A Repression of Language and Assaults on Human Rights for LGBTQIA+
Created by Marcus Ramey on Mon, 04/25/2022 - 10:37
Part of Group:
Throughout the years, language and identity have been repressed and censored, insofar as to threaten the well-being and human rights of the LGBTQIA+ community. When looking back on history, we will explore instances where people were oppressed, dehumanized, and murdered for no other reason other than being who they are and existing. This timeline will showcase key events leading up to the passing of Florida's House Bill 1557, which resulted in the "Don't Say Gay" protests. We will explore the threats to free speech, in regard to the blatant bigotry, division, stigmatization, and polarization of LGBTQIA+ clearly put forth in the Florida House Bill 1557. A Repression of Language and Assaults on Human Rights for LGBTQIA+ will explore thematic elements such as censorship, expression, queerness, legislation, protests, free speech, and human rights. Our timeline will investigate connections between British and American culture in a way that highlights moments of evolution and stagnation in the ongoing fight for equality and love of all people regardless of gender identity and sexual orientation.
Timeline
Chronological table
| Date | Event | Created by | Associated Places | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| circa. 1807 to circa. 1812 |
The Family's Shakespeare “To be or not to be, That is the question” this iconic quote from Hamlet places itself in the annals of history all thanks to the work of one man. William Shakespere is without question one of the greatest playwrights of all time. While today his work is taught in schools; back in the 1800s his work was considered less than family friendly in some regards. In 1812 English physician and philanthropist Thomas Bowdler edited twenty of Shakespere’s plays creating a sanitized edition called The Family Shakespeare. Bowdler’s censorship of the plays took out any aspect that could be considered “raunchy” or “inappropriate.” Censoring Shakespeare by Cecila Jane says ”so how did Bowdler decide what to take out? According to him, ‘if any word or expression is of such a nature that the first impression it excites is an impression of obscenity, that word ought not to be spoken nor written or printed; and if printed, it ought to be erased.’” This lead Bowdler to cut out most jokes, inuendos, and for the sake of our timeline any homoerotic/queer coded topics. Mario DiGanji goes into some specific examples of homosexuality in shakespere talking directly in their journal Queering the Shakespere Family “I hope to have demonstrated that the contradictions within early modern gender/sexual ideologies open the space for a critique of the "naturalness" of the marital (hetero)sexuality that appears to coalesce at the end of Shakespeare's romantic comedy.” Digani goes on to discuss Shakespere’s As You Like It and how breaking down the discussion of what is “normal” in the world and turning the concept on its head. The idea of being normal or following what is right is completely cut out from Bowdler’s version as it breaks the societal structure at the time. Since saying being abnormal was bad this goes along more with the anti-LGBTQ+ and language censorship. Some other notable examples varied “This ranged from minor text alterations to larger plot and character changes. Thus Ophelia’s death in Hamlet was depicted as an accidental drowning, to avoid any suggestion that she may have committed suicide, and the prostitute Doll Tearsheet was entirely left out of Henry IV, Part 1. Lady Macbeth’s famous ‘out, damned spot!’ became ‘out, crimson spot!; any exclamation of ‘God!’ was replaced by ‘heavens!’; Juliet’s cry ‘spread thy close curtain, love performing night’ was replaced with ‘spread thy close curtain, and come civil night’; and Mercutio’s ‘the bawdy hand of the dial is now upon the prick of noon’ was changed to ‘the hand of the dial is now upon the point of noon’” (Jane). The breaking down of language is an issue even relevant today and definitely set a precedent for the censorship of expression as the years went on. This reprint/edit of Shakespere’s plays, while may not have caused massive ripples in itself, it was a moment of cultural significance to show that even if Shakespere one of the greatest authors ever, couldn't say what they felt then; who could?
Work Cited
DiGangi, Mario. “Queering the Shakespearean Family.” Shakespeare Quarterly, vol. 47, no. 3, 1996, pp. 269–90, https://doi.org/10.2307/2871378. Accessed 30 Apr. 2022.
