Throughout the 80’s, the AIDS crisis and the failure of the US government to address the problem became the impetus for the unification and diversification of the LGBT movement. The separatism of lesbian feminists dissipated, and both the gay and lesbian communities became more moderate in order to better politically address the new right and fight for health care, marriage equality, rights to abortion, and other discrimination. Furthermore, because the AIDS epidemic worst affected the poor and marginalized LGBT groups in the US, political and activist groups began having a more diverse membership, including racial minorities, bisexuals, immigrants, and transgendered people. This and legal reform oriented community has continued through the
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While monogamy was still the primary configuration of the time in lesbian relationships, many lesbians that had believed in politically correct sex began to shift their view on what was obscene and socially acceptable in order to “increase the duration and intensity of lesbian sexual pleasure” (Faderman 249). Things that had been previously seen as oppressions of the patriarchy, such as roleplaying, butch/femme relationships, sadomasochism, pornography, and casual sex, gradually became more accepted as vehicles of sexual pleasure, and less of a hard and fast indicator of a person’s personality (Faderman 255, 260-264). This opinion was able to thrive despite criticism from some lesbian groups and the threat of the AIDS virus because it allowed “Women to use those roles [dominant and submissive or butch and femme] for their own pleasurable ends, to demand freedom and sexual excitement as lesbians seldom dared before.” (Faderman 267). This shift toward the flexibility of rules around sexuality continued to permeate the LGBT movement throughout the 80’s and 90’s, and are still a large part of acceptance today, which is why sexual groups such as bondage clubs march in many LGBT pride parades. It also provided a broader acceptance of sexualities that led to the movement becoming stronger and more cohesive, and therefore …show more content…
Originally stemming from loved ones wanting visitation rights to their partners in hospitals during the AIDS crisis, and being aided by the growth in monogamy because of the AIDS scare, marriage equality became a subject of political discussion in the LGBT community, with the March on Washington in 1987 being “the legalization of gay and lesbian relationships” (Stein 169). Other large issues included the legalization of sodomy, prejudice in workplaces, adoption and child custody right, and homosexual censorship (Stein 165, 168-170). However, because of setbacks like the Bowers v. Hardwick ruling, which upheld the banning of same sex sodomy in Georgia, the LGBT movement lost some faith in national reform, and instead opted to challenge many prejudices in a legal setting locally and state by state (Stein 167). This state by state battle has been continuing since the 1980’s, and while lots of progress has been made, these same issues that were first addressed in the 80’s are what the LGBT movement are what activist groups and politicians are lobbying for
While monogamy was still the primary configuration of the time in lesbian relationships, many lesbians that had believed in politically correct sex began to shift their view on what was obscene and socially acceptable in order to “increase the duration and intensity of lesbian sexual pleasure” (Faderman 249). Things that had been previously seen as oppressions of the patriarchy, such as roleplaying, butch/femme relationships, sadomasochism, pornography, and casual sex, gradually became more accepted as vehicles of sexual pleasure, and less of a hard and fast indicator of a person’s personality (Faderman 255, 260-264). This opinion was able to thrive despite criticism from some lesbian groups and the threat of the AIDS virus because it allowed “Women to use those roles [dominant and submissive or butch and femme] for their own pleasurable ends, to demand freedom and sexual excitement as lesbians seldom dared before.” (Faderman 267). This shift toward the flexibility of rules around sexuality continued to permeate the LGBT movement throughout the 80’s and 90’s, and are still a large part of acceptance today, which is why sexual groups such as bondage clubs march in many LGBT pride parades. It also provided a broader acceptance of sexualities that led to the movement becoming stronger and more cohesive, and therefore …show more content…
Originally stemming from loved ones wanting visitation rights to their partners in hospitals during the AIDS crisis, and being aided by the growth in monogamy because of the AIDS scare, marriage equality became a subject of political discussion in the LGBT community, with the March on Washington in 1987 being “the legalization of gay and lesbian relationships” (Stein 169). Other large issues included the legalization of sodomy, prejudice in workplaces, adoption and child custody right, and homosexual censorship (Stein 165, 168-170). However, because of setbacks like the Bowers v. Hardwick ruling, which upheld the banning of same sex sodomy in Georgia, the LGBT movement lost some faith in national reform, and instead opted to challenge many prejudices in a legal setting locally and state by state (Stein 167). This state by state battle has been continuing since the 1980’s, and while lots of progress has been made, these same issues that were first addressed in the 80’s are what the LGBT movement are what activist groups and politicians are lobbying for