Views about the LGBTQ+ Queer identities vary widely. Despite far more widespread acceptance, all societal groups and governments are not on board.
Several decades ago, people who were queer in any way had to stay in hiding, because their behaviors were solidly against the law. Over these decades, however, things have loosened up quite a bit.
The turning point, many say, was what is now known as the Stonewall Uprising in June 1969.
The Second Shot Heard Round the World
It is said that the first gunshot fired in the American Revolutionary War was a shot heard ‘round the world because it set in motion democratic movements in many other countries.
Some say that Stonewall was also a shot heard ‘round the world because it ushered in a movement for gay rights that also moved to other parts of the world.
So just what was Stonewall? It was an Inn in Greenwich Village in New York City, owned by the Italian Mafia, that catered to gay men. The Mafia also owned a number of other gay and lesbian bars in the neighborhood. On June 23, 1969, police raided the Inn, in an attempt to arrest all of the patrons and charge them with violating the current sodomy laws.
But the patrons fought back, not just that night, but with demonstrations throughout the week. This was a turning point. Residents of Greenwich Village organized into groups, established three newspapers, and began demanding the right to live in freedom and without fear of arrest.
One year after the Stonewall raid, the gay pride movement was born with marches in major cities across the United States. And LGBTQ+ organizations began to be established all over the US and the Western world. In fact, LGBTQ+ Pride events are now held all over the world during the month of June, in honor of that Stonewall raid and uprising.
The result of this rights movement has been the gradual and continuing retraction of laws making queerness a crime, and it has now been taken off the “list” of mental illnesses by the World Health Organization.
People who have non-heterosexual identities of all types are no longer considered mentally ill or criminal in many places on the planet.
So, What is Fuss?
Still, there are large groups within societies that condemn homosexuality, along with some of the largest religious organizations in the world. And in many countries, homosexuality is not just a sin, but a crime, even punishable by death.
The rights of the LGBTQ+ community are not a settled matter by any means. Even in the U.S., which has one of the most liberal positions on LGBTQ+ rights, members of this community face discrimination, hate, and restrictive local and state laws.
Challenges for the LGBTQ+ Queer Identities Community
Hate Crimes
In its 2022 crime report, the FBI stated that hate crimes against the gay community have risen at an alarming rate, and continue to do so. At least 356 incidents have been documented, including a mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Colorado. These incidents are nothing new. A mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida a few years back resulted in 49 deaths.
Individual hate crimes are also on the rise with the killing of gay young people by their peers, often in horrific ways.
Protests, Discrimination, and Local/State Laws
Same-sex marriage is pretty much a matter of settled law in the U.S., and these couples enjoy all of the legal rights and privileges of any married couple.
This has not stopped discriminatory laws and activities on the part of local and state governments, however, including new laws that ban the teaching of anything relating to the gay community and even the banning of books that might hint at the matter.
The most targeted group of late is the transgender community. Everything from participation in sports and reading to kids in libraries, to which bathrooms they must use in schools, the battle rages on in school board meetings, in the streets, and in state legislatures. Transgenders are probably the most misunderstood of all LGBTQ+ groups. And as a result, many turn to this transgender site for confirmation of their identity and to find relationships that fit their needs.
What’s in the Future?
It’s hard to say. What we do know is this: Young people today embrace the concept of diversity, equality, tolerance, and acceptance. And they are the future leaders of our complex, diverse, volatile, and difficult world. Perhaps they can help usher in a world that fosters their values.