Jane, Caecilia. “Censoring Shakespeare.” A Historical Miscellany Censoring Shakespere, 31 Oct. 2019, http://www.danceshistoricalmiscellany.com/censoring-shakespeare/. Shakespeare, William, and Thomas Bowdler. The Family Shakespeare ... 1812. |
Jacob Mooney | ||
| Jan 1836 |
Extreme Sexuality and Porphyria's Lover “Porphyria’s Lover”, written and published by Robert Browning in January 1836, is said to explore various sexual notions and desires of that of men. Marked as one of Browning’s most famous and well-known dramatic monologues, “Porphyria’s Lover,” encapsulates the story of two young lovers and explores the themes and notions of extreme sexuality, more specifically, the appeal and emotion that exists between two potential partners or spouses. Browning’s work, as a dramatic monologue, captures the event of love and adoration, as it transpires between the speaker and Porphyria. On a more analytical and historical level, Browning’s work serves to further encapsulate and portray the realities of Romantic poetry, as it existed during this time. Balancing his work between the Romantic period and the modern world, Browning’s poem further explores the notions of “over sexuality,” as Porphyria begins to caress her lover with the appearance of her shoulder. Actively demonstrating the themes of sex and violence, Browning’s piece begins to bring into question the meaning(s) of sexuality and sensuality– how does one find this balance within society? Furthermore, this poem, as detailed by Oliver Edwards is a poem that “conjures up too vivid images,” as Browning’s work continually explores the notion of sexuality, as it transpires between two individual lovers (“Night Thoughts”). Often detailed with vivid adjectives, stark language, and even ending in murder, Browning’s piece further serves to challenge the societal and social opinions and viewpoints of relationships and sex. It can be said that Browning’s piece provides a rather rash and stark depiction of sexuality, sensuality, and love– as it ends in one’s death. To further the discussion surrounding the depiction and topic of sexuality and adoration, Tyler Efird analyzes the presence of “male sexual fantasy,” as it is present throughout Browning’s monologue. As detailed by Efird, “Nineteenth-century bourgeois masculinity was characterized by a rigid program of male self-discipline and control necessary for [the]...parameters of patriarchy”; However, it cannot be said that Browning’s work depicted a masculinity such as this. “Browning wants to implicate his reader in the pathological matters of male sexuality,” as further detailed by Efird. Through this interpretation of Browning’s work, the recurring themes of adoration and sexuality are ever-present. Browning, as further detailed by C.R. Tracy, it can also be said that Browning’s work is a depiction and portrayal of madness. Tracy states that, “Knowing that Porphyria loves him passionately but has not the strength of character necessary to make her true to him, he thinks it better that she should die.” On a more psychological and intellectual level, Browning’s work can be described as a portrayal of “hyper” sexuality, as such actions and behavior exist within and on the boundaries of moral and immoral. Although Browning’s piece does not depict any notion of homosexual behavior, Browning’s piece does serve to test the boundaries of sexuality and its depiction. Further relating to the existence and topic of sexuality, “Porphyria’s Lover” challenges the previous opinions and assumptions made about the topics of sexuality, love, and adoration. Depicting a rather stark contrast from “normal” love, this poem furthers the conversation surrounding what it means to love and be loved. Works Cited: Edwards, Oliver. "Night Thoughts." Times, 13 Mar. 1958, p. 13. The Times Digital Archive, link-gale-com.proxy.ulib.uits.iu.edu/apps/doc/CS218454637/TTDA?u=iulib_iupui&sid=bookmark-TTDA&xid=d88098ff. Accessed 30 Apr. 2022. Efird, Tyler. “‘Anamorphosizing’ Male Sexual Fantasy in Browning’s Monologue.” Mosaic: An Interdisciplinary Critical Journal, vol. 43, no. 3, 2010, pp. 151–66, http://www.jstor.org/stable/44029488. Accessed 30 Apr. 2022. Tracy, C. R. “Porphyria’s Lover.” Modern Language Notes, vol. 52, no. 8, 1937, pp. 579–80, https://doi.org/10.2307/2912910. Accessed 30 Apr. 2022. |
Emilia Spann | ||
| 1855 |
Song of Myself and Walt Whitman's Advocacy“Tenderly will I use you curling grass, It may be you transpire from the breasts of young men, It may be you are from old people, or from offspring taken”
