Gay+Rights+-+Recent+Events+and+People


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__TIMELINE OF GAY RIGHTS HISTORY__ June is Gay/Lesbian awareness month 1907 - Adolf Brand publishes a piece talking badly about the imperial chancellor of Germany. 1910 - Emma Goldman first began speaking in public, in favor of homosexual rights. 1917 - The October Revolution in Russia repeals the previous criminal code 1920 - The word Gay is used for the first time in reference to homosexuals (previously meant “happy”) 1921 -England attempts to make lesbianism illegal for the first time in Britain's history, and fails. 1922 - A new criminal code is created in the USSR, decriminalizing homosexual acts. 1924-The first gay rights organization, The Society for Human Rights, opens 1928 - The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall is published in the United States. 1928-Issue of German lesbian periodical 1929 October 16 - a Reichstag Committee votes to repeal Paragraph 175. 1930 - The new Danish Criminal Code decriminalizes homosexuality. 1933 - The National Socialist German Workers Party bans homosexual groups. 1934 - Uruguay decriminalizes homosexuality. 1936 - Federico García Lorca ,a Spanish poet, is shot. 1937 - First use of the pink triangle for gay men in concentration camps. 1940 - Iceland decriminalizes homosexuality. 1941 - Transsexuality was first used in reference to homosexuality. 1942 - Switzerland decriminalizes homosexuality, with the age of consent set at 20. 1944 - Sweden decriminalizes homosexuality. 1945 - Upon Nazi concentration camps, those interned for homosexuality are not freed, but required to serve out the full term of their sentences. 1946 - "COC" ("Center for Culture and Recreation"), the earliest homophile organisation, is founded in the Netherlands. 1947 - Vice Versa, the first North American LGBT publication, is written and self-published. 1948 - "Forbundet af 1948", a homosexual group, is formed in Denmark. 1950-Johseph McCarthy focuses on busting communists and some LGBT's claiming they are a threat. 1950 - The Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights (RFSL) is formed in Sweden. 1951 - Greece decriminalizes homosexuality. 1952 - Dale Jennings successfully uses the defense of entrapment against charges of solicitation. 1952-The McCorran Walter act was to ban Sexual Deviants (LGBT) immigrants from entering the country 1954 -Alan Turing dies from cyanide poisoning, 18 months after being given libido-reducing hormone treatment for a year as a punishment for homosexuality. 1955 - Daughters of Bilitis founded in California. 1955-Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon found the first U.S. lesbian organization, the Daughters of Bilitis, in San Francisco 1956 - Thailand decriminalizes homosexualism. 1957 - The word "Transsexual" is coined by U.S. physician Harry Benjamin. 1958 - The Homosexual Law Reform Society is founded in the United Kingdom. 1961-Illinois becomes the first state to decriminalize homosexual acts between consenting adults in private 1961 - Czechoslovakia and Hungary decriminalize sodomy. 1963 - Israel decriminalizes sodomy and sexual acts between men 1966 - The National Planning Conference of Homophile Organizations is established 1967 - Chad decrimilizes homosexuality. 1968 - Paragraph 175 is eased in East Germany decriminalizing homosexual acts over the age of 18. 1970 - The first Gay Liberation Day March is held in New York City. 1971 - Society Five (a homosexual rights organisation) is formed in Melbourne Victoria. 1972 - Sweden becomes first country in the world to allow transgendered people to legally change their sex. 1973 - The American Psychiatric Association removes homosexuality from its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 1974 - Kathy Kozachenko becomes the first openly homosexual American elected to public office. 