7 Early Pneers of the Gay Rights Movement | HISTORY

Contents:

• GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT
• LGBTQ HISTORY MONTH: EARLY PNEERS OF THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT
• GAY RIGHTS
• 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

Baldw was nsired “Out and Proud” before that term beme wily ed, and he is creded wh havg an impact on the way the populatn at large approached the tersectn of “Ain Amerin” and “Gay”. " Beyond her LGBTQ activism, DeLarverie also anized and performed at fundraisers for women who suffered om domtic vlence and their Jam Baldw (Photo by Ted Thai)The LIFE Picture Collectn/GettyJam Baldw (1924-1987)A wrer and social cric, Baldw is perhaps bt known for his 1955 llectn of says, "Not of a Native Son, " and his groundbreakg 1956 novel, "Gvanni's Room, " which picts them of homosexualy and bisexualy. Baldw spent a majory of his lerary and activist reer tg others about Black and queer inty, as he did durg his famo lecture tled “Race, Racism, and the Gay Communy” at a meetg of the New York chapter of Black and Whe Men Together (now known as Men of All Colors Together) and playwright Lorrae Hansberry her New York Cy apartment April Attie / Getty ImagLorrae Hansberry (1930-1965)Hansberry was an activist and playwright bt known for her groundbreakg play “A Rais the Sun, ” about a stgglg Black fay on Chigo’s South Si.

The inic work was then ma to a 1961 film starrg Sidney Poier and Ruby to “A Rais the Sun” fame, Hansberry — who never publicly acknowledged she was a lbian — joed lbian rights group Dghters of Bilis and ntributed letters about femism and homophobia to s magaze, “The Ladr, ” acrdg to LGBTQ historian Eric Marc, host of the “Makg Gay History” podst.

Now 79, Miss Major, known to many simply as “Mama, ” ris Ltle Rock, Arkansas, where she ntu to be a vol Sprg's mayor Ron On, April 18, Khan / LA Tim via Getty ImagRon On (Born 1950)When On was elected mayor of Palm Sprgs, California 2003, he ma history by beg the first openly gay Ain Amerin man elected mayor of an Amerin cy. Kramer -found the advocy groups GMHC (Gay Men’s Health Crisis) and ACT UP (AIDS Coaln to Unleash Power), which ed the inic SILENCE = DEATH logo that beme a symbol for the AIDS crisis. His ntributns to the LGBTQ muny boil down to the impact he ma as a pneer drag, and how “Drag Race” drastilly changed the way lns of Amerins view — and appreciate — a key facet of gay culture.

LGBTQ HISTORY MONTH: EARLY PNEERS OF THE 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.

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.

GAY RIGHTS

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. 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.

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)

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). 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.