The acceptance of “abnormal” sexualities

The acceptance of “abnormal” sexualities has been a prolonged, controversial battle. The segregation is excruciating and the prejudice remarks are so spiteful that some people never truly recover. Homosexuals have been left suffering for ages. Life, for most homosexuals during the first half of the twentieth century, was mostly one of hiding: having to constantly hide their true feelings and tastes. Instead of restaurants and movies, they had to sit quiet in the dark and meet each other in concealed places such as bars. Homosexuals were those with “mental and psychic abnormalities” and were the victim of medical prejudice, police harassment, and church condemnation (Jagose 24). The minuscule mention or assumption of one’s homosexuality could easily lead to the loss of family, livelihood, and sometimes even their lives. It was only after the Stonewall riots and the organization of gay/lesbian groups that times for homosexuals started to look brighter.

In 1950, a homosexual man named Harry Hay and a group of homosexual activists decided that they were tired of being treated unequally just because of their sexual orientation (Mattachine Society Today 3). They started the Mattachine Society where they could begin acting and organizing against this type of oppression. They wanted to give male homosexuals support and the sense of pride for being who they were. The main goals were to unify isolated homosexuals and to encourage them to fight for their rights while providing a society of safe and social activities (Mattachine Society Today 9). The group was in for a struggle though: their conservative ways did not satisfy many. The problem was not in their efforts and intentions, but in the fact that their society was politically weak,...

... middle of paper ...

...merican gay movement groups, it was GLF that made the greatest impact after the riots.

Among the gay community, Stonewall has become associated with freedom, fighting, and equality. It was a turning point in gay history and one that literature often uses with a separation of before and after. Using Martin Luther King’s nonviolent method of forcing integration, the Mattachine Society set out to unite the gay scene and empower them. It served as an inspiration and the movement has only grown from their small start. Homosexuality has gone from being a prohibited subject that could seldom be mentioned in public to a common topic of debate among politicians, voters, and the media. Though vast improvements have been made, the gay communities fight has not yet been won, and with more organizations forming and challenging norms hopefully the journey will not be long.