1975 - Elaine Noble becomes the second openly homosexual American elected to public office. 1976 - Robert Grant founds the Christian Voice to take his anti-homosexual-rights crusade national in United States. 1977 - Harvey Milk is elected city-county supervisor in San Francisco. 1978 - San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone are assassinated. 1979 - The first national homosexual rights march on Washington, DC is held. 1980 - The Democratic National Convention becomes the first major political party in America to endorse a homosexual rights platform plank. 1981 - Victoria, Australia and Colombia decriminalize homosexuality. 1982 - France equalizes the age of consent; The first Gay Games is held in San Francisco. 1983 - Massachusetts Representative Gerry Studds reveals he is a homosexual. 1984 - The lesbian and gay association "Ten Percent Club" is formed in Hong Kong. 1985 - France prohibits discrimination based on lifestyle (moeurs) in employment and services. 1986 - Homosexual Law Reform Act passed in New Zealand, legalizing sex between males over 16. 1987 - ACT UP stages its first major demonstration. 1988 - Sweden is the first country to pass laws protecting homosexual regarding social services, taxes, and inheritances. 1989 - Western Australia legalizes male homosexuality. 1967-The American Civil Liberties Union reverses it's earlier position and declares it's opposition to state sodomy laws 1969-Police raid on a New York City gay bar in the Stonewall Inn 1978-Gilbert Baker designed the gay resemblance flag 1986-United States Supreme Court ruled that states could outlaw homosexual conduct 1987- AIDS education starts 1990's Hate crime against LGBT's were on the rise 1990 - OutRage!, an LGBT rights direct action group, forms in the UK. 1991 - Bahamas, Hong Kong, Ukraine and Queensland in Australia decriminalize sodomy; The red ribbon is first used as a symbol of the campaign against HIV/AIDS. 1992 - The World Health Organization removes homosexuality from its ICD-10. 1993 - Brandon Teena is raped and murdered; The third homosexual rights march on Washington, DC is held. 1994 - Bermuda, Serbia (including Kosovo) and South Africa legalize homosexuality. 1994-US military forces adopt Don't ask don't tell policy 1995 - Sweden legalizes registered partnerships. 1996- President Clinton signs agreement that Marriage is defined as a man and a woman 1996 - The age of consent is equalised in Burkina Faso; Iceland legalizes registered partnerships; Hungary recognizes same-sex partners; Romania decriminalizes homosexuality that is not scandalous; Macedonia decriminalizes homosexuality. 1997 - South Africa becomes the first country to prohibit explicitly discrimination based on sexual orientation. 1997- Gay civil unions are drafted and put into place in Hawaii 1998 - Matthew Shepard is slain; The Employment Equality Act is introduced in Ireland. 1999 - California adopts a domestic partnership law. 1999-Vermont Civil Unions are passed 2000- Boy scouts have e the right to Bar gay troop leaders 2000 - The UK ban on homosexuals serving in the armed forces is abolished. 2001 - The state of Arizona in the United States repeals its sodomy law. 2002 - Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Moldova, Romania and Western Australia all equalize their age of consent. 2003 - Belize recriminalizes homosexuality. 2003-Decision was reversed when it ruled that a Texas ban on relationships was unconstitutional 2004 - Cape Verde and Marshall Islands legalize homosexuality. 2005 - New Zealand is the first nation in the world to outlaw hate crime and employment discrimination on the basis of gender identity. 2006 - Serbia and Isle of Man equalized the age of consent.

