LGBTQ+ History Month is regarded as one of the most important annual celebrations in October for individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and identify as different gender identities. October is meant to honor the important history of the LGBTQ+ community. Historically, they faced many challenges in order to live a life free from discrimination based on their love interests. They were able to achieve equal rights, the right to marriage, freedom, and many more by protesting.
People who had same-sex relationships were despised for hundreds of years because of religious beliefs. Gay people had to isolate themselves and hide their identities from the public. In fact, it was illegal to be gay, therefore anybody who liked someone else with the same gender would have legal consequences because the majority of society were attracted to the opposite gender and valued religion; however, things started to improve when the LGBTQ+ community spoke out and protested in the 1900s.
As World War 2 approached, the Women’s Army Corp became a place for lesbians to fight and be themselves. After the war, women declined to go back to gender norms which led to the beginning of the Homophile Era in the 1950s.
The Homophile Era had many people involved, demanding for LGBT equality and liveable communities. Henry Gerber advocated for homosexuals and founded the Chicago Sociey for Human Rights in 1924 to help reduce discrimination for everyone regardless of gender, race, religion, and sexual orientation. This inspired many LGBT folks such as Harry Hay to establish groups like the Mattachine Society to help defend same-sex relationships, according to NextDayBetter.
People who still spoke out are constantly suppresed by the government, police authorities, and homophobic people.
In June of 1969, Stonewall, a gay bar, located in New York, was raided by law enforcement leading to a protest outbreak. The LGBTQ+ community was fed up with the discrimination they suffered and constant harrasment. After the Stonewall event, thousands of gay liberations were fighting for equality. In fact, the liberation movement was so big, it became difficult to ignore.
The practice of putting LGBTQ+ people in mental asylums came to an end in 1973. Scientific studies were proven that mental illnesses weren’t correlated with being gay. Later on, LGBTQ+ people started to win legal battles. The Supreme Court have made gay marriage legal in 2015 for all fifty states of America, according to History.com.
The history behind how the LGBTQ+ community gained equality from the 1900s to 2015 benefits those who find themselves attracted to people with the same gender and people with different gender identities suffer less unequal treatment. There are still imperfections where gay people are still being discriminated against. Today, some people are still against the idea of same-sex relationships because of their religious beliefs. It is a global issue that has yet to be solved.
All in all, the persistence of heroes, Henry Gerber, Marsha Wetzel, Harry Hay, and countless people who have resisted, spoke, and opposed discrimination injustices for all of the LGBTQ+ community has become an astounding story. Improvements need to be made for all nations to help make the gay community a part of our world.
Photo by Juniper Araujo.