This quote from Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself 6” was published in 1855 and is one of the many verses in his work that is queercoded. Whitman’s work while maybe not expressly does have the underlying tone of love to all. Whitman even had a by most accounts unique [at the time] relationship with Pete Doyal. Homosexuality wouldn’t be a surprise to the trancendentalist poet and would fall under many of his ideas and expressions. These ideas of Whitman’s even impacted other authors into writing their own works such as “What Is the Grass: Walt Whitman in My Life, author Mark Doty.” The website Advocate goes on to describe the book saying “What Is the Grass is a study of Walt Whitman and his oeuvre, most notably his 19th-century poetry collection, Leaves of Grass. But for the award-winning gay poet Doty, textual analysis of the great American bard required a personal analysis, which necessitated this kind of spiritual contact” (Why Walt Whitman). In the same article during an interview with Advocate Doty described their work as “I didn't want to write a book of literary criticism without self in it, without a passionate point of view," Doty said. "I wanted to do something I did not know how to do, which was to ... read my life through the lens of the poems.” Whitman clearly even if unintentionally used his voice to express queerness through a literary lense. Talking from a modern perspective we know how important using a voice is. Many people don’t have the ability to express themselves especially in the past, so Whitman being able to do this has inspired many. Even reading Whitman’s work was able to show light to me. Whitman was very impactful for many reasons as one of the greatest poets of all time. More from Advocate’s interview with Doty saying “However, it was "his praise of heterosexual coupling and his portrayal of women when sexual desire is just thought to be awful" that clashed with conservative society, said Doty. As for his queer themes, "nobody seems to notice except for people who were looking for it, who knew how to read it." Brown noted the power of Leaves of Grass — and Whitman's avant-garde work — with this in mind. "That creates, through writing, a world of community. And that's why you take the leap. That's why you take the risk," he said” More proof of Whitman’s devotion is his set of work called “Live Oak with Moss” being called Whitman’s Song of Male Intimacy of Love. Truly a great sentiment from the poet and a very good showing of love and advocacy. Walt Whitman's Mystical Ethics of Comradeship: Homosexuality by Juan A. Hererro Brasas goes on to say chapter four about how comradeship has led to the growth of society and the growth of community whether it be spiritually, romantically, or even emotionally. Hopefully this growth from Whitman can help us all and remind us to use our voices to fight suppression for others.
Work Cited Doty, Mark. What Is the Grass: Walt Whitman in My Life. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2021. Herrero-Brasas, Juan A. “Chapter 4.” Walt Whitman's Mystical Ethics of Comradeship: Homosexuality and the Marginality of Friendship at the Crossroads of Modernity, SUNY Press, Albany, NY, 2011. TheAdvocateMag. “Why Walt Whitman, 'America's Poet,' Was a Queer Pioneer.” ADVOCATE, Advocate.com, 3 July 2020, https://www.advocate.com/books/2020/7/03/why-walt-whitman-americas-poet-.... Walt Male Intimacy - Whitman Archive. https://whitmanarchive.org/criticism/current/pdf/anc.02125.pdf. |
Jacob Mooney | ||
| circa. The end of the month Spring 1895 to circa. Summer 1895 |
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde & The Libel Trials Oscar Wilde was an Irish playwright and poet in the late 1800s. He wrote poems, plays, and novels with some of his most notable works being "A Picture of Dorian Gray" 1891, "The Importance of Being Ernest" 1895, and "Lady Windermere's Fan" 1992. Wilde was a well-known celebrity in London during the early 1890s. He was also recognized as a celebrity in France before and after his Libel trial. The reason for the trial was a result of being charged with sodomy and "gross indecency" in London in 1895. Here's what Ari Adit, a scholar and writer for the American Journal of Sociology, said about Oscar Wilde: "Oscar Wilde is considered to be the iconic victim of 19th-century British puritanism. Yet the victorian authorities rarely and only reluctantly enforced homosexuality laws. Moreover, Wilde's sexual predilections had long been common knowledge in London before his trials without affecting the dramatist's wide popularity" (Adut pg. 213). As Adut points out, Wildes's sexual orientation was something that the public was aware of, although this topic of conversation was very taboo during this time, which would explain why people would not talk openly about it. In addition, homosexuality was also illegal at this time in London. The trial had a far-reaching effect as seen in Nancy Erber's "The French Trials of Oscar Wilde." The article reads, "Wilde's suit against the marques of Queensbury came to public notice in the french press in April 1895, midway through the decade marked by the seemingly never-ending drama of the Dreyfus affair. While the debates provoked by Wilde's subsequent arrest and imprisonment never attained the intensity and magnitude of those surrounding the accusation and sentencing of Captain Alfred Dreyfus during the spring of 