Gay Liberation - gay & lesbian rights - feminism, sexual revolution and the changing family

The 1970s saw the dawn of lesbian and gay liberation. A wave of grass roots
organizations sprang up around the world. They pushed for homosexuality to be
decriminalized and struck off the list of psychological
disorders, and for the stigma on same-sex relationships
to be lifted.

While the road is long, those activists have been incredibly
successful. Their success was underpinned by social shifts
that made same-sex relationships less threatening to the
dominant cultural story.

1. The Transformation of Families

Over the course of the 1900s families changed radically. In the 1800s it had
been common for couples to have 7-12 children. Over the century average
family size reduced to 2-3 children. This had huge ramifications for social
attitudes to sex, and for the roles and relationships between men and women.

2. 1960s and the Sexual Revolution

For much of western history, religions treated sex outside
marriage as a sin as it risked producing children that
could not be provided for.

The move towards smaller families went hand in hand with
the development of reliable contraception. Contraception
separated heterosexual sex from procreation. The sexual revolution was born.

        Sex began to be seen in the context of love, sensuality
                  and intimacy, not to mention pleasure.

Sex has come to be seen as a positive and healthy part of life. It is accepted that
it is integral to being a healthy human being. And relationship counsellors have
come to see sex as a barometer for the health of an emotional relationship.(`)

3. Women's Liberation & Changing Gender Roles

The shrinking family also radically changed the relationship between men and
women.

The industrialization story of men and women's roles had put men in the power
seat and pushed women into the domestic sphere.

Large families locked women into domestic work. However, the
shrinking family combined with new labour saving devices such
as washing machines and fridges radically reduced the work
involved in raising families. Women began to have time to work
outside the home and take on a wider role in society.

The feminist movement gained momentum, arguing that men and women should
be equal partners in life. They began challenging the cultural story that men and
women were opposites and born to different roles in society.

The model of the modern relationship emerged. Men and women as equals.
Both partners could have careers. Both had a role in doing housework. And
both had a role in caring for children.

4. Gay Liberation

The road to liberation is long, and it has progressed
much further in some places than others. But most
places have witnessed remarkable change over the
last 30 years.

In the 1970s Liberationists were successful in
getting homosexuality decriminalized in most places.
It was struck off the list of psychiatric disorders, and the long task of removing
stigma began.

Through the 1980s women started to become doctors and lawyers, police
women and plumbers, computer analysts and corporate CEO's. There was an
explosion in the different ways of being a woman.

In the 1990s men, to a lesser degree, followed suit. The metrosexual emerged
as an icon of male success and sophistication. By 2000 the foundations had
been set for 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy'. Millions tuned in as guys strove to
become better men by embracing their sensory side.

We have also seen lesbian chic, a growing number of
gay characters on films and television, and the
commercial pursuit of the pink dollar.

Through the late 1990s and early 2000s much of the
western world has moved to legally recognise same-
sex relationships.

As mainstream ideas about sex, men, women and relationships have changed,
same-sex relationships have become less threatening to the dominant cultural
story.

Increasingly people's response is 'gay, straight, whatever'.

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Gay marriage has become a hot topic as gays, lesbians, bisexuals - or queers or homosexuals if you prefer - have
started to push to have their relationships given marital status. Gay marriage has a long history. In the 1500s the
Catholic Church married some gay male couples. Evidence of lesbian marriages are rarer. Lesbian women were often
financially reliant on a relationship with a man. As a result, history generally records fewer lesbians than gay men. The
history of gay marriage also points to the prevalence of bisexuality. Many people got married and had children, and
had gay or lesbian lovers on the side. Some people might have been 100% gay and getting married because they had
to. But for a long time it was considered most people were bisexual. It was assumed that gay or lesbian love was
appealing to everyone