Custom «Historical Timeline of Homosexuality» Essay Paper Sample

First use of the word "Homosexuality"

The word "homosexual" first came into use when Karoly Benkert, a Swiss gay doctor used it 1869. Later on, the word "gay" began to be used chiefly in America during the late 1940's. Bankert used this term to refer to "males or females" whose sexual orientation was towards their sex. (Siker, 1994, p.33)

Publication of The Intersexes

During this year, Edward Prime Stevenson published a book he called the The Intersexes which had account of lives of women and men who were homosexuals (Licata & Petersen,1995).

Publication of the America's Gayest Magazine

Lisa Ben publishes "Vice Versa: America's Gayest Magazine", which became the first regularly published newsletter in the United States. This newsletter was devoted to homosexual issues and was typed in a Studio in Los Angeles (Whitt, 2008, p. 152).

Repeal of Sodomy laws in Oregon

According to Dallas and Heche (2009), during in 1971 in the state of Oregon, the laws prohibiting consensual anal and oral sex between adults of the same sex were repealed in Oregon. This allowed homosexuality in Oregon much to the dismay of those against it.

Removal of Homosexuality from list of mental disorders

American Psychological Association deletes homosexuality from the list of mental disorders against the consideration of the Psychoanalytic theories of homosexuality (Clark & Clark, 2005)

Passing of domestic partner bill

The Berkley City Council in California authorizes a domestic partnership bill allowing equal gains to "long-term gay" and couple who were unmarried yet heterosexual (Stewart, 2003, p.96)

Gay political issues gain nation significance

During this year, a number of gay issues become widely recognized with issues such as adoption of children by gays, discrimination protection to gays and extension of employment to gays attaining national significance (Costain and McFarland, 1998)

Removal of denial of entry by President Bush

During this year, Bill Clinton signed an executive order that forbids the denial of security clearances to American based on their sexual orientation. This order was received with a great sigh from the homosexuals (Chapman, 2009).

Use of word marriage in gay and lesbian union

The city of New York first jurisdiction in the United State to employ the word "marriage" in reference to the unions of gay and lesbian (Wardle, 2003)

Banning of same sex marriage in Georgia

In separate rulings on July 6 of 2006, homosexual couples' attempt to allow marriage rights was denied by the New York's highest. In Georgia's, a high court reestablished that state's constitutional rectification thus banning same-sex marriage.