1895 the Wilde trials received ample and sustained coverage in the daily press of the French capital. The nature and extent of press attention suggest that more was at stake than a simple news event" (Erber 549). An AandE article also explains that "The famed writer of The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Ernest brought attention to his private life in a feud with Sir John Sholto Douglas, whose son was intimately involved with Wilde" (A&E). The aftermath of the aforementioned quotation is something pathetic and unworthy of respect. Sir John Sholto Douglas ended up going around spouting and grunting about Wilde and Douglas's son's private life. He yelled and gossiped all over London, spilling the tea about things that shouldn't matter, saying things like, "Oscar Wilde should be in jail!", and "He's a Homosexual and a sinner!". Sir John Douglas was a raging homophobe, to say the least. Wilde was eventually convicted and had to serve two years of hard labor in prison. He lost his will to write after being made to feel an amount of shame that no human being should feel for simply being who they are. The bogus trials of Oscar Wilde are yet another instance of stagnation in the fight for equality. We are forever in a state of wonder as to what other remarkable works of literature Wilde would've produced if not for his unjust sentence, hard labor, and imprisonment. Oscar Wilde's spirit was crushed by the time he got out of prison. He ended up living the final years of his life in Paris. Oscar Wilde died 2 years after getting out of prison. Despite his tragic end, Wilde has left us with some delightfully funny reads, an ideology on art/aestheticism, and has also shown us the beauty of personal freedom. The published works of Oscar Wilde show how rich in color his style and prose were. There are a few quotes from Wilde's "The Picture of Dorian Gray", that are in sync with what Harvey Milk stood for, as seen in my other timeline entry about Prop. 6 and Harvey Milk. Milk strongly advocated the value of being proud of who we are by coming out about sexuality and that would, in turn, push society closer to doing away with the bigoted myths about LGBTQ. One of Oscar Wilde's quotes, that I see as connected to this is, "Be yourself; everyone else is already taken" (Wilde). Another quote that I believe is related to Harvey Milk, and the argument that being gay is unnatural goes, "Being natural is simply a pose, and the most irritating pose I know" (Wilde). This quote, to me, is in opposition to those who use the term "natural" in a socially constructed, subjective manner to dehumanize LGBTQ. In addition to these quotes, Wilde left us with some thought-provoking ideas on aestheticism. When looking back on Wildes's philosophy on the aesthetic movement, it becomes evident that Wilde viewed beauty as a virtue. The aesthetic movement valued art, beauty, and sensuality for its own sake. What I mean by this is, that regardless of deeper meaning, beauty and art were seen as having intrinsic value by means of their aesthetics. The fuel for the movement came from a desire to get away from the ugliness of the industrial age among other ugly or dull things lacking in style. Patrick Duggan of the BU Journal of the Arts and Sciences explains Wilde's view of the aesthetic movement in the following quote: "The Aesthetic Movement in fin-de-siecle England, as interpreted by Oscar Wilde, revolved around the ideal that the utility of one's actions should be to create the maximum amount of beauty and pleasure in one's life, and nothing more" (Duggan). These ideas relate back to the Pre-Raphaelit Brotherhood Movement, Christina Rossetti, and her narrative style poem "The Goblin Market." The main connection to the Goblin Market can be seen in some of the symbolism of the poem as well as the accompanying illustrations done by her brother Dante Gabriel Rossetti. In the poem, the goblin men's fruit symbolizes things that are forbidden and sensual. As noted earlier, sensuality was something that was valued by Wilde and the Aesthetic Movement in general. The illustrations by Dante Rossetti show the two beautiful sisters in a passionate embrace which is also something that resonates with the aesthetic movement by showing their beauty and love for one another. Oscar Wilde wrote, "Perhaps one never seems so much at one's ease as when one has to play a part" (Wilde). By recognizing the injustice of Oscar Wilde's libel trial, conviction, hard labor, and jail time, it is my hope that those who read this timeline entry will play a part, not apart, in the ongoing battle for equality that the LGBTQ community deserves. Oscar Wilde's last words in the Paris Hotel he was living in were said to be, "This wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. Either it goes, or I do." Although Wilde had, just under two years ago, gone through the toughest time in his life, he kept with him his wittingly funny demeanor right up until his very last breath.
