Noting Independence

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Before the Stonewall Riots of 1969, a small group of homophiles gathered at Independence Hall on July 4 to demonstrate for sexual-minority rights. The men wore shirts and ties; skirts and dresses, heels even, for the women. They carried signs that read: “Homosexual citizens want: an end to government hostility” and “Homosexuals ask for: equality before the law.”

These “annual reminders” — the foundation of the modern gay-rights movement — ran from 1965-69 and served to remind mainstream society that gays and lesbians deserved equality. The demonstrations were conservative and peaceful — a sharp contrast to the Stonewall Riots.

The final reminder took place just days after the Stonewall Riots in New York City, and marked a split in the gay-rights movement: The younger radicals were turned away from the demonstration, as organizers didn’t want to tarnish their image as upstanding citizens.

More than 40 years later, the divide — largely generational — is all but forgotten. Sexual minorities are more visible than ever, even to the point of being invited to a special LGBT reception at the White House this week to mark the Stonewall anniversary.

Over the years, the gay-rights movement has learned that visibility is the key to equality: As more sexual minorities come out — and mainstream society realizes that gays and lesbians are people with names and faces and families and jobs and worries about finances and healthcare — they will become more accepted in society.

While it’s true that the LGBT community doesn’t have full rights yet, the community has done a tremendous job of educating society and working toward equality.

As the Founding Fathers noted in the Declaration of Independence, all men (and women) are created equal and endowed with unalienable rights. Though there hasn’t been a formal list of those rights, certainly life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness cover a good bit of ground. As LGBT Americans, we have secured the first two. The next hurdles involve the pursuit of happiness.

As the LGBT community celebrates the Fourth of July, we should be mindful of the sacrifices of our forebears, and remember that, while it takes courage to put ourselves out there and be public and visible every day, it’s the only way that equality will be achieved.

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