The Stonewall Riots: Homosexuality In The 20th Century

Up until the end of the 19th century, the concept of homosexuality was a scarcely known or talked-about subject, due to social stigmatization. However, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights have seen rapid progress throughout the 20th century, marked by gradual increases in acknowledgement and acceptance of homosexuality. In the United States, the concept of homosexuality remained unspoken for centuries. Often times, anyone who was discovered to have taken part in homosexual behaviors would be subject to social ostracization and the possibility of legal consequences. Even crossdressing, outside the context of theater, was viewed as a symptom of mental disorders. Because the social implications of homosexuality caused those in favor
Organizations that lobbied for gay rights began to fight for the passage of civil rights laws like the ones that no longer allowed discrimination based on race and gender. More noticeably, activists worked to repeal the laws that “criminalized any form of sexual behavior between consenting adults,” which, if achieved, would decriminalize the behavior that kept homosexuals different from the rest of American society (Glankler). Many of the activists were considered radical because of their involvement in the civil rights demonstrations against the Vietnam War, which involved the police and even the National Guard. However, most activists fighting for gay rights, in order to achieve their goal, fought for equality through the removal of sodomy laws and the enactment of laws requiring fair employment and fair housing legislation (Faderman 214). Along with changing legislation, public and professional opinions in regards to homosexual behavior began to change, as
However, at the 125th annual APA meeting in 1973, changes within the APA were prompted by an anonymous psychiatrist, who gave a speech asking other gay psychiatrists to help counter attitudes towards homosexuality (Faderman 290). Later discovered to be John Fryer, the man wrote down his speech and had it read aloud that night, saying:
I am a homosexual. I am a psychiatrist. I, like most of you in this room, am a member of the A.P.A., and am proud of that membership. However, tonight, I am insofar as it is possible a we. I attempt tonight to speak for many of my fellow gay members of the A.P.A., as well as for myself. When we gather at these conventions, we have somewhat glibly come to call ourselves the gay P.A., and several of us feel that it is time that real flesh and blood stand up before this organization and ask to be listened to and understood, insofar as that is possible.