"The first organization to promote LGBT rights was the Scientific-Humanitarian Committee, founded in 1897 in Berlin."
This subfield of social movements in history explores the struggles of atypical sexualities to gain equal rights and social acceptance.
LGBTQ+ Terminology: Understanding the terminology used in the LGBTQ+ community is crucial in understanding the issues that affect them. These terms include gender identity, sexual orientation, and the difference between sex and gender.
Historical Context: Understanding the historical context of the LGBTQ+ movement is important in recognizing the struggles and triumphs of the past, and better understanding the issues that the community currently faces.
Discrimination and Equality: Discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity has a long history, and understanding this discrimination is necessary to understand why the LGBTQ+ movement exists and the fights for equality that have taken place.
LGBTQ+ Youth: The experiences of youth within the LGBTQ+ community, including coming out, finding support, and navigating schools and families, are important topics in understanding the movement.
Intersectionality: The ways in which different identities intersect and influence the experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals, including race, class, ability, and more, is an important concept in understanding the diverse experiences of the community.
Health and Mental Health: The discrimination and challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals can have serious effects on their physical and mental health, making this an important topic to understand.
Politics and Policies: Understanding the political and policy contexts that shape the lives of LGBTQ+ individuals, including marriage equality, non-discrimination laws, and more, is important in understanding the movement's successes and continuing challenges.
Activism and Organizing: Studying the tactics and strategies used by the LGBTQ+ community in their activism and organizing is vital in understanding the tools and methods that can be used in social justice movements.
Pop Culture and Media Representation: Representation in pop culture and media has played an important role in shaping the public's perceptions of LGBTQ+ individuals and the community as a whole, and studying this topic can help understand the impact of media on social movements.
Global Perspective: Recognizing the diversity of experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals around the world, including the varying experiences of discrimination and the different cultural and political contexts in which activism occurs, can help to build a fuller understanding of the movement.
Gay Rights Movement: Focused on achieving legal rights and protections for LGBTQ+ people. Examples include the Stonewall Riots and the fight for marriage equality.
Transgender Rights Movement: Focused on achieving acceptance and understanding of transgender individuals, as well as legal protections and medical recognition. Examples include the 1966 Compton’s Cafeteria riot, Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera’s activism, and the fight for inclusion of gender identity in anti-discrimination laws.
LGBTQ+ Youth Movement: Focused on creating safe spaces for LGBTQ+ youth, as well as providing support and resources to help them navigate their identity during a time of self-discovery. Examples include The Trevor Project, GLSEN, and the It Gets Better Project.
Queer Liberation Movement: Focused on liberating all forms of sexuality, gender, and self-expression from the shackles of societal norms and expectations. Examples include ACT UP, Queer Nation, and Pink Bloc.
AIDS/HIV Activism: Focused on fighting against the epidemic of HIV/AIDS and challenging societal stigmas surrounding the illness. Examples include ACT UP, AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, and the Red Ribbon Project.
LGBTQ+ Labor Movement: Focused on recognizing the concerns and issues of LGBTQ+ workers, as well as fighting for LGBTQ+ rights within the labor movement. Examples include the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Labor Alliance (LGBTLA), Pride At Work, and the Association of Flight Attendants.
Intersex Movement: Focused on achieving recognition and legal protection for individuals born with atypical genitalia and chromosomes, as well as ending harmful intersex surgeries. Examples include Intersex Human Rights Australia, Intersex Initiative, and the Intersex Campaign for Equality.
Bisexual Movement: Focused on raising awareness and visibility of bisexuality as a valid sexual orientation, as well as battling stereotypes and erasure. Examples include the Boston Bisexual Women's Network, BiNet USA, and Bisexual Resource Center.
Pansexual Movement: Focused on emphasizing the complexity and fluidity of sexual orientation, and working to create a world that recognizes and accepts a diversity of sexual identities. Examples include the Pansexual Pride Flag, Alex Chung’s “Why I’m Not Labeling Myself Pansexual” essay in The Huffington Post, and #PansexualVisibilityDay on social media.
Asexual Movement: Focused on raising awareness and acceptance of asexuality as a valid orientation, as well as challenging stereotypes, erasure and stigmatization. Examples include the Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN), the Asexual Conference, and the International Association of Asexuality.
LGBTQ+ spirituality Movement: Focused on promoting the integration of LGBTQ+ identities and experiences within spiritual practices and spaces, as well as challenging religious institutions to be more inclusive. Examples include Radical Faeries, Metropolitan Community Church, and Interweave.
Two-Spirit Movement: Focused on reclaiming traditional Indigenous identities and challenging the colonial gender binary, as well as fighting for Indigenous rights and sovereignty. Examples include the Two-Spirit Nation, Two Spirit Project, and the Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition.
"A commonly stated goal among these movements is equal rights for LGBT people."
"...ending the criminalization of homosexuality or enacting same-sex marriage."
"...biphobia, homophobia, and transphobia."
"LGBT movements organized today are made up of a wide range of political activism and cultural activity..."
"...lobbying, street marches."
"...building LGBT communities."
"...media, art, and research."
"...advocate for LGBT people in society."
"There is not a primary or an overarching central organization that represents all LGBT people and their interests."
"...numerous LGBT rights organizations are active worldwide."
"The Scientific-Humanitarian Committee, founded in 1897."
"...worked towards liberation for the broader society from biphobia, homophobia, and transphobia."
"...lobbying, street marches, social groups, media, art, and research."
"...founded in 1897 in Berlin."
"The first organization to promote LGBT rights..."
"...media, art, and research."
"LGBT movements organized today are made up of a wide range of political activism and cultural activity..."
"...liberation for the broader society from biphobia, homophobia, and transphobia."
"LGBT people."