Abstract
Prior to the 20th century, the idea of homo- and heterosexuality was virtually nonexistent. As time went on, these concepts became a major part of the human identity. The path that led to the idea of queerness, and even the pride that comes with it, was one full of hardship and discrimination. There is not much research into the connection between discrimination by law enforcement and the start of the gay rights movement, but police attacking the livelihoods of those considered homosexual, the FBI monitoring them as security risks, and even agencies formed specifically to regulate the gay community occurred during this time period. In the end, these entrapment tactics and other discriminatory methods of law enforcement during the 20th century were a major cause of the development of organized queer activism, starting with the formation of the Mattachine Society.
Document Type
Paper
Publication Date
2023
Rights
© The Author(s)
Recommended Citation
Householter, Megan, "Winning Paper: Catalytic Discrimination: How Homophobic Law Enforcement in the 20th Century led to the Modern Gay Rights Movement" (2023). 2023 Lynn Haggard Undergraduate Library Research Award. 1.
https://scholars.fhsu.edu/lhulra_2023/1
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