Works Cited Terpening, William. "The Picture of Oscar Wilde: A Brief Life." Brown University (Undergraduate Research Fellow). Image #1, June 8, 2007. https://victorianweb.org/authors/wilde/wildebio.html
Adut, Ari. "A Theory of Scandal: Victorians, Homosexuality, and the Fall of Oscar Wilde." American Journal of Sociology. Vol.111, No.1, pp.213-
Erber, Nancy. "The French Trial of Oscar Wilde." Journal of the History of Sexuality, Vol.6, No.4, April 1996. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4617221
Editors, History. "Oscar Wilde is Sent to Prison for Indecency." A and E Television Networks, November 13, 2009. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/oscar-wilde-is-sent-to-prison-for-indecency
Wilde, Oscar, 1854-1900. The Picture of Dorian Gray. London; New York, N.Y.: Penguin, 2003.
Duggan, Patrick. "The Conflict Between Aestheticism and Morality in Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray." BU Arts & Sciences Writing Program, Issue 1, 2007. https://www.bu.edu/writingprogram/journal/past-issues/issue-1/duggan/#:~:text=The%20Aesthetic%20Movement%20in%20fin,one's%20life%2C%20and%20nothing%20more. |
Marcus Ramey | ||
| circa. Winter 1924 to circa. 1925 |
Henry Gerber and The Society for Human Rights The Society for Human Rights was established in Chicago in 1924. The non-profit organization, on December 24, 1924, was granted an official Charter from the State of Illinois. According to The Legacy Project, that is what makes it “the oldest documented homosexual organization in the nation” (The Legacy Project). In the Society’s charter, it is mentioned how its purpose was to: “[T]o promote and protect the interests of people who by reasons of mental and physical abnormalities are abused and hindered in the legal pursuit of happiness which is guaranteed them by the Declaration of Independence and to combat the public prejudices against them by dissemination of factors according to modern science among intellectuals of mature age. The Society stands only for law and order; it is in harmony with any and all general laws insofar as they protect the rights of others, and does in no manner recommend any acts in violation of present laws nor advocate any manner inimical to the public welfare” (The Legacy Project). A year after The Society for Human Rights was created, it disbanded because Henry Gerber, the founder and important figure in the history of LGBT rights, got arrested after the publication of the Society’s second newsletter, Friendship and Freedom. Gerber today is known for being the forefather of the United States gay movement and was inspired by Germany’s Doctor Magnus Hirschfeld and his work with the Scientific Humanitarian Committee. He was originally born in 1892 in Bavaria, Germany, and in 1913, he moved to the United States. In 1917, Gerber joined the United States armed forces and continued as part of the German occupation force through 1923. When becoming familiar with the German group Bund fur Menshenrecht (Society for Human Rights), that is when he tried to establish a similar group in Chicago. After signing the charter for The Society for Human Rights in 1924, Gerber started Friendship and Freedom, the first American publication for homosexuals. He was able to publish two issues before being shut down by the local police in 1925, a few sheer months after being officially charted by the State of Illinois. Members of the group, Gerber included, were arrested on ‘“obscenity charges, the result of a tip provided by one of the members’ wives” (National Park Service). Eventually, the charges were dropped but the legal fees bankrupted Gerber. While Gerber’s case was dismissed, his arrest cost him everything, from his life savings, his job at the post office, and everything he had to The Society for Human Rights. The group was forced to disband before it could embark on a mission to promote tolerance and understanding of homosexuality. In the brief time of the group’s existence and its small size, the Society for Human Rights, today is a precursor to the modern gay liberation movement that would not come around until around three decades later. In 1927, he decided to reenlist for the armed forces and was posted that Fort Jay on Governors Island where he continued to write about homosexuality for several publications. Around 1930-1939, he published the periodical Contacts as a conduit for pen-pal correspondence, but also discreetly to provide a means for gay men to make connections. Not just that, he wrote several articles for the 1934 publication Chanticleer in which he defended homosexuality. During his time at Fort Jay, he got harassed and suffered beatings and blackmail only because he was gay (National Park Service). For several weeks in 1942, Gerber was held in the guardhouse at Castle Williams, and “no evidence of illegal behavior was found” (National Park Service). Although nothing was ever found, he still stayed in Castle Williams weeks after the search. Despite that, he continued with his Army career until eventually retiring in New York City with an honorable discharge in 1945. Throughout the 1950s, at a