MPAIGN, MILK, HIS MPAIGN MANAGER ANNE KRONENBERG, AND MOSNE ENGEERED A L CHANGE ENABLG NDIDAT TO N OM THEIR DISTRICTS STEAD OF SEEKG AN “AT-LARGE” SEAT. BY 1977, AS GAY SAN FRANCIS CHRONICLE REPORTER RANDY SHILTS LATER WROTE, MILK WAS BOTH A ALN-BUILR AND “THE MAYOR OF CASTRO STREET.” HE WAS ELECTED ON NOVEMBER 8, 1977.SUPERVISOR HARVEY MILK AT MAYOR GEE MOSNE'S SK.MILK BEME NATNALLY FAMO FOR HIS “G OUT” SPEECH. “GAY PEOPLE, WE WILL NOT W OUR RIGHTS BY STAYG QUIETLY OUR CLOSETS,” MILK SAID DURG ONE RALLY AGAST THE ANTI-GAY BRIGGS INIATIVE. AFTER RECEIVG DAILY ATH THREATS, MILK SAID HIS DTAPED WILL: “IF A BULLET SHOULD ENTER MY BRA, LET THAT BULLET STROY EVERY CLOSET DOOR.”ON NOVEMBER 27, 1978, MILK AND MOSNE WERE ASSASSATED BY DISGNTLED FORMER SUPERVISOR DAN WHE, PROMPTG MANY TO E OUT, CLUDG MILK’S TEENAGE NEPHEW STUART MILK, WHO NOW NS THE MILK FOUNDATN. ON AUGT 12, 2009, STUART MILK ACCEPTED THE MEDAL OF FREEDOM, THE NATN’S HIGHT CIVILIAN HONOR, POSTHUMOLY AWARD BY PRINT BARACK OBAMA TO HARVEY MILK FOR HIS “VISNARY URAGE AND NVICTN” FIGHTG DISCRIMATN.ACTIVIST FRANK KAMENY RUNS FOR U.S. CONGRS
- THIS IS WHAT GAY LIBERATN LOOKED LIKE IN THE '70S
- 7 EARLY PNEERS OF THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENTBEFORE THE STONEWALL RTS, THE ACTIVISTS HELPED SET THE STAGE FOR ADVANC THE LGBTQ CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.BY: JOSEPH BENNGTON-CASTROUPDATED: JUNE 8, 2023 | ORIGAL: JUNE 1, 2023PY PAGE LKPRT PAGEBILL MRER/NY DAILY NEWS ARCHIVE VIA GETTY IMAGTHE 1960S SAW SOME MAJOR STRIS LGBTQ ACTIVISM, CLUDG THE GAY “SIP-IN” PROTT AGAST DISCRIMATN OM NEW YORK CY BARS AND THE 1969 STONEWALL RTS. BUT SOME ACTIVISTS TOOK A STAND FOR LGBTQ RIGHTS BEFORE THAT FAMED , OPERATG UNR THE FEAR OF LOSG THEIR JOBS SHOULD THEY BE OUTED OR BEG ARRTED FOR SIMPLY EXISTG HETERONORMATIVE SPAC. THE URAGE OF THE EARLY U.S. QUEER ACTIVISTS SET THE STAGE FOR POLIL VICTORI LGBTQ RIGHTS THE S TO E.WILLIAM DORSEY SWANN (1860–?)JT THREE YEARS BEFORE THE EMANCIPATN PROCLAMATN, WILLIAM DORSEY SWANN WAS BORN THE PROPERTY OF A WHE PLANTATN WOMAN, ACRDG TO REARCH BY CHANNG GERARD JOSEPH. HE GREW UP TO BEE THE FIRST PERSON THE UNED STAT TO FIGHT FOR THE LGBTQ MUNY’S RIGHT TO GATHER THROUGH LEGAL AND POLIL CHANNELS. HE WAS ALSO THE FIRST SELF-PROFSED QUEEN OF DRAG.SWANN HELD DRAG BALLS, OR DANCE PARTI WHICH ATTEN (BLACK MEN, MANY FORMER SLAV) WOULD DRS WOMEN’S SILKS AND SATS. ONE OF THE WASHGTON, D.C. PARTI WAS RAID BY POLICE 1888 AND ABOUT A DOZEN OF THE DRAGGED-UP ATTEN WERE ARRTED, SWANN CLUD.HE WAS TAED SEVERAL MORE TIM AND NVICTED 1896 FOR THE FALSE CHARGE OF “KEEPG A DISORRLY HOE,” OR A BROTHEL. DURG HIS 10-MONTH SENTENCE, SWANN PETNED PRINT GROVER CLEVELAND FOR A PARDON, WHICH WAS NIED. AFTER HIS RELEASE, SWANN NTUED TO THROW BALLS AS THE QUEEN OF DRAG. THE YEAR OF HIS ATH IS UNCERTA, ALTHOUGH SOME LIST AS 1925, WHEN HE WOULD HAVE BEEN 66-67 YEARS OLD.HENRY GERBER (1892–1972)IN 1924, HENRY GERBER FOUND THE FIRST GAY RIGHTS ANIZATN AMERI: THE SOCIETY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. THE CHIGO-BASED ANIZATN PRODUCED FRIENDSHIP AND FREEDOM, THE FIRST AMERIN PUBLITN FOR HOMOSEXUALS.IN 1925, GERBER AND OTHER ANIZATN MEMBERS WERE ARRTED FOR “OBSCENY” AFTER THE POLICE RECEIVED A TIP OM A -FOUNR’S WIFE. THOUGH THE CHARG WERE EVENTUALLY DROPPED, FIGHTG THEM ST GERBER