LGBTQ+ : its History and its Future

Throughout history, one thing that has shaped how society has evolved is the series of human rights movements over the years. Activists have been protesting and demonstrating for many different causes. One of the more prominent causes that has also garnered more attention over recent years would be the LGBTQ+ rights movement. Some of the key milestones in the history of the gay rights movement include the Stonewall riots of 1969, the first pride parade in New York in 1970 and Netherlands becoming the first country to legalise same-sex marriage in 2001.

The significance of these events are much more significant than one might think. The Stonewall riots were arguably one of the most noteworthy events of LGBTQ+ history. In the early hours of June 28, 1969, a police raid took place at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City. The police entered the club and arrested patrons and employees who were cross-dressing by taking customers dressed as women into the bathrooms to verify their sex. Some police officers were also reportedly harassing and assaulting some of the lesbians there as well. Angered by the treatment of the LGBTQ+ patrons by the police, the crowd retaliated by throwing objects at the police, which later escalated into a riot. 

The Stonewall riots were especially significant in history as it was a catalyst for the gay rights movement in the United States of America (USA), and inspired many other similar movements worldwide. While it was not the very first milestone in LGBTQ history, these uprisings did pave the way for the establishment of gay rights organisations in the USA, such as the Gay Liberation Front (GLF), and the Gay Activists Alliance (GAA). It was movements like this that inspired many other members of the community to step up and defend their rights and fight for the representation they deserved. At that point of time, one can only imagine how much this signified for the community. In midst of all the mistreatment and prejudice they were fighting, the Stonewall riots sent out a message of solidarity. 

Needless to say, these riots were a turning point in LGBTQ+ history. After the uprising, Stonewall became a symbol of resilience against the discrimination the LGBTQ+ community faced both socially and politically, and helped inspire and unite the community even more in the decades that followed. Without it, all the camaraderie and radical changes achieved in society over the years may not have been possible.

The privileged like to dismiss the urgency of inequality and discrimination by arguing that much has already been done in the past. However, just because we have come a long way from where we started off, it does not mean that further progress is no longer needed. Every milestone is an important one, and while we appreciate and honour the efforts made by the LGBTQ+ people who came before us, more still needs to be done. The same can be said for progress made in other aspects as well, or what governments have done for their nations. There is always room for improvement, and so long as LGBTQ+ people still do not enjoy the same rights and treatment that their heterosexual counterparts do, more effort needs to be put into rectifying this disparity. While the marginalised persevere on, what the rest of society can do is lend a helping hand by supporting these movements, and more importantly , treat people with respect and empathy, regardless of their sexuality.