distance, he worked for the Mattachine Society in New York and the ONE Magazine. He continued by sharing his story and writing, “inspiring the movement that would eventually lead to the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City, which catalyzed the growth of the gay rights movement nationwide” (National Park Service). Gerber’s legacy continues in the movement today for LGBT rights and serves as a reminder that Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill will never stop the LGBT community from doing everything in their power to fight for what Gerber once said in ONE, a monthly gay magazine, “I realized this start was dead wrong, but after all, movements always start small... It would probably take long years to develop into anything worthwhile. Yet I was willing to slave and suffer and risk losing my job and savings and even my liberty for the ideal” (wttw). Related Links: Ramey, Marcus. "The Stonewall Riots, The Stonewall Uprising, The Stonewall Rebellion, or Simply, Stonewall." COVE, https://editions.covecollective.org/chronologies/stonewall-riots-stonewall-uprising-stonewall-rebellion-or-simply-stonewall.
Works Cited: Francis, Meredith. “The Chicagoan Who Founded the Earliest Gay Rights Group in America.” wttw, 26 June 2019, https://interactive.wttw.com/playlist/2019/06/26/henry-gerber.
Herman, Kimberly A. "Henry Gerber House National Historic Landmark.” National Park Service, https://www.nps.gov/articles/henry-gerber-house-national-historic-landmark.htm.
“LGBT History on Governors Island.” National Park Service, 26 February 2015, https://www.nps.gov/gois/learn/historyculture/henry-gerber.htm.
“The Society for Human Rights.” The Legacy Project, |
Ashley Hess | ||
| The middle of the month Spring 1925 |
Sexual Identity in Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway, which was published in 1925, focuses on an array of issues including sexuality and homosexuality. This is known as one of Woolf’s best-known novels which focuses on the life of the protagonist, Clarissa Dalloway, in which her character is developed throughout the novel through the lens of marriage and sexuality. Mrs. Dalloway challenges the notion that the female sexuality is strictly monogamous and heterosexual through Clarissa who is a strong female character that goes against that. As a noteworthy writer in the twentieth century, Woolf’s writings have influenced the way sexuality is used in novels and even today, there are scholars who apply the queer framework to Woolf’s fiction on themes that focus on homosexuality. Throughout the novel, Clarissa struggles with moments in the past which profoundly impact her present life. In an archived article from The New York Times called “The Perfect Hostess”, which was published in May 1925 by John. W. Crawford, he wrote how Woolf “contrives to enmesh all the inflections of Mrs. Dalloway’s personality, and many of the implications of modern civilization, on the account of those twenty-four hours” (Crawford). Woolf breaks down the traditional heterosexual love triangle between Clarissa, Peter, and Richard. In Mrs. Dalloway, Crawford strongly highlighted the impact Woolf had writing the narration of Clarrisa: Clarissa’s day, the impressions she gives and receives, the memories and recognitions which stir in her, the events which are initiated remotely and engineered almost to touching distance of the impervious Clarissa, capture in a definitive matrix the drift of thought and feeling in a period, the point of view of a class, and seem almost to indicate the strength and weakness of an entire civilization. (Crawford) Along with that, Galen David Bunting, a graduate student from Oklahoma State University, mentioned how Woolf uses her characters to show how they exist in a “perpetually closeted space which requires them to conform to heteronormativity, or the assumption and need for straightness” (Bunting iv). While it might not be clearly displayed, Woolf’s novel does reveal the importance of oneself understanding of identity and ways it can be impactful in others’ lives. Woolf’s novel unearths the concept of sexual identity and desire, which at that time, was a subject that was not explicitly explored within the contemporary world and on gender construction openly. Courtney Long, an English student at Nottingham Trent University, wrote an article called “Reclaiming Identity: Sexuality in Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway” in which she argues how sexuality and identity are connection in Mrs. Dalloway, which is considered as Woolf’s first successful modernist text. What is more is that according to Long, the feelings expressed by Clarissa “are not recognized as a sign of homosexuality or bisexuality” (Long). In fact, the unsure depth of her feelings points out how powerful of an impact society could have on people like Clarissa in a time where homosexuality was illegal and not ever to be discussed just like with Clarissa’s mother who refused to talk of such things like that. Woolf lived in a time where homosexuality was legally a perversion and had links to mental illness which led the portrayal of this