There was Stonewall in 1969 and then the AIDS epidemic in the early 80s, but for many people the history of gay rights in between those seminal moments is a bit of a mystery. However what happened in the 70s is vital to moving from gay sex being illegal to more and more places allowing same sex marriage.
Now you can get a great overview of what happened in terms of the gay rights battle in the 1970s in the US – from the odious homophobia of the likes of Anita Bryant to the emergence of a previously unthinkable sexual freedom – via 70 minutes of TV clips from that era.
It also features fascinating footage from some of the very first gay pride marches, battles over anti-gay ballot measures and the assassination of Harvey Milk.
It’s a great way to learn about both what was happening back then, as well as the way way the media dealt with homosexuality – normally with a great deal of discomfort or by treating gay people as if they were conducting a scientific investigation into Martians.
Take a look at the collection of clips above.
Leave a Reply (if comment does not appear immediately, it may have been held for moderation)