HIS LIFE’S SAVGS AND HIS JOB WH THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE, AS WELL AS THE DISSOLUTN OF HIS ANIZATN.GERBER WENT ON TO LIVE AN UNASSUMG LIFE, WRG ARTICL ABOUT HOMOSEXUAL OPPRSN UNR A PSDONYM, WORKG AND BUILDG MUNY.HARRY HAY (1912–2002)HARRY HAY WAS A MUNIST ACTIVIST WHO -FOUND THE MATTACHE SOCIETY, THE FIRST ENDURG GAY RIGHTS ANIZATN, 1950. HAY WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DIVORCED BY HIS WIFE, FELLOW MUNIST ANA PLATKY, AND EXPELLED OM THE MUNIST PARTY, WHICH NSIRED HIM A SECURY RISK, A FEW YEARS LATER. THE BURGEONG MATTACHE SOCIETY FORCED HAY AND OTHER MUNIST FOUNRS TO STEP DOWN 1953.HAY NTUED HIS QUEER ACTIVISM FOLLOWG HIS EXPULSN. HE WAS ELECTED THE FIRST CHAIR OF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAY LIBERATN FRONT—A ANT QUEER RIGHTS GROUP—AFTER THE STONEWALL RTS AND -FOUND THE RADIL FAIRI A LATER. HE SPENT HIS LATER YEARS BEG VOLVED NATIVE AMERIN TWO-SPIR ACTIVISM.DEL MART (1921–2008) AND PHYLLIS LYON (1924–2020)NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARYPHYLIS LYON AND DEL MART, CIR 1970.IN 1955, DEL MART AND PHYLLIS LYON -FOUND THE FIRST MAJOR ANIZATN FOR LBIANS THE UNED STAT—THE DGHTERS OF BILIS. THE UPLE SOON LNCHED AND BEME EDORS OF LADR, THE ANIZATN’S NATNAL PUBLITN AND PLATFORM FOR LBIANS TO ANONYMOLY OR OPENLY WRE ABOUT ISSU PERTENT TO THE MUNY. MART AND LYON WERE ALSO THE FIRST LBIAN UPLE TO JO THE NATNAL ORGANIZATN FOR WOMEN.DGHTERS OF BILIS EVENTUALLY SHUTTERED AS THE QUEER RIGHTS MOVEMENT BEME MORE ANT, BUT MART AND LYON NTUED THEIR ACTIVISM. AFTER MORE THAN FIVE S TOGETHER, THE PAIR WERE THE FIRST OF 90 GAY UPL TO BE ILLEGALLY MARRIED BY SAN FRANCIS’S THEN-MAYOR GAV NEWSOM. THEY WERE MARRIED AGA FOUR YEARS LATER, 2008, AFTER CALIFORNIA LEGALIZED SAME-SEX MARRIAGE. DALE JENNGS (1917–2000)A FOUNDG MEMBER OF THE MATTACHE SOCIETY, DALE JENNGS BEME A QUEER RIGHTS HERO WHEN HE PROTTED URT A 1951 CHARGE OF SEXUAL SOLICATN LOS ANGEL. AT THE TIME, ENTRAPMENT BY TECTIV POSG AS GAY MEN BARS, PUBLIC PARKS, AND RTROOMS WAS MON. THOSE CHARGED WH SOLICG POLICE OFFICERS FOR SEX TYPILLY PLEAD GUILTY RATHER THAN FACE BEG OUTED AS GAY. JENNGS, AT HAY’S SUGGTN, FOUGHT THE CHARGE TO BRG ATTENTN TO THE DISCRIMATORY POLICY. IN 1952, THE JURY ADLOCKED FOR ACQUTAL AND THE JUDGE DISMISSED THE CHARGE.THAT YEAR, JENNGS -FOUND ONE INC., WHICH PRODUCED THE NATNAL GAY JOURNAL ONE MAGAZE. IN 1954, A LOS ANGEL POSTMASTER NFISTED THE MAGAZE FOR BEG ''OBSCENE, LEWD, LASCIV AND FILTHY,” WHICH ONE FOUGHT URT. A LOWER URT LED FAVOR OF THE POSTMASTER BUT THE U.S. SUPREME COURT, 1958, UNANIMOLY REVERSED THE CISN, UPHOLDG A NSTUTNAL PROTECTN FOR PRO-GAY WRGS.CHRISTE JENSEN (1926–1989)
GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT
* 70s gay liberation movement *
Key potsIn the late 1960s and 1970s, Native Amerins, gay men, lbians, and women anized to change discrimatory laws and pursue ernment support for their terts, a strategy known as inty groups, whose aims and tactics posed a challenge to the existg state of affairs, often met wh hostily om dividuals, lol officials, and the US ernment. Increased fundg for Native Amerin tn, healthre, legal servic, hog, and enomic velopment followed, along wh the hirg of more Native Amerin employe the rightsDurg this era, the stggle for gay and lbian rights tensified as well.
