The Stage
1950s-1960s: Homophile Movement (cont’d)
Issues Faced
In the 1950s and 1960s, gay or homosexual women and men, bisexuals, and transgender people faced the problems of police raids on their bars and employment and housing discrimination. Not only was homosexuality criminalized in most states, but it was also considered a mental illness. Homophile groups worked to convince professions such as lawyers, ministers, doctors, psychologists, and journalists to adopt more positive views of homosexuals.
In 1957, Franklin Kameny, an astronomer for the Army Map Service, was fired for being gay. He petitioned the Supreme Court, which refused to hear his case in 1961. Kameny formed the Mattachine Society of Washington.
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Cover of Mattachine Review, Issue 3, May-June 1955. Human Sexuality Collection. [zoom] |
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Don Bachardy. Portrait of Franklin Kameny. Mariposa portrait series. Human Sexuality Collection. [zoom] |