Organization and Social Networks

     The first stirs of a gay rights movement in the U.S. have been traced back to the early 1950s.  At this time, underground gay and lesbian groups were starting to form in Los Angeles and San Francisco.  The movement had a very slow start, though, due to the danger of being publicly homosexual.  This was the era of McCarthyism, and homosexuals were being sought out.  In order to keep their jobs and homes, homosexuals were forced to lie and hide from greater society.
    At this time, gay bars were vital, providing the closest thing to a safe-haven for gays and lesbians to act freely.  Many of these bars popped up in big cities in California and New York.  Unfortunately, they were frequently subject to police raids and mass arrests.  Once arrested, homosexuals were publicly announced in the newspaper, giving their employers and landlords legal permission to fire them and kick them out on the streets.
    Due to fear, the arrival of police usually sent the bar patrons running.  This was so until the night of June 27, 1969.  This evening has come to symbolize the true emergence of a queer movement.  On this night, police raided the Stonewall, a popular gay bar in Greenwich Village.  Rather than run, the people pelted police with coins and bricks, eventually locked the police in, and burned down the bar.  This was not the first occasion of homosexuals standing their ground, but was a landmark nonetheless.  Much like the Greensboro sit-ins of the civil rights movement, it has come to symbolize the spawning of the gay rights movement.
    In the days following, underground gay campus and community groups took to the streets for their first, truly public, appearance.  This initial uprising was more of a movement for liberation than for legal rights.  It was a call for homosexuals to stop hiding and face society head on.  At this point, acceptance was the key goal of the movement.
    In the past two decades, the queer movement has changed its focus from attempted mass acceptance, to legal battles over discrimination and rights.  Our particular topic, same-sex marriage is one of the primary battles currently being fought.  While most of this battle takes place in the courtroom, community support and visibility are vital.
Preexisting queer campus and community groups are two of the main recruiting tools.  These groups began mainly as a source of personal support, but have grown into activist-producing hubs.  These groups spread awareness not only within the gay community, but also aim to inform their community at large to gain heterosexual allies.
    In addition to face-to-face contact, the internet is also a powerful tool in spreading the movement.  Websites for such organizations as the Human Rights Campaign and The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force provide information on the current court battles, as well as other resources to get involved locally.  Most are set up in a way that offers direct links to local politicians, so that little effort is necessary for participation.
    Once initial contact is made, listserves are an excellent way in which to keep recruits informed and interested in the movement.  Most campus groups and community groups utilize this tool to announce meetings as well as major developments within the movement.
    Media attention is also an excellent way to recruit support.  As culture is more and more saturated with gay media, stigmas begin to wane.  This is being accomplished through magazine articles, news attention, and celebrity involvement.