GAY IN AMERICA
Trevor K. McNeil
Not Ashamed
Shame is one of the strongest human emotions. It has long been a key weapon used by the powerful, particularly those in religious authority. The Catholic Church was a prime offender. Popes even stooped so low as to peddle Papal Indulgences. Papal Indulgences were basically ‘Get Out of Hell Free Cards’ for so-called infractions the church decided were “sinful.” Queer behavior was often targeted as “sinful” by religious leaders.
Targets Of Shame
Two of the biggest targets of shame through the eons have been women and members of the Queer community (or LGBTQ+ if you prefer). As with all unjust behavior comes opposition, injustice inflaming those who fight to bring about change. That push for change culminated recently when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that civil right’s law protect gay and transgender individuals, making it illegal to dismiss individuals from their employment for being homosexual.
Death Sentence
All has not been rosy for our dear friends of Dorothy. For a sickeningly long time, in even the alleged “land of the free”, it was illegal to be gay. Punishments ranging from torture and death to imprisonment, depending if it was the courts, or a posse who decided an individual were “deviant” as it was then called. Prison often being the best of the options available.
Kenneth Anger
A 2oth century warrior against gay discrimination was filmmaker Kenneth Anger. Anger is an open Luciferian (he has the word LUCIFER tattooed across his chest). He is a life-long contrarian with a near-suicidal need to thumb his nose at oppressive authority. The fact that Anger (still kickin’ at 93) is also gay is actually the least interesting, or controversial, thing about him. He was used to being hated and knew his life was at risk for speaking out. But still, Anger had no qualms and pulled no punches in terms of overtly gay imagery in his films, knowing full well he could be arrested or even killed.
They Said What Now?
In 1968 playwright Mart Crowley’s groundbreaking play The Boys In the Band premiered off Broadway. The play focused on a group LGBTQ+ males but every one of the characters is a fleshed out human being, going well beyond the stereotypes of the time. Some of those stereotypes enforced by law, such as the section of the Hays Film Code which dictated that all gay characters be villains and/or tragic. Crowley presented neither. The Boys has long been credited with inspiring what would come just one year later.
I Predict A Riot
There is still some disagreement about when or how the modern LGBTQ+ Rights Movement started. After years of police intimidation in the summer 1969 the gay community fought back. On the morning of June 28th police raided the Stonewall Inn. Yet another in a sustained pattern of harassment against New York City’s sizable LGBTQ+ community. On that day, years of abuse came to a head and the Stonewall Inn occupants started fighting back. What was supposed to be a routine raid, at least from a police perspective, turned into a full-on, brick throwing riot.
White Night Riots
The Stonewall riot happened four years before San Francisco politician Harvey Milk became the first openly gay man elected to public office in 1973. The election became a bitter-sweet victory when Milk was murdered by his colleague Dan White. White, a former police officer, claimed he was in a psychotic state from eating too many sweets. According to White he killed Mayor George Moscone and Harvey Milk while on a “sugar” high. It would later become known as “The Twinkie Defense.” White was ultimately convicted of man-slaughter, sparking off what became known as the White Night Riots in 1978. White committed suicide in 1985.
The Value of Persistence
Things are moving in the right direction for LGBTQ+ rights. Certainly miles ahead of where they used to be. Though it is important that we not get complacent. All my Queer brothers and sisters, along with our allies and friends, must keep an eye on things to ensure that the advancements made over the last few decades remain intact.
