
June is LGBTQIA+ awareness month (aka Pride Month)! This month, let’s take some time to understand the history of where Pride Month comes from, the history of gay rights in the United States, and recognition of where we must go from here.
But first, some definitions, and combating some myths.
Definitions:
LGBTQIA+: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning/queer (be careful with queer, as this is often used as a slur. I personally prefer questioning to ensure acceptance of all individuals), intersex, allied/asexual, and the plus is for what is beyond these words and can further be defined and experienced.
Gender: how one expresses their identity. A social construct focused on norms, behaviors, and other broadly normalized characteristics. Gender is internal.
Sex: biological and physiological attributes, typically in terms of the binaries of “male” and “female.” This refers to chromosomes and reproductive organs.
Myths and facts regarding homosexuality:
1. MYTH: homosexuality/being transgender/etc is a choice. FACT: It is not a choice. People are born feeling how they feel, being attracted to who they are attracted to, etc. Sometimes it takes a long time for people to accept this (like into their 50’s!), and sometimes people are 3 when they first announce their identity.
2. MYTH: those who are within the LGBTQ community are “abnormal.” FACT: The American Psychiatric Association recognizes that there is nothing abnormal about homosexual behavior. These are the people that study people and their brains, and they have come to the conclusion that there is nothing inherently wrong, bad, or broken about being gay. Homosexuality is NOT a mental illness!
3. MYTH: same-sex parenting is harmful to the child. FACT: Same-sex parenting is very similar to opposite-sex parenting. And in terms of adoption, it is better to have a child adopted by loving parents (same-sex or otherwise) than in an orphanage.
4. MYTH: more people are “becoming” gay. FACT: People have always been pansexual, bisexual, gay, etc. Even back inthe 2nd century, Emperor Hadiran had a lover named Antinous.
5. MYTH: those who are transgender and make a permanent decision to transition regret this choice later in life. FACT: This study here suggests that 97% of people who transition are happy with the decision that they made to transition.
Pride Month
After going over those brief myths, how did June became an “official” time to recognize the LGBTQIA+ community? In 1999, President Clinton recognized the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots that happened back in 1969-- a period of time in which gay rights came to greater public attention and there was increased resistance against the discrimination, harassment, and abuse that was being faced by members of the LGTBQIA+ community. A year later, in 1970, was what could be called the first Pride Parade to celebrate LGBTQIA+ rights and honor what the Stonewall Riots did. The chant was “say it loud, gay is proud" even back then.
So, despite Clinton bringing Pride Month to light more actively in 1999, the celebration of Pride had really been happening for years, and rights had been fought for much longer than that.
With that being said, here are some key events in terms of LGBTQIA+ recognition in the United States during the 20th and 21st century. For more detail, I’ve linked a timeline here.
1952: The American Psychiatric Association lists homosexuality as a personality disturbance.
1953: President Eisenhower bans those who identify as homosexual from working for and with the federal government.
1969: Stonewall Inn riots, the event that pushed the gay rights movement forward significantly, as it brought to public attention the discrimination that was occurring toward the LGBTQIA+ community.
1970: The first Pride parade.
1973: Maryland bans same-sex marriage. The American Psychiatric Association removes homosexuality as a disorder.
1974: The first openly LGBTQ person is elected into public office (Kathy Kozachenko).
1975: The first federal gay rights bill is introduced. Unfortunately, not much happens after that. Also, Sergeant Leonard P. Matlovich tells his commanding officer his sexual orientation, which in turns results in him being forcibly discharged from the military.
1978: The first rainbow flag is produced.
1993: President Cilnton prohibits discrimination based on Americans who serve in the US military. However, this is the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” act, meaning that one cannot safely be openly gay in the US military.
1996: President Clinton signs the Defense of Marriage Act– this results in the recognition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman, effectively banning the ability to recognize same-sex marriage. Later in the same year, Hawaii becomes the first state to highlight that homosexual couples should have the same rights as heterosexual couples to marry.
