Celebrating the Triumph of Gay Rights in June

Annually, every June, most of the Western countries celebrate LGBT Pride Month, a commemoration that takes place with the aim of remembering the constant struggles of the gay rights movement worldwide, which reached its peak of tension in June 1969, in the famous Stonewall Inn bar in New York.

Each of these movements were organized to confront the constant humiliation, persecution, and hostile treatment to which many people were subjected by the police and government authorities, for the simple fact of not identifying themselves within the heteronormativity that was considered “healthy” and “normal” at the time.

Today, the constant commitment and effort of each of these movements for the respect of gay rights has achieved important advances in different countries around the world, where laws already exist that condemn acts of hatred towards the LGBT community and guarantee rights such as institutional recognition, equal marriage, adoption, among others.

However, the reality is that there are still many countries in which there is a cultural rejection of the LGBT community, whose rights as citizens are violated, even criminalizing, in some cases, the simple fact of wanting to share a sentimental life with someone of the same sex.

Remember that if you feel persecuted in your country because of your sexual orientation, and you believe that your life may be in danger if you return to live in it, in the United States you can request protection from the State. For this, our asylum lawyer can help you. Schedule an appointment now and start a life in a country where gay rights are much more respected.

What are gay rights?

How would you feel if out of the blue a large part of the population rejected you just for freely loving the person you want, if you were persecuted by the police and harassed for making decisions about your own love life, or if you could not marry the person you love because the law does not accept your relationship?

This is what those who identify themselves within the LGBT community worldwide are currently experiencing, especially in countries where, even after so many social advances and movements in favor of equality and respect for every human being, they condemn the fact of exercising sexuality in a free and non-judgmental way.

When we talk about gay rights, we mean such important rights as:

• Decriminalization of homosexuality.
• Constitutional recognition of gay marriage.
• Laws against discrimination towards the LGBT community.
• Legal recognition of same-parent families.
• Allow homoparental adoption.
• Prohibition of “conversion therapies” as an attempt to repress a person’s sexuality.

Among many rights that, although essential for everyone, in many countries around the world are not really guaranteed for those who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. 

In the case of the United States, for example, despite significant progress has been made in respecting gay rights in many states, there are still no federal laws condemning hate crimes against this community, who are also openly discriminated against when performing military service in the country.

Where did the gay rights movement start?

Although there have been records of movements for gay rights since 1924 with the creation of the Society for Human Rights, which is known as the first organization created to defend the rights of a community that for years had been the target of persecution and abuse, it was not until 1969 when the Stonewall riots in New York, marked a before and after in the struggle of the gay, bisexual, lesbian and transgender community in the country. 

This important historical event signified the uprising of a community that daily suffered all kinds of abuses, and was harassed with constant police raids that prevented them from living a normal life, like the rest of the citizens. 

From the clashes in Stonewall in June 1969, the LGBT liberation movement began as an organization for the defense of gay rights in the country and in the world. A few weeks later, the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) was created in New York, which in a short time had a presence in different states of the country and even in universities. 

The movement would soon begin to cross borders, giving away to pro-LGBT activist organizations in countries such as Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Spain, Mexico, New Zealand, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Are gay rights guaranteed today?

While the gay rights movement has achieved a great deal of progress towards respecting the rights of the LGBT community in many parts of the world, the reality is that there are still a large number of countries in which this community is prevented from freely exercing their right to love. 

In fact, there are a total of 69 countries in which today the law punishes all those people who start a relationship with someone of the same sex, including Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Qatar, among others. Many of them even carry the death penalty. 

As for the states that are part of the United Nations (UN), at least 21% have laws in force that restrict the freedom of expression of the LGBT community, qualifying as a “crime against morality and religion” the distribution of content having to do with homosexuality, going so far as to censor media, social networks, movies artists, etc.   

In the United States, several anti-gay rights laws have been passed throughout history, such as the controversial Don’t Ask Don’t Tell law, which prevented members of the military from revealing their sexual orientation, if they were homosexual or bisexual. This law was finally repealed in 2010 by President Barack Obama. 

Today, at least nine states in the country, along with the District of Columbia, more than 200 municipalities and thousands of business and universities have regulations that strictly prohibit acts of discrimination against the LGBT community, while the same-sex marriage is legally recognized in all 50 U.S. states.

Do you need protection? Our asylum lawyer can help you.

If you feel that your life is in danger in your home country for exercising your right to freely love the person who makes you happy, in the United States you may have the opportunity to start a new life with the person you love, and our asylum lawyer can help you achieve it.  

Schedule an appointment now and let’s talk about your case. With our help you can apply for asylum in the United States and get the protection you need so you can live the freedom to love whomever you choose, without fear of legal persecution.