novel where the main character, whose true love might have been Sally Seaton, but still stays in a heterosexual marriage to Richard Dalloway, where there seems to be little to no connection shared between them. The article takes into consideration how the characters’ true feelings show “the turmoil it enacts upon their health: from suicide to a complete loss of self it is evident that sexual repression has a great impact upon identity” (Long). The “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which bans public school teachers in Florida from talking about sexual orientation or gender identity sadly shows the impact it has on children’s health just as it did in Mrs. Dalloway. According to The Trevor Project, studies have shown how the LGBTQ youth already face higher health and suicide risks compared to their cisgender or straight peers (The Trevor Project). Their identity matters because a bill like this erases the “LGBTQ identity, history, and culture – as well as LGBTQ students themselves” and when they are given access to spaces that affirm their gender identity, they report lower rates of suicide attempts (The Trevor Project). Works Cited: Bunting, Galen David. A Kind of Ecstasy: Queer Moments and the Power of the Closet in Mrs. Dalloway. 2015. Oklahoma State University, MA thesis,
Crawford, John W. “The Perfect Hostess.” The New York Times, 10 May 1925, https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/97/06/08/reviews/woolf-dalloway.html
Long, Courtney Skipton. “Reclaiming Identity: Sexuality in Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway.” Literary Cultures, vol. 1, no. 1, 2017, PDF download.
The Trevor Project. “National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health 2021.” The Trevor Project, https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2021/?section=SuicideMentalHealth. |
Ashley Hess | ||
| 1969 |
The Stonewall Riots, The Stonewall Uprising, The Stonewall Rebellion, or Simply, Stonewall The Stonewall Riots were a series of protests born out of repeated abuse, discrimination, exploitation, and oppression by the police of New York City against the LGBTQ community. Stonewall Inn (a local gay bar) in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Lower Manhattan was in part controlled by the mafia, whose members would blackmail wealthy patrons who came to the bar. They threatened to expose them as gay if they didn't pay large sums of money. These patrons paid the gang members of the mafia in order to avoid being fired and disowned by their families. The NYPD and its gang members also harassed and blackmailed individuals who came to Stonewall. The police took their money, beat them up, and took them to jail. The New York City police arrested people dressed in drag claiming they were breaking the 19th-century masquerade law. The masquerade law (aka anti-masking law) was established in New York in 1845. The law stated that it was a crime for a person to have their face painted, discolored, covered, or concealed on a road or public highway. The repeated police brutality against the patrons of the Stonewall Inn is what led to the violent revolt and protests. It should be noted that pacifism is the way as violence never solves anything. However, in the face of constant abuse there has to come to a point where individuals must fight back or die. Patrons of Stonewall, based on previous abuses, had the right to fight back in order to protect themselves. The order to raid the Stonewall Inn on this evening came from the chief of police, James P. O'Neill. A majority of the 205 patrons at the Stonewall Inn that evening fought back as this was nowhere near the first time police had raided and abused patrons of the Stonewall Inn. The result of the police raid of Stonewall was protests for gay liberation and LGBTQ rights in the United States. The marches and demonstrations lasted from June 28th to July 3rd. The protests that came after the raid on June 28th mark a moment in history where progress was made in the fight for equal rights for LGBTQ. This very event transformed the Gay Liberation Movement, which fought for equal rights for the LGBTQ community. It's important to recognize that this was the first major protest in history for equal rights for LGBTQ. According to the New York Times, "Several days of riots in June 1969 following a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a Greenwich Village gay bar, have become a symbol for the initiation of the contemporary Gay Rights Movement" (Duberman). A journal in GLBTQ Worldmaking says, "To queer folks in the United States and beyond, 1969 is the year that the Stonewall Riots transformed the landscape of LGBTIQ movements worldwide" (Huang pg.69). In addition to this, The American Sociological Review says, "The Stonewall Riots were remembered because they were the first to meet two conditions: activists considered the event commemorable and had the mnemonic capacity to create a commemorative vehicle" (Armstrong pg. 724). Stonewall was a step in the right direction in the fight for equality and is the reason we celebrate Gay Pride on June 28th every year.
