“I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief. ” This quote, by Gerry Spence, encaptures an attitude that is needed in people today in order to move forward with LGBT rights. There have been many ups and downs for the LGBT rights movement but it’s a working progress. LGBTS have been openly discriminated by religious groups, who have come to falsely believe their actions are morally right, which then follows into politics. This has pushed present generations to openly and nationally seek fair rights.
LGBTS have been persecuted by the church through many passages from the bible. Many church goers are against LGBTS because the bible has many passages against them. Lev 18: 22- 23 states “You shall not lie with a man as one lies with a woman, it is an abomination. ” This is the most commonly quoted passage that has been used. Other passages include: Lev 20: 13 “If there is a man who lies with a man as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death.
As well as Rom 1: 26-27 which states ” For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions: for their women exchanged the natural unction for what is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. ” These quotes are just some of what where and still are used to put down LGBTS. Though most of the passages speak mainly about gay men, they are used to persecute all members of the LGBTS.
And due to the great affiliation the church had in people’s lives many hate crimes and excuses to persecute have risen. The Church’s impact in people’s lives gave way to the many hate crimes towards LGBTS. There have been many cases of antigay attacks as a result of religious beliefs and morals. For example, in January of ’79, Tennessee Williams was battered by 5 teens in Key West. The attack was antigay violence caused a local Baptist minister (Asim). These attacks were common through the 20th century because of the great church affiliation people had. In the past, being gay was thought of as a mental disease that could be cured.
Many LGBTS were put in asylums and were subject to shock therapy, lobotomies, and ther inventive “curing” procedures to fix their behavioral problem/disease. Though good intentions were meant, many of the people who were put through these “cures” were scarred mentally and physically. Transgenders or those who thought that they were born in the wrong body were thought to be abominations (Gray). They were persecuted for changing theirs bodies, saying that it was a sin. As a result, transgender got the worst of punishments and “cures. ” Religious affiliation and persecution usually followed people into their businesses and jobs.
Many businesses refused service to LGBTS based on their relationship to God” (Boston). Many Businesses would use the Bill of Rights as an excuse to discriminate in their services. Many businesses also denied jobs to LGBTS because of their religious beliefs. These discriminations were and are common across the country especially among small businesses. These discriminations even happen where antidiscrimination acts are in place. The Employment Non-Discrimination Act bans discrimination in hiring and employment on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity by businesses (Sullivan).
This act has helped a great deal to give LGBTS fair rights. However, there have been some negative political actions. Politics have been difficult in helping LGBT rights. There were and still are many political members that have made the path to fair rights for LGBTS difficult. An example would be Joseph McCarthy who was a US Senator said that homosexuals were a threat to national security and were just as dangerous as communists. His statement on homosexuals didn’t help with the cause. Many acts that were put in place also made the path difficult.
The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) makes it difficult for the government to recognize gay marriage. It also stated that a state does not have to recognize a gay marriage in another state (Sullivan). This act was a wall that has kept LGBTS from happily and peacefully marrying their significant other. If the Respect for Marriage Act gets passed, the LGBT movement would greatly advance, for it would repeal DOMA. Another act that hasn’t advanced LGBT rights is the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Act that was passed by Pres. Clinton. It allow gays to join the armed forces only if they kept their sexuality a secret (Asim).
This act did nothing to stop the persecution and witch hunts among armed orces members and was later repeal. This repeal may have helped those in the armed forces but there have still been many cases where politics are clouded by opinion and religion. There have been many cases where antigay attacks and movements have been met with defiance. Anita Bryant, founder of Save Our Children, said that the real issue was parents’ right to protect their children from gays (Boston). Her movement tried to revive the stereotype that gays were child molesters.
She even began a campaign in Miami to overturn an ordinance that she claimed iscriminated against her right to teach her children biblical moralities. This campaign was met with defiance from gay activists. Another example would be Harvey Milk’s case. Harvey Milk was the first openly gay man elected to public office in California. He was responsible for passing many gay rights ordinances. He was assassinated in 1979 by Dan White. White’s trial was a “Twinkie Defense,” where the jury is mostly white catholic males; he was charged with voluntary manslaughter and received 7 years (Asim).