Shortly thereafter, the Gay Liberatn Front and Gay Activists’ Alliance were formed; the anizatns began to prott discrimatn, homophobia, and vlence agast gay people, and promoted gay liberatn and gay advocy anizatns lled for gay men and lbians to e out—reveal their sexual orientatn—gay and lbian muni moved om the urban unrground to the polil sphere. 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. ) 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.
A GLIMPSE INTO 1970S GAY ACTIVISM
The Stonewall Rts, also lled the Stonewall Uprisg, took place on June 28, 1969, New York Cy, after police raid the Stonewall Inn, a lol gay club. The raid sparked a rt among bar patrons and neighborhood rints as police hled employe and patrons out of the bar, leadg to six days of protts and vlent clash. The Stonewall Rts served as a talyst for the gay rights movement. * 70s gay liberation movement *
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. 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.
GAY RIGHTS
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. * 70s gay liberation movement *
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. 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. 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).
A BRIEF HISTORY OF LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENR SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
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). Ary’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy (1993–2011), which had permted gay and lbian dividuals to serve the ary if they did not disclose their sexual orientatn or engage homosexual activy; the repeal effectively end the ban on homosexuals the ary. A gay-rights monstratn New York's Greenwich Village, June 8, 1977 (AP)This article is the 11th a seri featurg clips om the Amerin Archive of Public Broadstg, which is workg to digize televisn and rad piec so that they may be prerved for years to e.
LGBTQ HISTORY MONTH: EARLY PNEERS OF THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT
For more about the project, see our troductn to the seri, where you'll also fd a handy list of all the seri' piec so 1960s me to a close wh what is still perhaps the most nsequential event recent Amerin gay history: the Stonewall rts of June 28, Charl Kaiser put his history of gay New York, "No other civil rights movement Ameri ever had such an improbable unveilg: an urban rt sparked by drag queens. Durg those years, there was the first gay televisn movie; a sexy on-screen kiss between two men Sunday, Blood Sunday; and the release of Cabaret, which has been hailed as the first movie that "really celebrated homosexualy. That's not to say that progrs followed a clear urse: The 1970s also saw Ana Bryant's succsful mpaign Miami to repeal a gay-rights legislatn and the assassatn of Harvey Milk, one of Ameri's greatt advot for gays and lbians and one of the first openly gay men elected to public office.
But engagg gay behavr public (holdg hands, kissg or dancg wh someone of the same sex) was still illegal, so police harassment of gay bars ntued and many bars still operated whout liquor licens— part bee they were owned by the Rights Before StonewallThe first documented U.
THE LAVENR MENACE FORMSCREATED 1970, "THE WOMAN INTIFIED WOMAN" WAS A MANIFTO OUTLG THE RE PRCIPL OF RADIL LBIANS THAT THE LAVENR MENACE HAND OUT AT THEIR "ZAP" OF THE SEND CONGRS TO UNE WOMEN 1970. THE LAVENR MENACE WAS THE PEJORATIVE NAME GIVEN TO LBIANS BY FEMIST BETTY FRIEDAN. FRIEDAN ARGUED THAT CREASGLY POLICIZED LBIANS WERE A THREAT TO THE FEMIST MOVEMENT AND ULD HURT THE NATNAL MOVEMENT FOR SOCIAL EQUY FOR WOMEN. FRIEDAN WAS A MEMBER OF THE NATNAL ORGANIZATN FOR WOMEN (NOW) AND THEIR STANCE WAS MOST WOMEN FELT AS IF LBIAN ISSU WERE IRRELEVANT TO THEM AND THAT IF