LGBT rights are a big part of American culture at the moment. Many states are now working towards passing laws that will allow the gay and lesbian community to enjoy greater civil rights than their heterosexual counterparts. A lot of the push for these laws is coming from the states with the highest gay population, but the United States as a whole has not embraced the gay rights movement with open arms. Many cities, such as Boston, have anti-gay pamphlets distributed in public places. While there have been some progress on gay rights overall, the struggle for gay rights in the states is a different story. The conflict centres on the issue of bathroom access for gay men and women.
LGBT Rights Associations
The National Gay and Lesbian Rights Association is a non-profit organisation that has been fighting for gay men and lesbian women’s right to use the facilities that are offered by every public accommodation including hotels, restaurants, stores, and bars. The association has put together a team of lawyers to work for the gay and lesbian community on issues that directly affect their rights. When the legal battle began, it was evident that the LGBT Society agenda was the right organization to bring to the fight.
The Mattachine Society first became involved in the fight for gay rights in 1981. At this point in time, only three states provided protection for lesbian and gay people. Those states are Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin. All three states had anti-LGBT Rights laws that were in place for about twenty years. The members of the Mattachine Society realised that the problem was not going to be solved by sitting on the sidelines and waiting for the law to change. They knew that the rights of gay and lesbian people were going to be defended, and that they would get a fighting chance when the laws changed.
As soon as Obama took office in January 2009, the LGBT Rights rights movement saw an opportunity to move quickly on issues that directly affect their community
By securing funding from prominent gay rights supporters like Elle Macpherson and Michael J. Socolka, the Mattachine Society began to launch what is known as “Projects for Gay Rights”. These projects include organizing marches, seminars, and media events aimed at the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered communities. Their ultimate goal is to secure gay rights for all people, not just the small percentage of gay citizens who live in a state with a gay rights bill.
When Obama took office, he immediately made it clear that the issue of LGBT Rights rights was not a race, but a gender issue. He said that loving gay and lesbian people was no longer a choice, but a right. He set out to reverse the decades-long campaign to deny the civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people. This movement, he said, “does not require a majority, or even a majority of Americans to affirm that they believe these things”, making it clear that the support for the gay rights movement is not based on a particular ethnic group or religious background.
The message that Obama has sent to the world, with this and other statements, is that gay rights are a fundamental right for every individual
It also emphasizes the importance of making the world a better place for everyone. Although Obama may not have the influence of celebrity fathers like Elle Macpherson or Michael J. Socolka, he is making an important impact on the minds and hearts of thousands of gay rights proponents worldwide.