Gay Liberation

In the reading, Capitalism and Gay Identity, D’Emilio challenges the idea that gay men and lesbians have not always existed, but emerged because of free labor created by capitalists. However, in my opinion towards the emergence of homosexuality, I disagree with D’Emilio’s concept that homosexuality results from a specific time period when capitalism arose, and I would argue that although attractions among same genders appeared uncommon prior to the twentieth century, homosexuality has…

Before Stonewall is a documentary about the gay community prior to the Stonewall Riots in New York City in 1969. Through historical events and interviews from people from each decade, the secrecy, prejudice, and even comradery within the gay community was addressed throughout the film. The documentary begins with talk of speakeasies during prohibition in the 1920s. People would sometimes have speakeasies in their basements, which often served as a gathering place for secret homosexuals to…

In her speech “Our Armies Are Rising and We Are Getting Stronger”, to the Latino Gay Men of New York (LGMNY) in 2001, Sylvia Rivera recounted her life in the context of her contribution to transgender activism, specifically that of the Stonewall Riots which took place during the summer of 1969. Throughout her speech Rivera reveals the underlying and persistent marginalization that took place not only on behalf of the cisgender, heteronormative community, but by her own community as well. Just…

Take a trip back with me to June 28th, 1969. This day is important for many reasons. It is the beginning of the Gay liberation movement at the Stonewall Inn. Now I’m sure we are all well aware of the significance of such an event and the domino effect that rippled across the nation. For those of you who don’t though, the events that took place at Stonewall was a riot of freedom and life (do your research). For me, it holds more significance, not because of the actions that took place then and…

concentration camps, most notably those of the Jewish religion. What history seems to forget is that another group of people who were greatly affected by world war two and the Nazis power were none other than the homosexual men of Europe. The story of one gay man, Pierre Seel is displayed in his memoir, “I, Pierre Seel Deported Homosexual”, where he describes the particular dynamics of the Nazi persecution of homosexuals and their post war legacy. In the six months that Pierre was a prisoner of…

1969, homosexual acts between consenting adults were illegal in all fifty states of America, which was reported in the article “The Stonewall Riots: June 28, 1969” (“The Stonewall Riots”). The Stonewall Inn is a gay bar in New York City. In 1969, it had no liquor license and held refuge for gay men and transvestites against the prejudiced police and laws. The laws were made to specifically On June 28th, these police raided Stonewall, which was not uncommon. But that night, for some unknown…

In this book he discusses the role of same-sex marriage should not be the goal for gay rights activists. When gay activists insist on equal benefits as same as straight people, the book argues that it stigmatizes queer people who choose other types of relationships. Meaning that the activist should not just focus on just legally be married, but not…

While the previous progressive decades had allowed for increased visibility of the LGBT community, there was still an overwhelming lack of knowledge or understanding of the gay population. Furthermore, little was known about the transmission of the disease, and fear fueled the misconceptions that subsequently ensued. People feared transmission through casual contact, even airborne transmission. Meanwhile, those initially afflicted…

media depictions of LGBT people as part of the reason gay people are discriminated against in places such as the workforce (Graber). Negative stereotypes in media depicting homosexuality as taboo and perverse have helped spread homophobia. Stereotyping LGBT people only furthers perceptions that being LGBT is abnormal, and thus treating them differently than heterosexuals is socially acceptable. Newsweek reporter Ramin Setoodeh notes that most gay men depicted in media are that of the effeminate…

America-the obstacles it encountered and and the societies it created”.(1) Homosexual love in Europe and America Social history should leave as much room as possible for the mass humanity known as ordinary people.Historically segregation of lesbians and gay men homosexuality has a particular cause is more durable ultimate aim was still to find a cure. The authors aim of this book was to show the orgin of homosuality and sxual geography of homosexuality. When I first picked up the book I…