History of Homosexuality - Research Paper Example

Gay Families In MLA Style 2 Sociology History of Homosexuality in the Western World In the third part of the 19th century, public administrators in the European region started noticing that the public was not seemingly focusing on household, reproduction and families but on different forms of sexual pleasures. This phenomenon was recognized to be one of the outcomes of capitalism, which was inclined to driving people away from their lands, families and parishes that eventually reduced the cases of arranged marriages. Officials began studying these groups of people whom they branded as sexual deviants and categorized according to the particular behavior they engaged in. (Mondimore 76) One of these categories came to be called ‘homosexuals’. They immediately became the object of psychiatric and legal groups beginning the 1870s when they proceeded to Bavaria to fight the criminalization of Sodomy. Hundreds of thousands of people who fall under the homosexual category were sent to die in concentration camps in Germany. (Mondimore 82) This tyrannical implementation, influenced by the Christian doctrine was one of the reasons of the European emigration to other freer lands like France and the US. During these times, it will be noticed that millions of Eastern Europe’s population migrated to the US, which caused the ‘Second Great Wave’1 of American immigration. Homosexuality in the US is shorter than it is in Europe. In the present time, the largest and most Last Name3 famous places that embrace homosexuals are Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York. According to historical research, (Greenberg 29) in the first half of the 20th century, when the Great Depression2 was marked, people migrated to large cities to make a living which caused these groups to live outside the traditional family setting. Some of these groups were sent to military and industrial barracks for prolonged period which was seen to be the cause of homosexual inclinations due to the absence of familial and religious influence. Thus, this new found freedom these groups experienced during these times was believed to be the reason behind the emergence of homosexuality. Another significant factor considered in the development of the gay and lesbian districts in the US was the famous ‘gay ban’ in the military. Sometime after World War II, thousands of gay and lesbian people were dishonored and discharged from the military and dumped in port areas. Some hundreds of ex-serviced people were sent to San Francisco port and stayed there in disgrace and couldn’t go home. (Greenberg 63) In the mid of the 20th century, President Eisenhower released an executive order stating that homosexuality was enough reason to terminate employment of federal employees from their jobs. Defense industries and other government agencies follow suit with the help of the US Postal Service to trace the mails of suspected homosexuals to gather evidence for the dismissal from their jobs and possible arrest. Public disclosure of homosexuality tremendously toned down due to these reasons. (Greenberg 84) Due to the same reasons, including the excommunication of the church to homosexual people, Reverend Troy Perry, a Baptist, founded the Metropolitan Last Name4 Community Church in 1968. Today, the MCC is by far the largest religious community for gay and lesbians, redefining the face of Christianity. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Revolution Due to the discrimination the homosexual community received in the past, groups of gay revolutionists emerged in the dawn of 1970s. Political marches in New York and hundreds of parades in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago were held to commemorate the Stonewall riots3. (Cahill & Tobias 17) The Gay Liberation Front became one of the most famous organizations with a gay liberation approach. Lesbian groups such as the Lavender Menace as a response to groups with anti-lesbianism sentiment. This group was considered as a feminist choice for women. Such organizations sprung around the world and became more and more visible as time went on. Looking back at the history of homosexuality makes us realize how far the society has come on the acceptance of the LGBT4 community. As time goes on, the society has become more and more aware of the issues the LGBT community has been facing for quite a time and has become more open to the acknowledgement of the rights this community equally deserves. (Cahill & Tobias 32) But in spite of the hardships of the LGBT community to achieve the equal rights they have been fighting for, each region has its own way of coping and understanding their sentiments. Although diversity is becoming more and more observed, especially in countries in the western world, there are still a lot of regions that are partly, if not entirely, acknowledging Last Name5 homosexuality and all that it entails. But despite all these, the LGBT community goes on with thirst to achieve the rights they equally deserve. With the help of other organizations such as the feminist group and some others, they go on with their battles hand-in-hand and continue with their aspirations. Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) In 1972, Jeanne Manford marched with her gay son in New York’s Gay Pride Parade, carrying a sign that says, “Parents of Gays: Unite in Support of Our Children.” With an overwhelming number of gays and lesbians who patronized and came up to her, begging her to talk to their parents, she formed a support group. (PFLAG 2) During their first formal meeting in March 1973, 20 people attended. Today, almost reaching its fourth decade, PFLAG has grown over 500 chapter nationwide and hundreds of thousands of members, supporters and affiliates, which represents the largest network that struggles for LGBT rights. As time goes on, the LGBT community is becoming more visible in the society and people have become open to their sentiments. An enormous number of films, articles, books, novels and other means of communication have discussed the issues that the gay community has been facing in the society and its effects to the individuals concerned. (Burns 39) One great example of which is the TV film based on a true story, which was aired on Lifetime TV5, Prayers for Bobby. This film discussed the life of a typical American Christian family having a gay son coming out to them. The film has shown how a gay kid was treated in the time of the story and the effects of the society then to these individuals. As a result, Bobby, the son, felt an irreparable aberration that Last Name6 broke his self-worth beyond repair, which led him to jumping over a bridge, falling off a pathway of an 18-wheeler truck that caused his immediate demise. This simple but tragic story has brought a lot of viewers to tears, although the story isn’t so new due to the number of gay people who committed suicide, the film brought squarely to the viewers’ attention how bad the fear of the word gay can do to gay people. Being able to air such plot on national TV is evidence that the society has come a long way on the issue of gay freedom. Gay Parents and Adoption The society has indeed gone a long way on gay and lesbian rights. Gay marriages for instance, have emerged a few decades ago and a number of countries are now allowing same sex marriage such as Argentina, The Netherlands, Portugal, Mexico, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Australia, France and the US, just to name a few. (Burns 54) The LGBT community has never stopped in their fight towards the equality they have been fighting for. Soon after same-sex marriage came into being, child adoption has become their target. Access to this right is stated in the anti-discrimination law that was passed decades ago. (Moats 41) Although there are no current gay adoption statistics in the US, there are statistics on children in gay homes. In 1976, there were approximately 500,000 gay and lesbian biological parents. In 1990, 6 to 14 million had at least one gay or lesbian parent, between 8 to 10 million children were being raised in gay and lesbian households. In 1999, approximately 550,000 in foster care in the US, 117,000 of which was legally free for adoption and there were qualified adoptive families available to only 20% of them. According to the Gallup poll conducted in 2002, there were 21% or Americans were gay Last Name 7 and 22% were lesbians. In May 27, 2011, the Gallup poll estimated that 25% of Americans are gay or lesbian. 52% of Americans estimate that there is 1 out of 5 Americans are gay or lesbian. According to Gary Gates, a demographer at the Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law at UCLA, 19% of same-sex couples who are raising children have an adopted child in the house in 2009. Although there has been no really credible statistics on the child adoption on gay parents, it is clear that the US today is far different from how it looked like 30 years back. But no matter how much different it looks like today, it seems that the law is not able to catch up with the changes in the society, particularly in the LGBT community. Nevertheless, the fight is still on and the LGBT and its supporters will be there to maintain it. Works Cited Mondimore, Francis M. A Natural History of Homosexuality. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996. Print Greenberg, David F. The Construction of Homosexuality. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1988. Print. Cahill, Sean, and Sarah Tobias. Policy Issues Affecting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Families. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2007. Print. Rosenfeld, Michael J. The Age of Independence: Interracial Unions, Same-Sex Unions, and the Changing American Family. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press, 2007. Print. Burns, Kate. Gay and Lesbian Families. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2005. Print. Our Daughters and Sons: Questions and Answers for Parents of Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual People. Washington, D.C: PFLAG Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, 2006. Print. Moats, David. Civil Wars: A Battle for Gay Marriage. Orlando: Harcourt, 2004. Print http://www.gallup.com/poll/147824/adults-estimate-americans-gay-lesbian.aspx#1 http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/14/us/14adoption.html?pagewanted=all Read More