THEY WERE TO PARTNER WH LBIANS, WOULD BE HARR TO PH POLICY MAKERS THE RIGHT DIRECTN.THE TERM WAS RECLAIMED BY LBIANS WH THE WOMEN’S MOVEMENT 1970 WHO MAND CLN AND REGNN. SOME STAFF MEMBERS OM NOW RIGNED OM THEIR JOBS TO JO THE GROUP. THAT SAME YEAR MEMBERS OF THE LAVENR MENACE DISPTED THE SEND CONGRS TO UNE WOMEN, A NFERENCE SPONSORED BY NOW BY CUTTG THE LIGHTS AND CHANGG TO SHIRTS WH THE NAME “LAVENR MENACE” ON THEMLBIAN RIGHTS WERE CLUD NOW’S SIX KEY ISSU 1971 AND 1977, BETTY FRIEDAN APOLOGIZED FOR HER PERV REMARKS AND ACTIVELY SUPPORTED A ROLUTN AGAST SEXUAL PREFERENCE DISCRIMATN.MARSHA P. JOHNSON AND SYLVIA RIVERA FOUND STARMARSHA P. JOHNSON AND SYLVIA RIVERA AT THE 1973 CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATN DAY PARA NEW YORK CYMARSHA P. JOHNSON, PART OF THE “VANGUARD” DURG THE STONEWALL RTS, WAS A PROMENT FIGURE OF THE GAY LIBERATN MOVEMENT. SHE AND SYLVIA RIVERA CREATED THE STREET TRANSVTE ACTN REVOLUTNARI (STAR) HOE 1970 TO ADVOTE FOR AND PROVI HOG, FOOD, AND CLOTHG TO LGBTQ HOMELS YOUTH. THE TWO WERE PROMPTED TO ADDRS THE ISSU FOLLOWG THE WESTE HALL S-S WHICH WERE SPARKED BY NEW YORK UNIVERSY’S CISN TO NCEL A SERI OF DANC WHICH CID WH THE FIRST PRI PARA 1970. OVER THE URSE OF FIVE DAYS, PROTTERS PLANNED AND WORKED WHEN RIVERA FIRST GOT THE IA FOR THE STAR HOE. BOTH ACTIVISTS FACED THE CHALLENG OF HOMELSNS AND THROUGH A FUNDRAISG EVENT THEY WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE THE STAR HOE 1970, A 4-BEDROOM APARTMENT THE EAST VILLAGE. THE ANIZATN IS REGNIZED AS THE FIRST SHELTER FOR LGBTQ+ HOMELS YOUTH NORTH AMERI AND ONE OF THE FIRST ANIZATNS LED BY TRANSGENR PEOPLE OF LOR. LBIAN DELEGATE MALE DAVIS BLAZ TRAIL AT DNCIN 1972, MALE DAVIS WAS THE FIRST OUT LBIAN LEGATE ELECTED TO THE DEMOCRATIC NATNAL CONVENTN. DURG THE CONVENTN, SHE LLED FOR THE CLN OF GAY RIGHTS THE PARTY’S PLATFORM FOR THE YEAR. FOLLOWG HER SPEECH, SHE BEME A MEMBER OF THE DEMOCRATIC COMMTEE AND WORKED WH THE PARTY FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF GAYS AND LBIANS. SHE ALSO TGHT THE FIRST URSE ON LBIANISM THE U.S. AT THE UNIVERSY OF BUFFALO NEW YORK. TWENTY STUNTS SIGNED UP FOR “LBIANISM 101” WHICH WAS TGHT AGA UNR THE NAME “WOMEN + WOMEN.” WORLD’S FIRST OUT GAY JUDGE APPOTED IN CALIFORNIA PHOTO BY KAREN OMBA LAWYER, ACTIVIST AND -FOUNR OF THE NATN’S FIRST GAY POLIL ACTN MTEE, STEPHEN LACHS WAS APPOTED BY CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR JERRY BROWN FOR AN OPEN POSN ON THE LOS ANGEL COUNTY SUPERR COURT 1979. HE MA HISTORY AS THE FIRST OUT LGBTQ+ JUDGE THE WORLD AS WELL AS THE FIRST OUT LGBTQ+ APPOTMENT BY GOV. BROWN. IN THE EY OF THOSE WHO SENT HIM ATH THREATS, A CRIMAL WAS ADJUDITG THE LAW. NOHELS, LACHS WAS ELECTED 1980 AND THRICE MORE TIM BEFORE RETIRG 1999 AS A WELL-RPECTED JUDGE AND EXPERT FAY LAW. “I BELIEVE THAT MY BEG A JUDGE CHANGED MANY PERCEPTNS WH THE CALIFORNIA JUDICIARY. JUDG ALL OVER THE STATE HAD TO AL WH A LLEAGUE WHO WAS OPENLY GAY, WHICH IS QUE DIFFERENT THAN READG ABOUT A MAGAZE,” LACHS WROTE AN SAY FOR THE “OUT AND ELECTED THE USA: 1974–2004” PROJECT FOR “I NNOT WRE ABOUT MY REER WHOUT REMEMBERG THE MANY MEN AND WOMEN, MUCH MORE URAGEO THAN I, UNSELFISH, IALISTIC AND WILLG TO RISK EVERYTHG FOR THEIR E, WHO LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR MY APPOTMENT AND MY SUBSEQUENT FOUR ELECTNS. THEY HAVE BEEN MY SUPPORT AND MY FORT FOR MANY YEARS AND THEY HAVE CHANGED THE HISTORY OF OUR UNTRY.”KATHY KOZACHENKO BE FIRST OUT LGBTQ+ CANDIDATE TO W PUBLIC OFFICE THE U.S.KATHY KOZACHENKO ENTERED LLEGE AT THE UNIVERSY OF MICHIGAN AS A SOCIAL JTICE ADVOTE AND JOED THE HUMAN RIGHTS PARTY – A PRO-FEMIST, PRO-RACIAL JTICE AND PRO-LGBTQ+ PARTY. PARTY OFFICIALS ENURAGED HER TO N FOR ANN ARBOR CY COUNCIL AND TO DO SO AS AN OUT LBIAN. BOTH GERRY DEGRIECK AND NANCY WECHSLER HAD BEEN ELECTED