gay rights movement | Definition & History
Gay rights movement, also called homosexual rights movement or gay liberation movement, civil rights movement that advocates equal rights for gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender persons; seeks to eliminate sodomy laws barring homosexual acts between consenting adults; and calls for an end to discrimination against gay men, lesbians, and transgender persons in employment, credit, housing, public accommodations, and other areas of life. Gay rights prior to the 20th century Religious admonitions against sexual relations between same-sex individuals (particularly men) long stigmatize...