Lgbtq Community Challenges in Los Angeles

As the years have gone by, Los Angeles has been known to attract many people and has allowed them to feel accepted and to express themselves as who they are. Since the 1960s, the LGBTQ Community has felt a sense of freedom towards who they are and although they have faced many challenges, they have also accomplished many. In the 1960s, many people who were part of the LGBTQ Community were not accepted, and at times they were even punished for expressing themselves.

Throughout many years, such as in the 1960s, Los Angeles has been one of the biggest cities that contains a large population of open-minded people, has also helped many of those who were gay avoided prosecution for their lifestyle, and through societies such as, the Mattachine Society, has allowed them to feel safe. Los Angeles was a city which contained a large population of different people who had different origins. Because many people came from different areas of the world, it allowed many people to view issues that those who belonged in the LGBTQ Community went through, differently. Los Angeles was one of the few cities in the world to become the acceptance of the LGBTQ Community because of the number of open-minded people that lived in this city. Although many people were against those who belonged to the LGBTQ community there were many others, such as those involved within the government who supported them.

Ed Edelman, a Democrat, was one of the few people who throughout his election hired David Glascock as a communicator between him and the gay men and women. Edelman's role involved him bringing gay concerns into political discussions, which showed his care towards them. For instance, in an article titled “Financing Gay Liberation: How Local Government Supported LGBTQ Rights in 1970s Los Angeles” written by Ian M. Baldwin mentions how an organization named the Gay Community Service Center(GCSC) was one of the first organizations dedicated to many gay men and women, and dedicated to submitting grant proposals on a daily basis. When they were once denied this grant, Ed Edelman requested a meeting with the GCSC representatives and the Board of Supervisors lesbian and gay. In this meeting, they discussed the issue towards the GCSC being denied their grant and by the end of this, Ed Edelman simply told the Board to just give GCSC the money, which led to them allowing the grant to be issued. Although many people viewed them to be the worst, there were also people such as Ed Edelman to support them throughout their struggles and viewed them just as equal as anyone else.

People who supported the LGBTQ Community like Ed Edelman are the reason for why many gay men and women moved to Los Angeles, this demonstrates that Los Angeles is filled with people who are open-minded because they accept those who are seen differently and treat them just as equal as they would treat anyone else. Throughout this time, many gay men and women were not accepted and were even prosecuted because of their lifestyle. Many of those gay men and women were unable to live their life as they wanted to and sought cities like Los Angeles to be able to express themselves and be just who they are without worrying about being prosecuted because of it. Los Angeles has always been the city to make those who are known to be “unwanted” or not accepted to feel welcome and safe. In an article titled “Thousands of Men to Be Pardoned for Gay Sex, Once a Crime in Britain” by Sewell Chan mentions how Ten thousands of men were convicted of crimes that were similar to “burglary, gross indecency, and loitering with intent”, while their only “crime” was having a sexual relationship with another man. Countries like Britain, are the reason many gay men and women decided to search cities like Los Angeles to feel welcome and accepted. Although Britain has pardoned the gay men and women who were prosecuted because of their sexual preference, it was still a major challenge that they had to go through.

However, it was not just countries/states that made them feel unwelcome, but also their jobs. For instance, in another article titled “LGBTQ History Month: The 1950s and the Roots of LGBTQ Politics” written by HRC Staff mentions The Lavender Scare, which was when the federal and stated governments had made an examination and had fired thousands of men and women who were assumed to be gay or lesbian, in which they “claimed to be a security risk” because of their vulnerability to the Soviet blackmail. They had to face many challenges like these on a daily basis simply because of their sexual preference; however, Los Angeles has allowed them to feel safe and welcome regardless of their sexual preferences. As time has gone by, Los Angeles has only become more accepting towards anyone that is seen “different” and is treated poorly because of who they are. Despite the controversy that happened in the 1960s towards the LGBTQ Community, Los Angeles has been the city to create an organization that has allowed them to feel welcome and can express themselves freely.

A social organization known as the Mattachine Society was founded by Harry Hay, Rudi Gernreich, and Dale Jennings in the 1950s to support gay men and further fight for their equal rights. Universal revelation eventually led to regional spread across the U.S. The Mattachine society has fought alongside those who are from the LGBTQ Community and despite the many challenges they faced along with them, they have also had many accomplishments such as: having many laws that prohibited anyone that belonged in the LGBTQ community to no longer exist and has allowed many of those who belong in the LGBTQ Community to express their true selves in areas such as: Gay bars and clubs. For instance, throughout the 1960s many laws prohibited many gay men and women to not participate in many events; however, many of those same laws ended up being repealed.

In the 1960s, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims revoked the Other Than Honorable discharge that was provided by the U.S. Air Force to Fannie Mae Clackum for her unproven homosexuality and being fought for successfully. In addition, throughout the 1960s, many of those who were gay were not able to express their true selves within many social areas, until they had the opportunity to do so in gay bars. For instance, in an article from History under the section titled “Gay Bars: A Place of Refuge:” mentions how the only issue was that many gay clubs and bars were shut down by policemen, due to them serving drinks to those who belong to the LGBTQ community because it was known to be unruly. Although, throughout time many gay men and women felt safe in gay bars and nightclubs it eventually caused them to be uncertain because of how much power the authorities had taken over them.

In addition, in a novel titled “Survey LA: Historic Context Statement City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning Office of Historic Resources” mentions how in most gay bars and nightclubs were places in which gay men and women would go to in order to find someone who was much more like them, even though gay bars and nightclubs were mainly used by gay men than women; however, even though those who belong in the LGBTQ Community felt safe and accepted within gay bars and nightclubs, most performers in these areas were not able to dress as the opposite sex and if they were to do so, then the place would be seen as vulgar. This demonstrates how harsh most people were, and even though many of those who were known to be gay faced many challenges they were able to fight back without using violence, by being able to create societies, such as the Mattachine Society, in order to fight for their rights and to get treated just as equal as everyone else.

As the years have gone by, many changes have occurred, and although throughout the 1960s, many of those who belong to the LGBTQ community were decriminalized have now accomplished to be accepted, and have equaled rights and to no longer be prosecuted simply because of their lifestyle. Los Angeles has always been the city, in which accepts everyone and even though many people such as those belonging to the LGBTQ Community have faced many challenges, areas like Los Angeles has allowed them to feel safe and welcome. Since the 1960s, and even until now it has allowed many of those who are known to be gay to express themselves as who they truly are without worrying about the troubles it might cause, it has also allowed society, itself, to view aspects differently and create supporting organizations to help those in the LGBTQ Community. Therefore, areas like Los Angeles has allowed many people who are seen not be equal, such as gay men and women, to feel safe and accepted of who they are due to the amount of open-minded people, by allowing them to avoid prosecution because of their sexual preference and even by allowing them to create organizations that supported and helped the gay men and women feel much more secure by allowing them to fight for their own rights because if they do not do so, then no one will fight for them, only alongside with them.

Los Angeles as of now is still considered to be as such and will always fight alongside those who are not willing to fight for themselves because of the amount of fear that they have towards what their actions might cause.