TO THE UNCIL AS HUMAN RIGHTS PARTY MEMBERS BEFORE HER, AND BOTH ME OUT WHILE OFFICE, BEG THE FIRST ELECTED OFFICIALS TO DO SO. BUT KOZACHENKO CID TO TAKE THE PARTY OFFICIALS’ ADVICE AND N HER MPAIGN WHILE OUT – ALTHOUGH SHE DID NOT MAKE HER SEXUAL ORIENTATN CENTRAL TO HER MPAIGN.ON APRIL 2, 1974, A LIBERAL DISTRICT LIBERAL ANN ARBOR, KOZACHENKO FEATED HER OPPONENT BY 52 POTS AND BEME THE FIRST OUT LGBTQ+ PERSON EVER ELECTED THE UNED STAT. THE MICHIGAN DAILY REPORTS ON KATHY KOZACHENKO'S UPSET VICTORY.SHE SPOKE TO HER SEXUAL ORIENTATN HER VICTORY SPEECH:“THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE HISTORY OF THE U.S. THAT SOMEONE HAS N OPENLY AS A GAY PERSON AND BEEN ELECTED TO PUBLIC OFFICE. GAY LIBERATN WAS NOT A MAJOR ISSUE THE MPAIGN — BOTH NDIDAT THIS WARD SAID THEY SUPPORTED GAY RIGHTS, BUT 10 YEARS AGO, OR EVEN THREE YEARS AGO, LBIANISM WOULD HAVE MEANT TOMATIC FEAT. THIS YEAR WE TALKED ABOUT RENT NTROL. WE TALKED ABOUT THE CY’S BUDGET. WE TALKED ABOUT POLICE PRRI, AND WE HAD A RERD OF ACTN TO N ON. MANY PEOPLE’S ATTUS ABOUT GAYNS ARE STILL FAR OM HEALTHY, BUT MY MPAIGN FORCED SOME PEOPLE AT LEAST TO RE-EXAME THEIR PREJUDIC AND STEREOTYP.”HER MPAIGN WAS THE FIRST SUCCS WHAT WOULD BEE A POLIL MOVEMENT TO BUILD LGBTQ POWER. ON APRIL 2, 2019, WH KOZACHENKO’S BLSG, LGBTQ+ VICTORY INSTUTE LNCHED S ANNUAL NATNAL OUT TO W DAY, TO HONOR HER ACHIEVEMENT AND TO ENURAGE MORE LGBTQ+ PEOPLE TO N FOR OFFICE.FIRST OUT STATE LEGISLATOR ELECTED THE U.S.EDUTOR ELAE NOBLE WAS ENURAGED TO N FOR THE MASSACHETTS HOE OF REPRENTATIV 1974 BY FORMER CONGRS MEMBER BARNEY FRANK’S SISTER, ANN WEXLER. THE TWO WOMEN HAD FORMED THE WOMEN’S POLIL CC, AND WEXLER THOUGHT NOBLE WOULD REPRENT HER IRISH CATHOLIC BOSTON DISTRICT WELL, EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS LGBTQ+.IT WAS THE HEIGHT OF SEGREGATN, SO NOBLE RO B WH CHILDREN OF LOR AND HAD MPAIGN WORKERS MONOR SCHOOL B STOPS TO MONSTRATE HER EP BELIEF EQUALY. A GAY NEWSPAPER REPORTER TOLD HER, “YOU SHOULD STICK TO YOUR OWN KD, OR WE’RE GOG TO GET SOMEONE ELSE TO REPRENT .” NOBLE RPOND, “WELL, I BELIEVE, DAVID, I AM STICKG WH MY OWN KD,” ACRDG TO AN TERVIEW NOBLE GAVE RON SCHLTLER FOR HIS “OUT AND ELECTED THE USA: 1974–2004” PROJECT FOR “YOU N’T SAY THAT YOU WANT PROGRS OR CHANGE FOR ONE GROUP AND NOT FOR ANOTHER. IT DON’T HAPPEN THAT WAY.”NOBLE EXPERIENCED SUCH HARASSMENT—OM BOMB THREATS TO BEG SPAT UPON BY AN EIGHTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD MAN—THAT AT ONE POT SHE MPAIGNED PROTECTED BY STATE TROOPERS. “IT WAS A VERY UGLY MPAIGN. UGLY,” SHE TOLD SCHLTLER. “THERE WAS A LOT OF SHOOTG THROUGH MY WDOWS, STROYG MY R, BREAKG WDOWS AT MY MPAIGN HEADQUARTERS, SER HARASSMENT OF PEOPLE VISG MY HOE AND MPAIGN OFFICE— WAS REALLY BAD.”NOHELS, NOBLE PREVAILED, WNG WH 59 PERCENT OF THE VOTE. THE HARASSMENT, HOWEVER, NTUED AS SHE FOUND HUMAN FEC ON HER SK AND FEND OFF OBSCENE PROFANI. “I JT TRIED TO MATA WH WHAT LEVEL OF DIGNY THAT I ULD,” SHE SAID.EVENTUALLY, MOST OF THE UGLS DIED DOWN, AND NOBLE WON A SEND TERM WH ALMOST 90 PERCENT OF THE VOTE. NOBLE’S DIGNIFIED PERSEVERANCE SPIRED MANY CLOSETED AND POTENTIAL PUBLIC OFFICIALS TO E OUT DURG A DIFFICULT TIME, A LEGACY EVEN MORE LASTG THAN HER TWO TERMS OFFICE.HARVEY MILK ELECTEDHARVEY MILK ON THE MPAIGN TRAIL 1976HARVEY MILK IS TERNATNALLY RENOWNED AS AN LGBTQ+ HERO, HAVG ED HIS POSN AS THE FIRST OUT LGBTQ+ ELECTED OFFICIAL CALIFORNIA TO LOUDLY FIGHT BACK AGAST THE TORNADO OF ANTI-LGBTQ+ DISCRIMATN FURLY WHIPPG THE UNTRY TO A ENZY WH THE RISE OF THE MORAL MAJORY AND ANA BRYANT’S CSA TO “SAVE OUR CHILDREN” 1977. EFFECTIVELY G HIS BULLHORN ON THE SAN FRANCIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, MILK HELPED LEAD THE NAIL-BG SUCCSFUL MPAIGN TO STOP THE BRIGGS INIATIVE, WHICH WOULD HAVE PERMTED THE FIRG OF GAY TEACHERS AND THEIR