2003: The US Supreme Court decriminalizes same-sex conduct.
2009: President Obama signs the Matthew Shephard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law (for more information on where this came from, look here)
2011: Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is repealed. It is permissible to be openly gay in the military.
2012: President Obama is the first US president to recognize and support the freedom for LGBTQ couples to marry.
2015: The US Supreme Court rules that same-sex marriage is federally legal and to be recognized in all states.
2016: The ban on transgender people serving in the military (openly) is reversed.
2018: President Trump bans most transgender people from being in the military.
2020: The US Supreme Court rules that federal law has to protect LGBTQ workers from discrimination.
2021: President Biden repeals Trump’s ban on transgender individuals joining the military.
2022: The Social Security Administration states that people can choose their sex identification for social security records.
2023: More than 120 bills are introduced with the goal of restriction of LGBTQ people. This include bills introduced that limit healthcare, freedom of expression, rights in schools, and more.
This is a very, very brief timeline of what’s been happening for the past 75ish years. What I want you to notice is the constant push and pull of granting individuals who identify within the LGBTQIA+ community rights (that they should be granted legally without issue). It shows that though we take steps forward in granting those in the LGBTQ community basic human rights, we tend to also take steps backward. So, it's up to us as a society to continue pushing forward.
You Might Be Wondering...Now What?
The goal of the timeline above is to draw attention to the fact that, even now, in the 2020s, there is a constant battle of granting rights. And this is just within the United States. Worldwide, lots of countries still ban same-sex unions, and don’t recognize those who identify as transgender as their gender. If you identify as the sex you were identified with at birth, could you imagine if you didn’t, and you weren't allowed to show that you were feeling that way? You weren't allowed to show the truth? Can you imagine if you were told growing up you were a boy so you were going to like girls growing up, but instead, began to take sexual interest in other males?
That’s the reality for millions of people. Millions of people who sometimes have to fear for their own lives if they announce their true selves to the world.
Pride Month, then, can be looked at as a time in which we can honor and support the rights of those within the LGBTQIA+ community. A person can identify as heterosexual, and still remain a supporter of rights, because gay rights are human rights, and deserve the same recognition as heterosexual people receive. Though we should we acting as supporters for LGBTQ rights all year, it’s okay to take Pride Month and really drive that focus in. It’s a time to do your research, and truly understand what it is like for lots of LGBTQ people in the United States.
All people deserve to love who they love. All people deserve to be treated equally and with respect. But the reality is that discrimination, hate crimes, and prejudice all still occur against the LGBTQIA+ community. This is why we need Pride Month. To honor, to celebrate, and to recognize that all humans should be granted the same rights– to marriage, to expression, to freedom. Not being accepted for who you are is exhausting, at the least. People deserve to be accepted for who they are, where they are, and be respected for the choices that they make that best represent their own lives.
So, I encourage you to take this Pride Month and learn about how to uplift the LGBTQIA+ community. Learn how to be an ally, and represent this group that is often discriminated against. Look through some of the articles below in terms of learning how gay rights play a role in every person’s life– not just those who identify as gay, bisexual, transgender, etc. People are people, and deserve equality, no matter how they may identify. And Pride Month is a wonderful time to honor that fact.
Taking Action and Learning More
Here are some great links to learn more about honoring pride month and the rights of LGBTQIA+ individuals:
President Biden's proclamation in 2021: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/06/01/a-proclamation-on-lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender-and-queer-pride-month-2021/
Celebrating pride month with kids (and its importance!): https://www.bgca.org/news-stories/2023/March/sharing-pride-month-with-kids-9-ways-to-celebrate-pride-month
Look into how the Human Rights Campaign is working to change the lives of those in the LGBTQ community: https://www.thehrcfoundation.org/
Go to a Gay Pride event: https://www.gaypridecalendar.com/world
JB
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