Time+Line

= = =Time Line:=
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 * 1610-** Virginia colony passes first anti-sodomy law in America.


 * 1786-** Pennsylvania becomes the first of 13 states to drop the death penalty for sodomy.


 * 1924-** First gay rights group in the United States was founded in Chicago, the Society for Human Right.


 * 1951-** Henry Hay, Bob Hull, Chuck Bowland, founded Mattachine Society in Los Angeles. They provided aid and comfort gays and lesbians. They also were out to help the public about gay issues. (Picture Below)
 * 1952-** The McCarran Walters Act bans "sexual deviates" from immigrating to the United States. Supreme court says in 1967 that it applies to lesbians and gay men.


 * 1955-** Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon found first US lesbian organization, Daughters of Bilitis, in San Francisco.


 * 1961-** Illinois becomes the first state to decriminaize gay acts between consenting adults in private.


 * 1969-** Police raid gay bar, leads to stonewall riots of June 27th and 28th in NYC, beginning of gay rights movement.

US Supreme Court upholds right to refuse employment because of a person sexual orientation.
 * 1972-** East Lansing, Michigan, was the first city in the US to adopt nondiscrimination hiring policy based on their sexual orientation.


 * 1973-** The American Psychiatric Association drops homosexuals from its list of disorders.


 * 1974-** Elaine Nobel of Massachusetts was the first openly gay person elected to a state legislature.


 * 1976-** United States Supreme Court said that a state could prosocute and imprison people for homosexual activity, but conducted in private between between consenting adults.


 * 1977-** Oklahoma state legislature passed law: dismissal of gay teachers and can not mention homosexuals behavior in schools, but in 1985, US Supreme Court votes 4 - 4 to invalidate the state law.


 * 1978-** Harvey Milk, San Francisco's first openly gay supervisor, and mayor George Moscone are shot dead by supervisor Dan White.


 * 1980-** Rhode Island, Aaron Fricke sues his high school to allow him to take a male date to the prom and wins and takes Paul Guilbert.


 * 1981-** US Department of Defense adopts new ban on gays, leads to increased number discharges. Many homosexuals remained in the army in secret.


 * 1993-** A Virginia circuit judge denies custody of a 2-year-old Tyler Bottoms to his mother Sharon Bottoms, because she is lesbian.

Massachusetts becomes first state to outlaw discrimination in public schools.
 * 1994-** Instead of banning all gays from military they make the policy "Don't ask, Don't tell".


 * 1996-** Congress passes and Clinton signs the Law of Defense of Marriage Act, it defines marriage as the union of man and a woman.


 * 1998-** Matthew Shepard, gay college student, dies from a hate crime beating in Wyoming, leads to national debate about expanded hate crimes legislation.


 * 1999-** Vermont Supreme Court, gay couples granted same benefits and protections awarded to married couples of the opposite sex.

=Bibliography-=
 * 2000-** US Supreme Court says Boy Scouts of America can bar gay troop leaders, overturning a New Jersey Supreme Court ruling.

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