ALLI 1978.AS THE OSR-WNG FICTNALIZED FILM BGRAPHY MILK DITED, HE DID NOT HAVE AN EASY ROAD TO ELECTORAL VICTORY. BUT GLOSSED OVER MILK HISTORI IS THAT AFTER HIS SEND FAILED MPAIGN, HIS CLOSE IEND AND ALLY MAYOR GEE MOSNE APPOTED HIM TO THE BOARD OF PERM APPEALS, MAKG HIM THE FIRST OUT GAY CY MISSNER AMERI. AFTER HIS THIRD FAILED MPAIGN, MILK, HIS MPAIGN MANAGER ANNE KRONENBERG, AND MOSNE ENGEERED A L CHANGE ENABLG NDIDAT TO N OM THEIR DISTRICTS STEAD OF SEEKG AN “AT-LARGE” SEAT. BY 1977, AS GAY SAN FRANCIS CHRONICLE REPORTER RANDY SHILTS LATER WROTE, MILK WAS BOTH A ALN-BUILR AND “THE MAYOR OF CASTRO STREET.” HE WAS ELECTED ON NOVEMBER 8, 1977.SUPERVISOR HARVEY MILK AT MAYOR GEE MOSNE'S SK.MILK BEME NATNALLY FAMO FOR HIS “G OUT” SPEECH. “GAY PEOPLE, WE WILL NOT W OUR RIGHTS BY STAYG QUIETLY OUR CLOSETS,” MILK SAID DURG ONE RALLY AGAST THE ANTI-GAY BRIGGS INIATIVE. AFTER RECEIVG DAILY ATH THREATS, MILK SAID HIS DTAPED WILL: “IF A BULLET SHOULD ENTER MY BRA, LET THAT BULLET STROY EVERY CLOSET DOOR.”ON NOVEMBER 27, 1978, MILK AND MOSNE WERE ASSASSATED BY DISGNTLED FORMER SUPERVISOR DAN WHE, PROMPTG MANY TO E OUT, CLUDG MILK’S TEENAGE NEPHEW STUART MILK, WHO NOW NS THE MILK FOUNDATN. ON AUGT 12, 2009, STUART MILK ACCEPTED THE MEDAL OF FREEDOM, THE NATN’S HIGHT CIVILIAN HONOR, POSTHUMOLY AWARD BY PRINT BARACK OBAMA TO HARVEY MILK FOR HIS “VISNARY URAGE AND NVICTN” FIGHTG DISCRIMATN.ACTIVIST FRANK KAMENY RUNS FOR U.S. CONGRS
In 1966, three years before Stonewall, members of The Mattache Society, an anizatn dited to gay rights, staged a “sip-” where they openly clared their sexualy at taverns, darg staff to turn them away and sug tablishments who did.
When The Commissn on Human Rights led that gay dividuals had the right to be served bars, police raids were temporarily Stonewall Inn The crime syndite saw prof terg to shunned gay clientele, and by the mid-1960s, the Genove crime fay ntrolled most Greenwich Village gay bars. And was one of the few—if not the only—gay bar left that allowed were still a fact of life, but ually rpt ps would tip off Mafia-n bars before they occurred, allowg owners to stash the alhol (sold whout a liquor license) and hi other illegal activi. Stonewall's LegacyThough the Stonewall uprisg didn’t start the gay rights movement, was a galvanizg force for LGBT polil activism, leadg to numero gay rights anizatns, cludg the Gay Liberatn Front, Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD (formerly Gay and Lbian Alliance Agast Defamatn), and PFLAG (formerly Parents, Fai and Friends of Lbians and Gays) the one-year anniversary of the rts on June 28, 1970, thoands of people marched the streets of Manhattan om the Stonewall Inn to Central Park what was then lled “Christopher Street Liberatn Day, ” Ameri’s first gay pri para.
”In 2016, then-Print Barack Obama signated the se of the rts—Stonewall Inn, Christopher Park, and the surroundg streets and siwalks—a natnal monument regnn of the area’s ntributn to gay Gallery The Stonewall Inn is a bar loted New York Cy’s Greenwich Village that served as a haven the 1960s for the cy’s gay, lbian and transgenr muny. Army service World War I, Gerber was spired to create his anizatn by the Scientific-Humanarian Commtee, a “homosexual emancipatn” group ’s small group published a few issu of s newsletter “Friendship and Freedom, ” the untry’s first gay-tert newsletter. Ernment signated Gerber’s Chigo hoe a Natnal Historic Pk TriangleCorbis/Getty ImagHomosexual prisoners at the ncentratn mp at Sachsenhsen, Germany, wearg pk triangl on their uniforms on December 19, gay rights movement stagnated for the next few s, though LGBT dividuals around the world did e to the spotlight a few example, English poet and thor Radclyffe Hall stirred up ntroversy 1928 when she published her lbian-themed novel, The Well of Lonels.