__TRANSSEXUAL BIRTH FACTS__ •About one percent of births are transsexual, or to that degree •One to two percent of births result it surgery to help show the gender of the newborn

__GOVERNMENT LAWS__ •If a cross-gendered member of a gay couple has a child, by law they have to change themselves back into their birth gender, and can no longer be married •Laws governing gays and lesbians vary throughout the world •A big piece of the gay rights movement is to eliminate laws that ban homosexual relationships •The movement is trying to change the view on homosexuals in the media to help end discrimination towards homosexuals •movement wants higher punishment for hate crimes •Laws similar to the banning of homosexual conduct were shot down all over the country

__FACTS ABOUT GAY/LESBIAN RIGHTS__ •Scandinavian partnership is almost the same as marriage, including legal adoption rights in Sweden and Iceland •Many think civil unions should be replaced with union rights •Couples of same-sex marriage use the term "equal marriage" to show that they are equal because of their rights •"Homosexual" is more of a discriminating label than "gay" •Cases of men being beaten are usually ignored because women are known to be the focus of domestic violence •The ratio of reported DV cases from women to men is 13 to 1 •Almost 10% of the population is gay or lesbian •Homophobia is to be insensitive to or against the lifestyles of gays or lesbians •Heterosexual means you can tolerate the lifestyles of gays and lesbians •Gay relationships are seen to be in six stages •Heterosexual (straight) relationships are known to last longer than homosexual relationships •At some point in life, all gays and lesbians question if their orientation is acceptable •It is much harder for gays and lesbians to come out about their orientation than people think it is because of discrimination •The gay right movement helped gays get their civil rights. •The gay movement all began at the StoneWall (a gay bar) •Gay people weren't aloud in the Military because they think that they will try to have sexual acts with the rest of the soldiers. •In 1993 Clinton ruled that gay people shouldn't be kicked out of the military which became the topic of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" this topic was to tell the gays that they can go back to the army only if they don't tell anyone they are gay and that they can't have gay sexual actions.

__GAY PRIDE FLAG__ One of the many symbols for gay pride is the rainbow, which has a meaning for every stripe. Below are the meanings of every color on the flag: Hot Pink:Sex Red:Life Orange:Healing Yellow:Sun Green:Nature Turquoise:Art Indigo:Harmony Violet:Spirit These colors were used on the first flag. Today, only six colors are used. __MORE FACTS ABOUT GAY/LESBIAN RIGHTS__ •The gay movement was improving until a set back when AIDS started spreading in Europe and in North America. Many people blamed the gays for starting the disease. •The supreme court was off and on about there decision on gay rights some said it wasn't a problem if they didn't show anyone there sexual love for each other and some said it was simply unconstitutional. •Discrimination was a big part of this, the movement was to allow same-sex relationships. •Many people still torment gays but by law you have to accept gays as you would non-gays this is why they always have these groups to tell you that you don't have to hide you can be out with your sexuality with out discrimination well at least there shouldn't be. • most teens are afraid to come out to there peers because there afraid of being harassed • on average 1 high school kid hears 25 or more anti-gay remarks every day. •80% of homosexuals don't feel safe at school and when they tell staff, the staff are unresponsive.



__NON-DISCRIMINATION LAWS__ •ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) is in legislation right now. This will provide all races and all people of mixed gender identity also people with mixed sexual orientation from being fired and or harrassed at work for any of the above reasons. •12 states have non-discrimination laws but the other 38 don't, so the people in those states have the pressure of the fact that their boss hates homosexuals and hope their personal life doesn't cross with there work life.

__LGBT AND WHAT IT MEANS__ L: Lesbian Heterosexual couple of two women G: Gay Heterosexual couple of two Men B:Bisexual Sexual Preference in lenient which means they have tendencies to both genders T: Transgender this mean that there gender identity is obscured and or hard to see. This is a song by Melissa Ethridge A lesbian rock artist who wrote and performed a song about Mark Bingham who was one of the four men on flight 93 that decided to storm the cabin and take down the plane. The reason that I'm putting this song on here is because Mark was gay and was not given as much recognition as the other three heroes. Lyrics:
 * "Tuesday Morning"**

10:03 on a Tuesday morning in the fall of an American dream a man is doing what he knows is right on flight 93

Loved his mom and he loved his dad loved his home and he loved his man but on that bloody Tuesday morning he died and American

//[chorus]// Now you cannot change this You can't erase this You can't pretend this is not the truth

Even though he could not marry Or teach your children in our schools Because who he wants to love Is breaking your God's rules

He stood up on a Tuesday Morning In the terror he was brave And he made his choice and without a doubt A hundred lives he must have saved

//[chorus]//

And the things you might take for granted Your inalienable rights Some might choose to deny him Even though he gave his life

Can you live with yourself in the land of the free And make him less of a hero than the other three Well it might begin to change ya In a field in Pennsylvania

//[chorus]//

Stand up America Hear the bell now as it tolls Wake up America It's Tuesday Morning Let's roll (chorus) [|Lyrics for Tuesday Morning]

__LINKS:__ Kylers Matthew Shepard Legacy [|HRC Orginization] [|Human rights Campaign] [|Gay Rights] Olivias Tracy Chapman Legacy Jessies Henry Gerber Legacy