LGBT History Should Be A Course Requirement for College Students

Andre L. Farrow
Andre L. Farrow
Published in
5 min readJan 25, 2020

“The spirit that emerged outside a Mafia — run bar in 1969 became the pulse of the gay community and inspired not just an annual parade but ways to express gay pride in individuals’’ lives. Stonewall happens every day” stated, (Bausum, , 2020). Oppressors maintain that a Homosexuality History course would not be a notable college requirement because those conformists feels that a LGBT History course would muscle abnormal sexual behaviors and expel religious beliefs among college students. On the other hand, a LGBT History course should be a course requirement for college students because this course would manufacture historical events and pioneers of those LGBT chronicles, it would apprise why self-identities are noteworthy, and it would illustrate why activism is necessary to the LGBT communities therefore, college students will have a finer comprehension of why this community is fighting for their equality.

Why is it remarkable that undergraduates or postgraduates should be literate of LGBT history? LGBT history frolicked a significant role in the make up of America just as well as America History and U.S. History. Additionally, there had been prior gay nonfictional events and gay authentic people who transformed the world however, those masses did not want societies to be notified of those events and those people. For instance, one of the most outstanding events that been noted in gay history were the Stonewall Riots. “Within New York City in 1969, the integrity of the homosexual community assembled and demonstrated their sexual distinguishes publicly were at finest provisional. LGBT society — a generality of whom were youthful Latinos and Blacks — revolted towards badgering law enforcement whom invade the Stonewall Inn in New York City. The occurrence spawned a diverse lifestyle organization widespread confirmed, (Mann, 2019). As final point, with movements such as The Stonewall Riots in 1969 and The Early Gay Rights Movement of 1924, those types of historical events will give those academic students a better awareness of how Homosexuals history made a massive impression on the world.

Why should college students be enlightened of those ramifications that gay history has on self-identities? Gay history foot-printed self-images lead back to 1600s, this history has constructed terms for self-regards for the gay community today to adapt those titles: lesbian, transgender, bisexual, and gay whereas, they no longer have to be recognize by their oppressors’ labels such as dike, he/she, swing both ways, and fag. Moreover, LGBT history illustrates how some remarkable people such as Queen Christina Of Sweden (December 8, 1626 — April 19, 1689), Oscar Wilde (October 16, 1854 — November 30, 1900), and Peter Sewally aka Miss Jones (December 12, 1803 — date of death unknown) refashioned their oppressors’ labels to exhibit their sexual recognition. “Queen Christina of Sweden attractive personality reaches across time to pull modern readers and historians into her sphere, as the physically plain queen was able to attract young courtiers, cardinals, and even noble women to her. Christina remains enigmatic, and perhaps this is why much of what had been written about her focused on the questions of whether she had sexual relations with Sparre, Azzolino, Monaldeschi, or other members of her court, or on questions of her alleged hermaphroditism or lesbian sexuality” cited, (Anstine, 2018). “In May 1895, Wilde was tried and found guilty of gross indecency, a euphemism for homosexual activity, which at the time was a criminal offense” mentioned, (Aubrey, 2018). “Another story covered by the Sun which did have some connection to prostitution was that of a black New Yorker, Peter Sewally, alias Mary Jones was arrested by police for stealing a wallet and money from Robert Haslem. Haslem met Jones walking in Bleeker Street and was taken to a nearby alley, where Jones and Haslem caressed and conversed. After parting, Haslem discovered the theft and went to the police and Jones was arrested. While officers were searching the prisoner for the wallet, they discovered that Miss Jones was really a man, Peter Sewally” adduced, (Hill , 1993). From those exemplifications, those authors illuminated to their observers of how those people from that prior time, demonstrated their sexual identities to the public, those people were unapologetic because of their distinctive actions therefore, they became infamous in history. To conclude with, controversial people such as Queen Christina of Sweden who was recognized as bisexual woman, Oscar Wilde, who was pinpoint as gay man, Peter Sewally who was determined to be a transgender woman and many others in history that were not mention therefore, a Gay history course will allow those college students to become critical thinkers to “see” that this history has abetted self-identities for past, present, and future gay societies.

Why is it vital that academic students be well informed that activism is dominant factor of gay history? Activism is critical component of Les-Bi-Gay history because of this element some discriminated affairs had been addressed. Some of those discriminated circumstances such as political, social reform, federal protection and state protection, and employment rights had been settled through this method. In the end, advocates such as Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and Harvey B. Milk devoted their lives to homosexual entitlements therefore, a LGBT history course will notify those college students of why many gay activists fought for their equability.

As was previous stated, a LGBT history course should be a college requirement because this course would inform college students of historical homosexual people and historical homosexual events, it will explain why self-identities were of importance, and why activism had played a major role within gay history. Additionally, this course can change the way the world perceives those diverse lifestyles.

References

Anstine, K. S. (2018). Christina. Salem Press Biographical Encyclopedia, 4. doi:88070131

Aubrey, B. (2018). Oscar Wilde. Salem Press Biographical Encyclopedia, 3. doi:88807376

Bausum, , A. (2020). Goodreads.com/Stonewall Quotes. (Goodreads, Inc) Retrieved January 21, 2020, from Goodreads.com: https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/42819705-stonewall-breaking-out-in-the-fight-for-gay-rights

Hill , M. W. (1993). Their Sisters’ Keepers: Prostitution in New York City, 1830–1870. Berkeley: University of California Press. doi:9780520078345

Mann, B. (2019). Stonewall Rebellion Ignites Modern Lesbian and Gay Rights Movement. Salem Press Encyclopedia, 4. doi:89316232

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Andre L. Farrow
Andre L. Farrow

I attend Atlanta Metropolitan State College and my major is Mass Communications. I hope to obtain a career with well known Writing Company in Washington, DC.