A Primer on Gay Rights
Stonewall. Gay manifesto. Gay pride. HIV/AIDS. Hate crimes. Anti-sodomy laws. Employment non-discrimination. Don't ask, don't tell. Equality. Rights. Same-sex marriage.
The history of gay rights, known more commonly as LGBT (or GLBT) rights is rife with buzzwords that have emerged into the popular lexicon to describe lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) causes and movements. LGBT rights have been debated nationally and internationally for centuries, with activism taking on monikers as varied as homosexuality and free love to the homophile movement, gay liberation, same-gender loving and more. Though not agreed upon by everyone, the phrase LGBT rights was coined in recent decades as a means of creating a term of inclusion that spoke of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people as part of a unified movement for rights pertaining to sexual orientation and/or sexual identity.
Background Posts on Gay Rights
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A short definition of LGBT, and a snapshot of what we mean when we say LGBT (or gay) rights.
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A series of statistics on a few select issues pertaining to LGBT rights.
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A list of recommended readings from the world of print and online that every LGBT rights supporter should know.
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As Anne Frank wrote, “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” Enough said. With that, here are ten ways to make a difference for LGBT rights.
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First it was gay cancer, then the Gay Compromise Disorder, then Gay Related Immune Deficiency, then Community-Acquired Immune Dysfunction, and then finally, Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. But the history of HIV/AIDS in the U.S. goes well beyond simple name changes.
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Are people born straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender? It’s a question that often invokes a “that’s above my pay grade” response from many academics, researchers, politicians and the like. But the debate over nature vs. nurture in regards to sexuality and sexual orientation has played an important role in the struggle for civil rights for LGBT people, with science becoming increasingly closer to recognizing that genetics play a significant role in determining one’s sexual orientation.
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The film industry has also done its part to spotlight the major issues and struggles of the LGBT rights movement. Below is a list of some of the best documentary films on gay rights. So pop these on your Netflix queue, grab your popcorn and Junior Mints, and tell that annoying person behind you to shut their cell phone off. And... action!
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Battles in the courtroom have often (although not always) translated into victories for the LGBT rights movement. Below are ten cases that changed the playing field for LGBT rights in the U.S.
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A brief history of some of the major LGBT historical events from 1981-present.
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A brief overview of some of the more controversial issues in the LGBT rights movement.
A Short Summary of LGBT Rights
A Few Statistics on LGBT Issues
Recommended Readings for LGBT Rights
A Top Ten List of LGBT Online Videos
Ten Ways to Make a Difference for LGBT Rights
A History of HIV/AIDS and Its Effect on LGBT Communities
Nature vs. Nurture Debates Over Sexuality
Ten LGBT Court Cases that Changed the Gay Rights Movement
An LGBT Person's Guide to the Contemporary History of the United States: 1981-present
Gay Rights Editor
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Alex DiBranco
- New York, NY
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Alex DiBranco is a Change.org Editor
Writers
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Michael Jones
- Boston, MA
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Michael is the Communications Director for the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School, and previously was Communications Director for Pax Christi USA, a progressive Catholic human rights organization.
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Maia Spotts
- NYC, NY
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Once upon a time, Maia was an idealist kid with a theater degree, ready to ship off to law school, intent on improving the ways in which we humans deal with each other. Today, as one part of a two mom, two kid household, she hopes to change the way in which this country defines the strong American family.