THIS IS WHAT GAY LIBERATN LOOKED LIKE IN THE '70S
Addnally, 1948, his book Sexual Behavr the Human Male, Aled Ksey proposed that male sexual orientatn li on a ntuum between exclively homosexual to exclively Homophile Years In 1950, Harry Hay found the Mattache Foundatn, one of the natn’s first gay rights group. ”Though started off small, the foundatn, which sought to improve the liv of gay men through discsn groups and related activi, expand after foundg member Dale Jenngs was arrted 1952 for solicatn and then later set ee due to a adlocked the end of the year, Jenngs formed another anizatn lled One, Inc., which weled women and published ONE, the untry’s first pro-gay magaze. Post Office, which 1954 clared the magaze “obscene” and refed to liver Mattache Society Mattache Foundatn members rtctured the anizatn to form the Mattache Society, which had lol chapters other parts of the untry and 1955 began publishg the untry’s send gay publitn, The Mattache Review.
That same year, four lbian upl San Francis found an anizatn lled the Dghters of Bilis, which soon began publishg a newsletter lled The Ladr, the first lbian publitn of any early years of the movement also faced some notable setbacks: the Amerin Psychiatric Associatn listed homosexualy as a form of mental disorr followg year, Print Dwight D.
”In fear of beg shut down by thori, bartenrs would ny drks to patrons spected of beg gay or kick them out altogether; others would serve them drks but force them to s facg away om other ctomers to prevent them om 1966, members of the Mattache Society New York Cy staged a “sip-”—a twist on the “s-” protts of the 1960s— which they vised taverns, clared themselv gay, and waed to be turned away so they uld sue. They were nied service at the Greenwich Village tavern Juli, rultg much publicy and the quick reversal of the anti-gay liquor Stonewall Inn A few years later, 1969, a now-famo event talyzed the gay rights movement: The Stonewall clanste gay club Stonewall Inn was an stutn Greenwich Village bee was large, cheap, allowed dancg and weled drag queens and homels the early hours of June 28, 1969, New York Cy police raid the Stonewall Inn. " This sign was wrten by the Mattache Society–an early anizatn dited to fightg for gay reportg the events, The New York Daily News rorted to homophobic slurs s tailed verage, nng the headle: “Homo Nt Raid, Queen Be Are Stgg Mad.
7 EARLY PNEERS OF THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENTBEFORE THE STONEWALL RTS, THE ACTIVISTS HELPED SET THE STAGE FOR ADVANC THE LGBTQ CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.BY: JOSEPH BENNGTON-CASTROUPDATED: JUNE 8, 2023 | ORIGAL: JUNE 1, 2023PY PAGE LKPRT PAGEBILL MRER/NY DAILY NEWS ARCHIVE VIA GETTY IMAGTHE 1960S SAW SOME MAJOR STRIS LGBTQ ACTIVISM, CLUDG THE GAY “SIP-IN” PROTT AGAST DISCRIMATN OM NEW YORK CY BARS AND THE 1969 STONEWALL RTS. BUT SOME ACTIVISTS TOOK A STAND FOR LGBTQ RIGHTS BEFORE THAT FAMED , OPERATG UNR THE FEAR OF LOSG THEIR JOBS SHOULD THEY BE OUTED OR BEG ARRTED FOR SIMPLY EXISTG HETERONORMATIVE SPAC. THE URAGE OF THE EARLY U.S. QUEER ACTIVISTS SET THE STAGE FOR POLIL VICTORI LGBTQ RIGHTS THE S TO E.WILLIAM DORSEY SWANN (1860–?)JT THREE YEARS BEFORE THE EMANCIPATN PROCLAMATN, WILLIAM DORSEY SWANN WAS BORN THE PROPERTY OF A WHE PLANTATN WOMAN, ACRDG TO REARCH BY CHANNG GERARD JOSEPH. HE GREW UP TO BEE THE FIRST PERSON THE UNED STAT TO FIGHT FOR THE LGBTQ MUNY’S RIGHT TO GATHER THROUGH LEGAL AND POLIL CHANNELS. HE WAS ALSO THE FIRST SELF-PROFSED QUEEN OF DRAG.SWANN HELD DRAG BALLS, OR DANCE PARTI WHICH ATTEN (BLACK MEN, MANY FORMER SLAV) WOULD DRS WOMEN’S SILKS AND SATS. ONE OF THE WASHGTON, D.C. PARTI WAS RAID BY POLICE 1888 AND ABOUT A DOZEN OF THE DRAGGED-UP ATTEN WERE ARRTED, SWANN CLUD.HE WAS TAED SEVERAL MORE TIM AND NVICTED 1896 FOR THE FALSE CHARGE OF “KEEPG A DISORRLY HOE,” OR A BROTHEL. DURG HIS 10-MONTH