Document Type
Presentation
Description
There are nearly 9 million people identifying as LGBT+ here in America, Many of whom have been denied basic rights and equality in their lifetime. LGBT+/Gender Identity Rights and Equality has been a heated issue for centuries, and one major factor behind that has been the laws and conventions of society. Since around 1636, same-sex relationships have been considered violations of sodomy laws, leading to the arrest and execution of many homosexual people over the years. States have maintained individual laws allowing LGBT+ discrimination, some still to this day. In 1952, the Government even “purged” all queer employees from their positions as a matter of “National Security.”
Despite all of this, progress was being made. In 1981, queer culture was becoming widely accepted and normalized. But then, everything changed when the AIDS crisis occurred. The incorrect stereotype that only gay men could spread the disease led to a reversal of progress and a rejuvenation of homophobia around the country. AIDS was even called GRID at first (Gay- Related Immune Deficiency), a direct reference to the homophobic stereotype. All this shows how reform is possible, but bias and the laws that encourage it have been a large roadblock in making that reform.
Publication Date
6-2017
Keywords
Wright State University; Raider Academy; Posters
Repository Citation
Butcher , M., Cosby , T., Gordon , C., Lenz , S., Herndon , R., & White , D. (2017). Queer Equality. .
Comments
Presented as part of Raider Academy held at Wright State University in June of 2017.