Homosexuality In The 1950s-1980s

Homosexuality has been around for hundreds of years and exists in many species of animals including humans, but why are humans the only species that seem to reject the idea? Homosexuality goes back as far as the B.C.s and was widely accepted, then over the years some parts of humanity have evolved into hating others around them based on sexual orientation. People could be worrying about war and murder, yet they choose to argue over topics involving who a man or woman happens to love. Why do people worry about things that have no effect on their daily lives? People who are homosexual do not have the chance to explain to someone how they feel without someone understanding past and present issues like: what they have been through in the past,
World War Two was not the only times people thought of homosexuality as a disease. In 1952, the American Psychiatric Association listed homosexuality as a disease, and up until 1956 homosexuals were thrown into mental institutes. A woman named Evelyn Hooker became a hero to the LGBTQ community. She was a psychologist that performed a study on both homosexual and hetersexual men. Her study proved the Association wrong and that homosexuality was not a mental disease, Other events such as the Stonewall riots occurred in the 1960s and are said to be the beginning events to the gay liberation movement. These riots were caused by police officers raiding gay bars where the members retaliated, and then days of protests followed these riots. Other incidents happened frequently through the next few years, but physical violence was not the only thing homosexuals
The “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy came into effect on October 1, 1993 after being suggested by President Bill Clinton. The policy took action in military branches and lifted a ban on homosexual service, but put another ban in place. The policy required anyone homosexual to stay “closeted” and forbid anyone to speak of homosexual marriages, couples in society, etc. The second part to the policy spoke that no one could investigate into an individual’s personal lifestyle without reason, and that no one could discriminate on anyone heard to be homosexual. If a person was found to be homosexual, they were immediately discharged. For example, Lt. Dan Choi was fired from the U.S Army/National Guard after he came out as a homosexual and requested for a repeal on the policy, “Don’t ask, Don’t Tell”. The policy stood until September 20, 2011 when it was officially repealed by President Obama. These things were the past though, the real question is: what is life like today for