The gay pride movement in the 1990s came primarily from

Homosexuality has existed in various forms throughout history. The term "homosexual" is another way of describing a person attracted to people of the same gender, while the term "heterosexual," or "straight," describes a person attracted to people of the opposite gender.

Unlike other groups in society who have been oppressed because of race or gender, gay men and lesbians can hide their sexual identities, leading outwardly straight lives in which they pretend to be attracted to those of the opposite sex. Over a period of several decades, members of the gay community have gone from lives cloaked in secrecy to open and proud declarations of their sexual orientation.

The gay rights movement has brought about such a change. The s, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and DOMA The 90's were a pivotal time for gay rights. For most of American history, same-sex relationships were not well tolerated. The gay rights movement has also accomplished significant legal victories, helping to overturn laws that punish a gay lifestyle as well as working to establish legal protections for gay people.

The message sent to gays and lesbians was that their sexual orientation was wrong—a mental illness, a perversion, a sin against nature and God. Many gay men and lesbians believed this message and worked hard to change their attraction to the same gender. Widespread concern about the so-called dangers of homosexuality led to a national "witch-hunt" throughout much of the s and s, with police forces and government agencies dedicating tremendous resources to the investigation and arrest of people described as "sexual perverts.

The Mattachine Society, founded in Los Angeles in , was the first such group. In the United States , tolerance of gay men and lesbians has risen and fallen throughout the twentieth century in keeping with the overall social and political mood of the nation. In the history of social reform movements in the United States , some crusades have brought about revolutionary change for a particular group in society, altering the lives of the people in that group as well as changing the views of society overall.

Keeping a gay identity hidden is often referred to as living "in the closet. Different societies have displayed varying levels of acceptance. Midway through the century, the nation was beginning a period of post- World War II —45 prosperity while at the same time experiencing unprecedented vulnerability due to the escalating Cold War —91 with the Soviet Union.

The Cold War was a period of hostilities between the United States and the Soviet Union , in which propaganda and threats were used rather than military confrontation. The Mattachine Society was formed by a small group of men, including renowned activist Harry Hay — Others lived double lives, keeping their homosexuality a secret, unwilling to be prosecuted or harassed simply for being themselves.

In several large cities, an active gay and lesbian social scene had arisen in spite of the fact that many states had laws preventing the public gathering of and sale of alcohol to homosexuals. In “Freedom on America’s Main Streets,” we discuss how during the s the LGBTQ communities became more prominent across all areas of American life, the circumstances of moving official.

A transgendered person, for example, might be a man who has had surgery to become a woman, or it may refer to a woman who cross-dresses as a man. Amid this atmosphere of paranoia and fear, generated in large part by McCarthy but perpetuated by many in the federal government , gay men and lesbians were seen as a threat to national safety and to American culture.

In numerous cultures across many generations, homosexual relationships have been viewed as immoral and illegal, and gay men and lesbians have been prosecuted as criminals. Such laws forced many gay bars and nightclubs to go "underground," meaning they operated in secrecy.

Capitalizing on this sense of national anxiety, Senator Joseph McCarthy — rose to fame for his relentless crusade against a supposed Communist conspiracy in the American government and military. The police often raided gay bars during the s and s, making numerous arrests.

The term "gay" refers specifically to men who are romantically and physically attracted to other men. In exchange for an evening of entertainment and socializing, a person arrested during such a raid could pay a high price: being beaten by the police, for example, or being exposed as gay by a newspaper photograph depicting the raid.

McCarthy also targeted homosexuals. Often regarded as a turning point in LGBTQ+ history, this era saw significant advancements in societal attitudes and legislative milestones. Pride in the 's Stonewall National Monument Marchers cheer Stonewall 20, at the 20th annual New York City Pride Parade, in Photo: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution “I thought I had come from the best year of all.

Why Were LGBTQ+ Rights Pushed in the s? While LGBTQ people were treated unequally, and often faced violence within their communities, a younger generation began to realize that LGBTQ people were entitled to the same rights as anyone else. Often the term is also used to encompass a larger community that includes lesbians, women who are attracted to other women, and bisexuals, people who are attracted to both genders.

Often linked with the gay community are transgendered individuals, a description that covers a broad range of people who generally express their gender in ways that differ from conventional expectations. The s marked a transformative decade for LGBTQ+ rights, characterized by activism, visibility, and legal progress.

Exposure for some people meant the loss of a job, friends, even a spouse. In the wake of this police harassment and government persecution, several gay rights organizations were established during the s.