s lives and experiences have been divided isthrough discrimination based on sexual orientation. The 1960's fueled a lot ofstrong movements and the Gay Rights Movement was one of the many that came outof this decade. Gaining a lot of momentum from the ideas of acceptance andequality sparked by the Civil Rights Movement, the Gay Rights Movement set outto achieve acceptance in the general population. A primary historical eventinvolving homosexuality is the Stonewall Riot which grew out of a police raid ina gay bar in June of 1969. This event sparked a chain reaction which resultedin the Gay Rights Movement. The effects of the Gay Rights Movement still existtoday with a wider acceptance of homosexuality and the existence of manyhomosexual organizations which promote homosexual support.The basic goals of the movement were to eliminate the laws whichprohibited homosexual activity, provide equal housing and employmentopportunities for homosexuals, and to create a wider acceptance among theheterosexual community. Still there was a lot of opposition to those whoaccepted homosexuality.Still there was a lot of oppression felt by lesbian women, even amongthe homosexual realm. In 1971 NOW became the first major national women'sorganization to support lesbian rights. It has been one of the organization'spriority issues since 1975, and was the theme of national conferences in 1984and 1988. Through the years, NOW activists have challenged anti-lesbian and gaylaws and ballot initiatives in many states. Over 15 years ago, NOW gave strongsupport to a landmark 1979 case, Belmont v. Belmont, that defined lesbianpartners as a nurturing family and awarded a lesbian mother custody of her twochildren. The plaintiff in that case, Rosemary Dempsey, is NOW's Action Vice-President.A lot of people still are afraid to show support for homosexualorganizations. Within the religious community lies the largest of debatesregarding the issue of homosexuality. ...