As a result to this absurd trial, the White Night riots broke out. Milk’s case was tragic and upsetting. It showed that even the court can be clouded by closed mindedness. Stonewall is another great example where defiance wins. Stonewall was a gay bar in Greenwich Village that was raided in June 1969. The patrons of the bar returned and rioted. This event was viewed as a defining moment that marked the start of the official gay movement. Stonewall was the turning point for the rising movement. As a response to the rising demands for fair rights, the government has slowly but surely begun to help the LGBT movement.
For example, the Students Non-Discrimination Act bans any school program or activity, that allows discrimination based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity, from receiving federal assistance (Meyer). This is an important act because it helped give the LGBT movement a strong hold in schools and education. The 2003 Supreme Court case of Lawrence vs. Texas ended the sodomy laws in Texas, and similar laws in other states. It ruled that intimate consensual sexual conduct was a private matter and could not be regulated by the state (Boston).
This Supreme Court ruling was one of the first to give way to fair LGBT rights. In more recent news, President Obama has openly stated that he if for LGBT rights and will not support DOMA. “Obama had already made the decision that the Defense of Marriage Act was unconstitutional on its face, that discrimination against homosexuals warranted heightened legal scrutiny, and that therefore the administration would no longer defend DOMA “(Sullivan). This will positively affect the LGBT movement. The government has also been offering funding partnerships. For example, Global Equality Fund and LGBT Global Development Partnership.
These provide millions of ollars in assistance to LGBT civil society activists and organizations (Sullivan). These funds will help LGBT groups sustain themselves to help others. There have been many activist groups and leaders, throughout history, that have helped LGBTS. The Gay Activists Alliance, which was formed in 1969 after the Stonewall incident, was a politically neutral organization that wanted to secure basic human rights for all gay people,and (Asim). This organization greatly helped advance the LGBT movement. The Daughters of Bilitis was the first lesbian rights organization in the United States.
It was formed in San Francisco 1955 as an alternative to lesbian bars. This organization gave rise to the lesbian involvement in feminist movements. Bayard Rustin was a black gay civil rights leader. He formed the Fellowship Of Reconciliation, a pacifist organization, and the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). He was a prime example of how blacks and gays could work together despite their sexual preference. Rustin helped thin the line between gays and blacks. He saw that both groups wanted the same thing, equal and fair rights. And as the media grew so did the awareness and spread of the movement.
The media has had a huge impact on the LGBT rights movement. The media has many mediums such as Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram, to name a few, that have helped with the movement. Willy Ninja was a fixture at Harlem’s drag balls. He trained boys to become dancers in his “House of Ninja. ” He became famous for his “voguing” dance style, which was eternalized in Madonna’s Vogue music video (Amis). He became an icon for LGBT members especially among dancers. Because of the mainstream emphasis towards gay-rights, transgender rights have been greatly shadowed (Gray).
This has become a problem ecause transgenders or subject to very aggressive persecution and hate crimes. This issue has slowly come to light mainly due to the many well-know persons that have transitioned, like Bruce Jenner. The media has also made it known that there are confidential hotlines that LGBTS can call. These offer a safe private haven for conversation. These hotlines are most helpful for those LGBTS that haven’t had the courage to “come out. ” The media is especially impacting present generations. Present generations have become more open to the awareness and support of LGBTS.
With the rise of the media’s involvement in aily life, there has been a rise in the awareness of LGBT movements. Most, if not all, present generations are aware of LGBTS. And most have come to accept them, especially the younger generations. Many schools now have student started clubs that help support LGBTs. Many teachers and counselors are more prepared to help any LGBT in need of counseling (Meyer). The growing involvement of school and educators has helped LGBTs to become more widely accepted through more open minded teachings. Gay Pride Parades began after Stonewall and have just grown and spread nationally and globally.
These parades have become a mainstream way to promote LGBT rights. They have had lasting effects with LGBTS because they offer a celebratory atmosphere. LGBTs have been put down by religious people in and out of politics and society. However, the LGBT movement has gained popularity due to the younger generations’ involvements. Religion will always try to find a way to persecuted LGBTs; whether it’s through business, school, or politics. The politics involving LGBTs rights will never be perfect but are a working process. Generations will only become more involved and aware of the fair rights that are needed for LGBTs.
