Michael Bronski, Professor of the Practice in Activism and Media Studies of Women, Gender and Sexuality at Harvard University, speaks to Newsweek about the origins of Pride Month and the Stonewall Uprising.
June 1, 2019, marks the first day of Pride Month, which celebrates the everyone in the LGBTQ community. The month also honors the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, otherwise known as the Stonewall Uprising, which saw members of the LGBTQ community fight back against harassment from the police in Greenwich Village in June 1969.
While both groups seem very mild by today’s standards, they were very radical for their time. You have to understand that in the 1950s all U.S. states had laws criminalizing same-sex sexual behavior. You could be arrested and even imprisoned for even proposition someone for sex in public. Lesbians and gay men were routinely fired from their jobs if their boss or coworkers discovered their sexual orientation.
Stonewall, helped from social change movement Gay Liberation, addressed many aspects of inequality in American society. The movement did not call for “equality” per se, but rather argued for wide-scale social change that would eliminate many of the factors that caused inequality, such as heterosexism, misogyny, racism, and poverty.
25th June 1989: Two women wearing"Wife" signs around their necks, smile for the camera, at the 1989 Gay Pride Parade in Greenwich Village, Manhattan commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots Walter Leporati/Getty Images) There is much for work to be done with laws and policies. Recently the Trump administration has been repealing Obama policies that forbade discrimination against transgender people. In many cases, I would argue that this is less a battle for “equal rights” than for “basic rights."There have always been people throughout all of this history—not just American history—who have had sexual, affectional feelings and relationships with the same sex. This is not new.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Trump Is The First Republican President To Acknowledge LGBT Pride Month, And Yet...Trump made history on Friday, but his administration has attacked the rights of the LGBT community.
Read more »
Trump blasted for tweet supporting LGBT Pride Month while restricting rights for transgender AmericansThe president's ban on transgender personnel from entering the military was implemented in April.
Read more »
These Same-Sex Marriages In Taiwan Will Warm Your Heart With PrideSame-sex couples across Taiwan are tying the knot after a May 24 referendum that acknowledges their constitutional right to marry. Taiwan is now the first country in Asia to legally recognize same-sex
Read more »
Show Us The Funniest Sign You've Seen At A Pride ParadeWhat's The Funniest LGBT Pride Parade Sign You've Seen?
Read more »
Police confirm dead 8-month-old is child of missing man8-month-old child found dead outside funeral home in Southern California identified as daughter of missing man sheriffs are calling an 'at-risk' individual.
Read more »