Throughout the 19th century, gay people faced significant social and legal challenges, with homosexuality often criminalized and viewed as immoral. In many Western societies, laws like sodomy statutes led to persecution, while medical and psychiatric communities frequently classified homosexuality as a mental illness or moral failing. Despite this, some progressive thinkers, such as Karl Heinrich Ulrichs and Richard von Krafft-Ebing, began to study same-sex attraction more scientifically, arguing that it was an innate trait. However, societal acceptance remained minimal, and many gay individuals led hidden lives, often resorting to coded language and subcultures to navigate their identities.
The 20th century brought gradual shifts in the experiences of gay people, especially in the mid-1900s. The Stonewall Riots of 1969 in New York City marked a turning point in the fight for gay rights, sparking a broader LGBTQ+ liberation movement. This period saw the establishment of activist groups advocating for legal changes, and though homosexuality was still criminalized in many places, there was increasing visibility for gay people. The 1970s and 1980s also saw a rise in public demonstrations, with the AIDS crisis in the U.S. uniting the community and raising awareness of the health crisis affecting many gay men, which in turn fueled advocacy for both medical and social change.
By the end of the 20th century, significant progress had been made in the gay rights movement. Homosexuality had been decriminalized in many countries, and the first successes in the fight for same-sex marriage recognition began to emerge. In the U.S., the 1990s saw the end of policies like “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” which had forced military personnel to conceal their sexual orientation. These legal victories, alongside increasing social acceptance, laid the groundwork for further advancements in LGBTQ+ rights in the 21st century, though challenges and discrimination still persisted.
