Slate Culture Outward: A History of the Gay Right with Neil J. Young
Apr 17, 2024
Writer Neil J. Young discusses the history of the Gay Right movement, highlighting contradictions, the role of whiteness and maleness, and the evolution of beliefs over 70 years. They explore the response to the AIDS crisis, the intersection of gay rights and conservative ideologies, and the current stance on trans rights within the LGBTQ community.
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Dorr Legg and Early Gay Activism
- The modern gay rights movement started before Stonewall with the homophile movement in the 1950s.
- Early activists like Dorr Legg, a libertarian, focused on limiting government intrusion into personal lives.
Bravery of Early Activists
- Early gay activists demonstrated bravery by challenging government oppression and advocating for LGBTQ+ rights.
- Dorr Legg's activism exemplifies this, as he fought for freedom and challenged the government's power.
Briggs Initiative and Log Cabin Republicans
- The Briggs Initiative, a 1978 California ballot proposition, sought to ban gay people from working in public schools.
- Gay Republicans formed Log Cabin clubs to oppose it, highlighting the tension between privacy and visibility.