Before 1967 it was illegal for males to engage in homosexual behavior. The consequences were oftentimes imprisonment. Once the Sexual Offenses Bill was passed, the game changed for homosexuals in the U.K. The acts of private sex between two men of the age of 21 or older were decriminalized. Public objection for female on female relationships was just as unwelcomed, however, upon the birth of the Minorities Research Group (MRG) in 1963, a glimmer of support and assistance began to emerge. The MRG provided resources and information for these females to meet other females who shared the same sexual interests.
Charles Joughin, Deputy Press Secretary for the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) in Washington, D.C., said, “Support for LGBT equality in America continues to grow, and our momentum is not slowing down. All across the country fair-minded Americans are speaking out in support of their LGBT friends and neighbors, advocating for a more fair and just society.”
The HRC is a civil rights organization that works to establish equality for gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender Americans. The organization has nationwide support from members and supporters reaching over 1.5 million strong.
On Saturday May 18, 2013, French President Francois Hollande singed a bill that made same-sex marriage legal. France became the 14th country to do so.
“Eight out of 10 Americans know someone who is LGBT. In my opinion, we have come as far as we have because it’s virtually impossible to continue to discriminate against us the more you know us,” Joughin added.
In 1924 the Society for Human Rights in Chicago was the United States’ first recognized organization for gay rights. On May 13, 2013, the Minnesota Senate voted to legalize same-sex marriage in this state. The couples will be granted the privilege as early as August 2013. The Gay Rights Movement has come along way. With evolving generations and changing mind-sets, this group may one day soon see total equality across the globe.