Gay Pride Flag

Civil rights struggles throughout time have never come easy, or quickly. Women have agitated, educated and organized for full and equal rights for well over a century now.

While some countries see rapid change in the past decade in progress for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals, others nations still lag far behind, in the dark ages of criminalization and prosecution of gays. Ireland leads the way in progress, poised to be the first country in the world to come out for same-sex marriage by a national vote.

Stand Up, Act Out

While cautious to avoid easy analogues to other civil rights struggles, there are those who see the similarities between disparate movements over time. When biased police brutality and injustice simmer over to rioting in some of America’s cities, the social media world ignites with opinions and invectives about the damage done by rioting and destruction.

The web hosts endless personal judgments over motives and reasons for those who act out on the streets, and it hurls condemnations at the alleged damage done to the social movement for change caused by the stone-throwing, window-breaking, police-attacking and looting mobs that grow out of protests for justice in many cases. While many critics online and in the media find fault with demonstrations in Baltimore that escalated to riots and destruction of property, others recall that the modern era of gay rights progress began with the 1969 riots in New York City.

Coming Out Party!

Tired of police harassment simply for being who they were while looking and dressing how they chose, patrons of a gay bar fought back one night, against another in a series of police raids. They held their own against the cops, and won by showing their resolve to resist injustice. This has since turned into Gay Pride which is candidly referred to as the great coming out party.

The powerful nationwide movement for justice, police accountability and social improvement in many communities, which grows out of the frustration and anger in Baltimore, New York City and Ferguson, Missouri, can serve as a start, and can grow to fuel real progress on fundamental issues.

Ireland Steps Up

After much talk, citizens in Ireland go to the polls for a gay marriage referendum. Welcomed by celebrities and social justice movements, libertarians and patriots, and opposed by bishops and cardinals in the country where religion once ruled supreme, many hope the vote will lead to similar actions by nations worldwide.

Reaching Critical Mass

A United Nations human rights adviser on sexual orientation and gender identity issues notes that worldwide progress toward LGBT equality has made dramatic strides in recent decades, and still has far to go. Momentum is solidly in support of change, he notes, and visibility of the community is way up, both of which bode well for progress.

Executive Director of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission also sees tremendous improvement, and urgent need for ongoing work. She notes some worldwide statistics:

• At least 70 countries have introduced or enacted LGBT anti-discrimination laws
• Some 78 countries maintain laws punishing homosexuality with jail or worse
• Five countries (and portions of others) sentence gays to death

The organization focuses efforts not only in troubled regions, like parts of Iraq where radical fundamentalists reportedly execute men for sodomy, but also in countries with improving legal and social standing for the LGBT community, like the Philippines.

Do Something

Opportunities exist in nearly every community to improve conditions, increase understanding among individuals and develop greater tolerance. Those who look for and make the most of such chances to further education and provide positive examples of LGBT communities are sure to find ways to change hearts and minds and improve equality for all. Whether in a ministry or volunteer position, as part of governmental or non-governmental agencies, or simply as private individuals who act on their beliefs and live their most authentic selves, there are abundant ways to be advocates and agents of change.