none2_none2
Literotica Guru
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2004
- Posts
- 1,129
Originally, I was going to just make a comment in the Don't ask Don't Tell Repeal thread, but then realized my comments were a bit off topic for DADT...
I think perhaps LBGT people while celebrating the DADT repeal in the US should pause to reflect on many who have tirelessly worked on gay rights leading up to repeals such as this one. While LBGT rights are currently not on par with heterosexuals, we do take for granted many rights and shifts in cultural/scientific attitudes that have improved our lives. LBGT people had it much worse in the decades before us. I got to thinking about this recently because I stumbled upon a CNN article. What caught my eye was the original sensational title: "The man who invented gay rights". (Note: CNN has since toned down the title.). Here is that link:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/12/24/carter.gay.rights.kameny/index.html?iref=allsearch
Sometimes, I think a lot of us know about the LBGT rights activists who are in the lime light at the moment or perhaps we know about significant historical events (Stonewall) or groups (Mattachine Society & Daughters of Bilitis), but we don't know about those individuals who have worked years for gay rights. Many of them have since died or are old enough that they won't be around much longer.
This particular CNN article was about Frank Kameny who is still alive at the age of 85. Two other names that come up as I was googling are activists who worked with Frank Kameny, but have since died in the last few years: Barbara Gittings & Jack Nichols.
Obviously, there are others who should be remembered. I'm sure there are plenty of researches online to research some of this history. On thing that I found interesting was a CBS video about homosexuality from 1968. Jack Nichols (using a different name) was the first man interviewed. (One thing I liked about it was that he wasn't obsessed with how he came to be gay. He just wanted to be treated fairly.) (Keep in mind that this was 40 years ago, so the views and even the quality of video aren't the greatest)
http://dymsum.wordpress.com/2009/08/22/no225/
I think perhaps LBGT people while celebrating the DADT repeal in the US should pause to reflect on many who have tirelessly worked on gay rights leading up to repeals such as this one. While LBGT rights are currently not on par with heterosexuals, we do take for granted many rights and shifts in cultural/scientific attitudes that have improved our lives. LBGT people had it much worse in the decades before us. I got to thinking about this recently because I stumbled upon a CNN article. What caught my eye was the original sensational title: "The man who invented gay rights". (Note: CNN has since toned down the title.). Here is that link:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/12/24/carter.gay.rights.kameny/index.html?iref=allsearch
Sometimes, I think a lot of us know about the LBGT rights activists who are in the lime light at the moment or perhaps we know about significant historical events (Stonewall) or groups (Mattachine Society & Daughters of Bilitis), but we don't know about those individuals who have worked years for gay rights. Many of them have since died or are old enough that they won't be around much longer.
This particular CNN article was about Frank Kameny who is still alive at the age of 85. Two other names that come up as I was googling are activists who worked with Frank Kameny, but have since died in the last few years: Barbara Gittings & Jack Nichols.
Obviously, there are others who should be remembered. I'm sure there are plenty of researches online to research some of this history. On thing that I found interesting was a CBS video about homosexuality from 1968. Jack Nichols (using a different name) was the first man interviewed. (One thing I liked about it was that he wasn't obsessed with how he came to be gay. He just wanted to be treated fairly.) (Keep in mind that this was 40 years ago, so the views and even the quality of video aren't the greatest)
http://dymsum.wordpress.com/2009/08/22/no225/
