Reply #152: In the lifetimes of all gay and lesbian people

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it was illegal to have concentual sex in 14 states, including Massachusetts (2003). In the lifetimes of most gay and lesbian people it was legal to fire people solely for being gay or lesbian in all 50 states (1988). In the lifetimes of many gay and lesbian people being gay or lesbian was considered a psychological defect (1973). In the lifetimes of most gay and lesbian people one of the first openly gay politicians was assassinated in San Francisco and his killer (who also killed the mayor) got 5 years. (1978)

Today gays and lesbians can only legally marry in one state, and have marriage equivalents in two others. There are 14 states in which it is illegal to discriminate in housing, employment, and other like matters. It is legal to have concentual sex in all 50 states. Fortunately no openly gay or lesbian politicians have been assassinated in recent years but many hate crimes still get shockingly low sentences.

In short, it hasn't been that long since gays and lesbians have been without any basic rights. I think the time that people fearing a return to the bad old days being considered paranoid has passed. Given the source here, I will hold off on the specific report given here but it wasn't that long ago that ELECTED OFFICIALS were suggesting tattooing AIDS patients. I am being to become very afraid for myself in this country. I hope that it is an overreaction, but I would rather over react and prevent an non existent threat from becoming existent than underreact and allow a non existent threat to become existent.

On edit, the dates in parenthesis are the dates upon which the statement became untrue. Thus in 2003 it was no longer illegal to have concentual sex in those states.