Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

Gay and lesbian politics in the United States have had a deep and long-lasting impact on the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, culminating in contemporary discourses and activist efforts surrounding issues such as family law, the military, and HIV/AIDS (see Brewer, Kaib, & O'Connor 2000 : 401). Although the origins of US-based gay and lesbian politics can be traced back as early as the 1890s ( Shroedel & Fiber 2000 ), given space limitations, we direct our attention to the mid-twentieth century onward. Further, our overview covers the US with some minor details of gay and lesbian politics beyond US borders. Finally, we focus on key shifts in the history of gay and lesbian politics that continue to impact how identities, practices, and beliefs concerning sexuality and intimate relationships are understood today. The World War II era has been described as somewhat of a golden age for gays and lesbians in the US. As the war years progressed, men and women engaged in new experiences as they left home, settled in new living situations, and found themselves in same-sex milieus in the military or civilian workplace. Historian Allan Bérubé has described this period as “somewhat of a nationwide coming out experience” (cf. Johnson 2004 : 51). According to historian David K. Johnson, the war years provided increased possibilities and opportunities for sexual encounters, as well ... log in or subscribe to read full text