SENTENCE, SWANN PETNED PRINT GROVER CLEVELAND FOR A PARDON, WHICH WAS NIED. AFTER HIS RELEASE, SWANN NTUED TO THROW BALLS AS THE QUEEN OF DRAG. THE YEAR OF HIS ATH IS UNCERTA, ALTHOUGH SOME LIST AS 1925, WHEN HE WOULD HAVE BEEN 66-67 YEARS OLD.HENRY GERBER (1892–1972)IN 1924, HENRY GERBER FOUND THE FIRST GAY RIGHTS ANIZATN AMERI: THE SOCIETY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. THE CHIGO-BASED ANIZATN PRODUCED FRIENDSHIP AND FREEDOM, THE FIRST AMERIN PUBLITN FOR HOMOSEXUALS.IN 1925, GERBER AND OTHER ANIZATN MEMBERS WERE ARRTED FOR “OBSCENY” AFTER THE POLICE RECEIVED A TIP OM A -FOUNR’S WIFE. THOUGH THE CHARG WERE EVENTUALLY DROPPED, FIGHTG THEM ST GERBER HIS LIFE’S SAVGS AND HIS JOB WH THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE, AS WELL AS THE DISSOLUTN OF HIS ANIZATN.GERBER WENT ON TO LIVE AN UNASSUMG LIFE, WRG ARTICL ABOUT HOMOSEXUAL OPPRSN UNR A PSDONYM, WORKG AND BUILDG MUNY.HARRY HAY (1912–2002)HARRY HAY WAS A MUNIST ACTIVIST WHO -FOUND THE MATTACHE SOCIETY, THE FIRST ENDURG GAY RIGHTS ANIZATN, 1950. HAY WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DIVORCED BY HIS WIFE, FELLOW MUNIST ANA PLATKY, AND EXPELLED OM THE MUNIST PARTY, WHICH NSIRED HIM A SECURY RISK, A FEW YEARS LATER. THE BURGEONG MATTACHE SOCIETY FORCED HAY AND OTHER MUNIST FOUNRS TO STEP DOWN 1953.HAY NTUED HIS QUEER ACTIVISM FOLLOWG HIS EXPULSN. HE WAS ELECTED THE FIRST CHAIR OF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAY LIBERATN FRONT—A ANT QUEER RIGHTS GROUP—AFTER THE STONEWALL RTS AND -FOUND THE RADIL FAIRI A LATER. HE SPENT HIS LATER YEARS BEG VOLVED NATIVE AMERIN TWO-SPIR ACTIVISM.DEL MART (1921–2008) AND PHYLLIS LYON (1924–2020)NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARYPHYLIS LYON AND DEL MART, CIR 1970.IN 1955, DEL MART AND PHYLLIS LYON -FOUND THE FIRST MAJOR ANIZATN FOR LBIANS THE UNED STAT—THE DGHTERS OF BILIS. THE UPLE SOON LNCHED AND BEME EDORS OF LADR, THE ANIZATN’S NATNAL PUBLITN AND PLATFORM FOR LBIANS TO ANONYMOLY OR OPENLY WRE ABOUT ISSU PERTENT TO THE MUNY. MART AND LYON WERE ALSO THE FIRST LBIAN UPLE TO JO THE NATNAL ORGANIZATN FOR WOMEN.DGHTERS OF BILIS EVENTUALLY SHUTTERED AS THE QUEER RIGHTS MOVEMENT BEME MORE ANT, BUT MART AND LYON NTUED THEIR ACTIVISM. AFTER MORE THAN FIVE S TOGETHER, THE PAIR WERE THE FIRST OF 90 GAY UPL TO BE ILLEGALLY MARRIED BY SAN FRANCIS’S THEN-MAYOR GAV NEWSOM. THEY WERE MARRIED AGA FOUR YEARS LATER, 2008, AFTER CALIFORNIA LEGALIZED SAME-SEX MARRIAGE. DALE JENNGS (1917–2000)A FOUNDG MEMBER OF THE MATTACHE SOCIETY, DALE JENNGS BEME A QUEER RIGHTS HERO WHEN HE PROTTED URT A 1951 CHARGE OF SEXUAL SOLICATN LOS ANGEL. AT THE TIME, ENTRAPMENT BY TECTIV POSG AS GAY MEN BARS, PUBLIC PARKS, AND RTROOMS WAS MON. THOSE CHARGED WH SOLICG POLICE OFFICERS FOR SEX TYPILLY PLEAD GUILTY RATHER THAN FACE BEG OUTED AS GAY. JENNGS, AT HAY’S SUGGTN, FOUGHT THE CHARGE TO BRG ATTENTN TO THE DISCRIMATORY POLICY. IN 1952, THE JURY ADLOCKED FOR ACQUTAL AND THE JUDGE DISMISSED THE CHARGE.THAT YEAR, JENNGS -FOUND ONE INC., WHICH PRODUCED THE NATNAL GAY JOURNAL ONE MAGAZE. IN 1954, A LOS ANGEL POSTMASTER NFISTED THE MAGAZE FOR BEG ''OBSCENE, LEWD, LASCIV AND FILTHY,” WHICH ONE FOUGHT URT. A LOWER URT LED FAVOR OF THE POSTMASTER BUT THE U.S. SUPREME COURT, 1958, UNANIMOLY REVERSED THE CISN, UPHOLDG A NSTUTNAL PROTECTN FOR PRO-GAY WRGS.CHRISTE JENSEN (1926–1989)
1 / 12: NY Daily News Archive/Getty ImagChristopher Street Liberatn Day Shortly after the Stonewall uprisg, members of the Mattache Society spl off to form the Gay Liberatn Front, a radil group that lnched public monstratns, protts and nontatns wh polil officials.
Siar groups followed, cludg the Gay Activists Alliance, Radilbians, and Street Transvt Actn Revolutnari (STAR) 1970, at the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Rts, New York Cy muny members marched through lol streets memoratn of the event.