Glen Roden

Film and Culture (Thursday 5:30-10:20)

August 8, 2014





Outline the evolution of gay rights in America. Where do you think those rights are
headed? How do the rights of homosexuals in America relate to other countries around the
world?






The evolution of gay rights in America. First, I think we should look at the dictionary
definition of gay. According to dictionary.com, gay is of, pertaining to, or exhibiting sexual
desire or behavior directed toward a person or persons of one's own sex. If we go a little further
into the definition, it states having or showing a merry, lively mood. Let us break down the
definition and examine the wording." Exhibiting sexual desire," when I think about being able to
exhibit sexual desires, I think about being in love.
(1)
I cannot think of anything more perfect than
being in love and able to express ones feelings by intimate encounters. Whether it is for someone
of the same or opposite sex. When you are in love with someone, it should not matter about their
outside features. Next, "Having or showing a merry, lively mood", being merry and lively
should be everyone's goal in life. The world would be a better place if we were a little happier.
In 1980, very few people had even heard of actions for legal representation for gay
rights. Where we first see gay rights come into the legal picture is in the early 1970's. Baker v.
Nelson in Minnesota, Anonymous v. Anonymous in New York, and Jones v. Hallahan in
Kentucky, in which all cases lead to the courts upholding the traditional marriage outline
between a man and women. In the mid 1980s, the topic re-surfaced with a few essays from
Alissa Friedman and William Eskridge, trying to get the legal community to open its eyes.
Eskridge points out the at one time marriage between a black and white person was illegal
hoping to show the ignorance of our society. From here Eskridge filed suit in 1991 against
Washington DC for denying Craig Dean and his male partner the right of marriage. The suit
failed and in response the United States Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)
with the signature of President Clinton in 1996.
(2)
In Massachusetts, on May 17
th
2004, same sex
marriage was allowed by court decision, and since then 18 more states have joined in the
decision to allow same-sex marriage.
(3)
I think in order for gay rights to become a reality we all
need to have an open heart and love everyone for who they are and what they stand for. There
will be up's and down's in the journey for gay rights, but as we have seen with black rights and
women rights, it takes time for generations to accepted the new idea.
In the community of Zuni, there was a wise, strong and most highly looked upon member
by the name of We'wha. He was the most celebrated Ihamana (spiritual leader) of the nineteenth
century, and he was married to a man. Ifeyinwa Olinke was a wealthy woman of the Igbo tribe
from Eastern Nigeria. Because of her wealth and social standing, she became a female husband
to nine wives.
(4)
South Africa was the first nation to ban discrimination based on sexual
orientation. That is one side of the fight, as there are so many countries in the world it would be
impossible to talk about them all. On the other side, there is Sudan and Mauritania, where
homosexuality is punishable by death. Britain has bans on homosexuality in two dozen nations.
Recently, Britain has repealed its stance against sodomy.
(5)
Canada has ruled in favor of
legalizing same-sex marriage in three of the most populous provinces as well as the Supreme
Court of Canada. I believe if you look at the big picture, each continent contains a small portion
of supporters backing up gay rights and with time, I think it will grow.






References
1.) http://dictionary.reference.com/
2.) http://chronicle.com/blogs/innovations/debating-same-sex-marriage/28878
3.) http://gaymarriage.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=004857
4.) http://digitalcommons.law.yale.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2503&context=fss_papers
5.)http://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1162&context=nji
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