Directed Study
Task One – Gay Rights
Notes
1. 1950s-1960s Context:
• Homosexuality was illegal and considered a mental illness until 1974.
• Homophobia was deeply ingrained in American culture.
• Mattachine Society was the first gay rights group (founded 1951) but
criticized for being too passive.
2. Influence of Civil Rights Movements:
• Inspired by black activism andrights revolution of the 1960s.
• Led to a more assertive approachgayrights.
3. Stonewall Riots (1969):
• Fought against police harassment at the Stonewall Inn, NYC.
• Triggered five days of rioting and signified the start of a more vocal gay
rights movement.
4. 1970s Progress:
• Increased visibility through Gay Pride marches and legal victories.
• San Francisco and NYC passed anti-discrimination ordinances.
• Harvey Milk became the first openly gay elected official in California.
• APA removed homosexuality from its list of mental illnesses.
5. Kate Millett’s Feminist Lens:
• Advocated for the end of traditionagender roles and sexual repression.
• Connected gender equality witbroader sexual freedom.
6. Challenges Remaining by 1980:
• Public hostility persisted• Many remained “in the closet” due to fear of
harassment and discrimination.
• Media and public debates portrayed gay people unsympathetically.
Answers
1. When was the Stonewall riot
1969.
2. How legal was homosexuality in the 1950s
It was illegal and considered a mental illness.
3. What was the Stonewall Inn, and why was it a refuge?
A bar in Greenwich Village that provided a safe space for gay men and women to
gather.
4. How were the mafia involved at the Stonewall Inn?
They owned the bar and ran it illegally, often bribing the police.
5. What happened to police trying to arrest patrons of the Stonewall Inn?
Patrons resisted, sparking riots that lasted five days.
6. What happened on the one-year anniversary of the riots
The first Gay Pride march was held.
7. What is the legacy of the Stonewall riots?
They marked the beginning of a more organized and assertive gay rights movement.
8. What was the experience of gay men in the 1960s?
• Subjected to police entrapment and societal rejection.
• Faced job loss and were considere
deviants.
9. How similar was this to other minority experiences?
• Similarities: Discrimination, legal obstacles, and systemic inequalities.
• Differences: Unique stigmatization around sexual orientation, often involving
secrecy.
10. How did Kate Millett view the link between gender equality and sexual
freedom?
• She saw them as interconnected, arguing that traditional gender roles
reinforced oppression.
11. How did Kate Millett view the importance of sexual freedom?
• Essential for breaking patriarchal structures and achieving true equality for
both genders.
12. To what extent had gay Americans reached equality by 1980?
• Progress: Legal reforms, greatevisibility, and growing public support.
• Limits: Persistent societal hostility, incomplete legal protections, and fear
of discrimination.
13. Most significant advancement in the 1970s?
• The removal of homosexuality as a mental illness in 1974 by the APA.
Task Two – Review of Unit Two
Similarities and Differences Table
Groups Similarities Differences
Black Americans Discrimination, legal battles, inspired other movements. Focus
on racial inequality and desegregation.
Hispanic Americans Discrimination, activism for equal opportunities.
Focused on labor rights and bilingual education.
Native Americans Cultural preservation, land rights activism. Sovereignty and
treaty rights were key issues.
Gay Americans Legal discrimination, inspired by civil rights movements. Unique
stigmatization due to sexual orientation.
Major Successes and Limitations Table
Groups Successes Limits
Black Americans Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act, desegregation. Persistent
racism, economic inequalities.
Hispanic Americans Farmworker rights, bilingual education reforms. Continued
economic disparity, limited influence.
Native Americans Land rights recognition, cultural pride resurgence. High
poverty, inconsistent federal policies.
Gay Americans Stonewall riots’ impact, legal progress (anti-discrimination
laws). Persistent societal hostility, incomplete rights.
Ranking Social Movements by Success
1. Black Americans: Significant legal victories reshaped the nation’s
laws.
2. Hispanic Americans: Notable labor and educational reforms, but smaller in
scale.
3. Native Americans: Gained cultural and land rights but struggled with poverty.
4. Gay Americans: Made strides in visibility and legal rights but faced enduring
prejudice.
Factors Contributing to Black Americans’ Progress
Most Significant Factor:
• Legislation (Civil Rights Act, VotinRights Act): These directly dismantled
systemic barriers and set legal precedents for equality.
Timeline of Key Moments
Year Event Group
1954 Brown v. Board of Education Black Americans
1965 Voting Rights Act Black Americans
1965 United Farm Workers’ union established Hispanic Americans
1969 Stonewall Riots Gay Americans
1973 APA declassifies homosexuality as illness Gay Americans
1978 Proposition 6 defeated Gay Americans