Retired-6
03-20-2003, 05:19 PM
Throughout all American history, there has been a perpetuated need in our culture to presuppose that the inherent value of a person is somehow measured by such things as persons' social status, economical capabilities, race, gender, creed and even their religious affiliation. Our culture seems to thrive upon "lables" to rationalize not only the existence of something, but to also categorize it for proper processing throughout life. Ultimately reaching a level of dehumanization far beyond what should have ever existed or been tolerated in a cultre that literally depends upon diversity to exist.
"The term "homosexuality" was coined by a German-Hungarian journalist, Karl Maria Kertbeny in 1868, of which was presented in a letter he wrote to the sexologist Karl Heinrich Ulrichs. This term appeared again in 1869, in an anonymous pamphlet opposing the Prussian antisodmy law. Kerby argued that the State had no right to penalize or even to control private consensual homosexual behavior, and that "homosexuals" ought not to be objects of derision and stigma." [Homophobia, by Byrne Fone, by re-print consent]
"The term "homosexuality" was given medical sanction, also in 1869, in an article by German sexual theorist Dr. Karl Westphals, in which he translated into English as "inverted sexual feeling" and thus, the reverse of which was "hetrosexuality" to-wit: was an extroverted sexual feeling. Yet, it was not until the 1960's that the term "homophobia" first surfaced and was used in 1971 by K.T. Smith in an article entitled "Homophobia: A Tentative Personality Profile". And in 1972, George Weinberg's book "Society and the healthy Homosexual" defined the term as "the dread of being in close quarters with homosexuals"." [Homophobia, by Byrne Fone by re-print consent]
Although rarely discussed in society, mainstream media and Hollywood, homosexuals were persecuted and killed during WWII just as Jews were. The homosexual was given a pink triangle to wear as the sign that they were classified as "devient" and undeserving to live. Yet, unlike the many movies made about WWII and the devistation laid out upon the Jewish nation and its people. There has never been a mainstream movie ever made that focused upon the struggles homosexual men and women fought against during this time. Thus, the pink triangle is the only tangable sign of that era and the consequences forced upon those whose only crime was to want to love and to be loved. The pink triangle has transformed into a symbol of strength in the GLBT community that represents what our community fights against. For unlike all other prejudices existing in our country today. Homophobia remains the last condoned and encouraged hatered by a society mislead into believing that such people are simply undeserving of love.
In the series titled "History In The Making - A Prelude To Stonewal". I will be discussing various cultral events taking place in our country that involve gay men and women; ultimately leading not only to the Stonewall incident., But also the manner in which we continue to face struggles and prejuices in the 21st Centry. Moreover, how these things have infested our prisons and the penal mentality that often times places gay men and women at higher risk to be raped or "punked out". For one cannot begin the understanding process at the end of the problem, before first understanding how the problems originated. It is my hope that the readers of this series will share their thoughts.
"The term "homosexuality" was coined by a German-Hungarian journalist, Karl Maria Kertbeny in 1868, of which was presented in a letter he wrote to the sexologist Karl Heinrich Ulrichs. This term appeared again in 1869, in an anonymous pamphlet opposing the Prussian antisodmy law. Kerby argued that the State had no right to penalize or even to control private consensual homosexual behavior, and that "homosexuals" ought not to be objects of derision and stigma." [Homophobia, by Byrne Fone, by re-print consent]
"The term "homosexuality" was given medical sanction, also in 1869, in an article by German sexual theorist Dr. Karl Westphals, in which he translated into English as "inverted sexual feeling" and thus, the reverse of which was "hetrosexuality" to-wit: was an extroverted sexual feeling. Yet, it was not until the 1960's that the term "homophobia" first surfaced and was used in 1971 by K.T. Smith in an article entitled "Homophobia: A Tentative Personality Profile". And in 1972, George Weinberg's book "Society and the healthy Homosexual" defined the term as "the dread of being in close quarters with homosexuals"." [Homophobia, by Byrne Fone by re-print consent]
Although rarely discussed in society, mainstream media and Hollywood, homosexuals were persecuted and killed during WWII just as Jews were. The homosexual was given a pink triangle to wear as the sign that they were classified as "devient" and undeserving to live. Yet, unlike the many movies made about WWII and the devistation laid out upon the Jewish nation and its people. There has never been a mainstream movie ever made that focused upon the struggles homosexual men and women fought against during this time. Thus, the pink triangle is the only tangable sign of that era and the consequences forced upon those whose only crime was to want to love and to be loved. The pink triangle has transformed into a symbol of strength in the GLBT community that represents what our community fights against. For unlike all other prejudices existing in our country today. Homophobia remains the last condoned and encouraged hatered by a society mislead into believing that such people are simply undeserving of love.
In the series titled "History In The Making - A Prelude To Stonewal". I will be discussing various cultral events taking place in our country that involve gay men and women; ultimately leading not only to the Stonewall incident., But also the manner in which we continue to face struggles and prejuices in the 21st Centry. Moreover, how these things have infested our prisons and the penal mentality that often times places gay men and women at higher risk to be raped or "punked out". For one cannot begin the understanding process at the end of the problem, before first understanding how the problems originated. It is my hope that the readers of this series will share their thoughts.