Ever since the gay liberation' movement began, it has employed the social movements of the 1960's. Since then activists have worked hard to improve the lives of LGBT (lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgendered) individuals. Tremendous steps have been taken in many nations, especially in the western world. (Adam, 1995) LGBT protesters have fought in opposition of prejudice in spaces such as employment and housing, acknowledgement of same sex relationships, including rights to partner benefits, custody and adoption of same sex children, and marriage or civil unions. In all of these struggles, the LGBT movement has been opposed by anti gay counter-movements, although the nature of the criticism has varied from political and cultural contexts. (Staggenbord, 2011: 116) One key point that LGBT and disabled individuals have in common is the prejudice and oppression they face in their day to day lives. In the past the LGBT movement have employed other social movements in aiding their progression, in the future the disabled rights movement will aid the LGBT movement. Most LGBT and disabled individuals share a familiar disability, which is usually their disability to reproduce, unless artificially assisted. This paper will provide a history of the LGBT political struggle and discuss how it has historically employed social movements in raising awareness and furthermore, discuss how today's current social movements such as the struggle for disability rights are parallel in progression of the LGBT movement.
The 1960's allowed for the LGBT movement to flourish because World War II had allowed a space for LGBT individuals to meet and expand. LGBT individuals met in the military, military factories and in the expanding LGBT subcultures of metropolitan areas where the war permitted LGBT individuals a significant freedom to interact in everyday social settings. (D,Emilio, 1983; Kennedy and Davis, 1993).