Works Cited Davies, Diana. "Gay Liberation Front (GLF): Come Out!: A New Generation of Activists." The New York Public Library Online Archive Exhibition, Digital ID: 1582230, June 1969. http://web-static.nypl.org/exhibitions/1969/liberation.html
Duberman, Martin. "They Came Out Fighting." The New York Times, June 30, 1969.
Huang, Shuzhen. "Fifty Years Since Stonewall: Beyond the Borders of the United States." A Journal of GLBTQ Worldmaking, Vol.6, No.2, June 1,
Armstrong, Elizabeth A. Crage, Suzanna M. "Movements and Memory: The Making of the Stonewall Myth." American Sociological Review, Vol.71 No. 5, pp. 724-751, October 2006. https://www.jstor.org/stable/25472425?searchText=1969%20Stonewall%20Riots&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3D1969%2BStonewall%2BRiots%26so%3Drel&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3A6f1f50e020f77cda2c14c7135d9c9518
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Marcus Ramey | ||
| Jun 1970 |
The Past and Present Fight for LGBTQIA+ Representation June 1970 marked the first official Pride parade, a distinct act of homosexual representation and liberation throughout the Unites States. Further relating to prevalent societal challenges surrounding the issue of sexuality and sexual desires, specifically homosexuality, the origination of pride parades served to combat, dispell, and challenge these feelings from the start. Within the United States, the city of Chicago held the first pride parade on June 27, 1970. This first assembly was marked by the attendance of around 150 marchers fighting for power to be given to the gay people living within the city and nation. Further relating to the riots that occured at Stonewall, some years before, these assemblies, riots, and parades all served to support one belief and one mission– the rights and representation of those who are otherwise oppressed. A New York Times article, written by Amy Waldman explores the existence of these parades in response to the Stonewall riots and how such marches continue to pave the way for overall freedom, equality and representation for the homosexual community. Waldman states, “The parade was a tapestry of stories and a tableau of images,” serving to further the conversation surrounding the purpose of the parade and, specifically, what such an assembly can do to spark change and difference among the nation. Furthermore, it can be said that, often, homosexual citizens within the United States are viewed as marginalized minorities, often finding themselves fighting for rights and representation that comes so easily to others. The origination and existence of Pride parades, nationwide and globally, serve to further challenge the previous notions and beliefs of unequal representation and difference. The issue and relevance of topics such as this often stem from political topics found within a country’s political system. Caroline Beer and Victor Cruz-Aceves state that, “Modernization theory argues that urban, wealthier, and better-educated states will have stronger democracies and greater human rights protections.” The entirety of the study, performed by Beer and Cruz-Aceves, furthers the conversation surrounding homosexual representation and equal rights. Still today, in the United States the issues surrounding representation and rights are still present. The LGBTQIA+ community, still today, fights for their own rights and representation throughout society, striving to make their voices heard regardless of the differing opinions that may exist within society. Gay activism is still very much a part of present-day society as news articles and sources are often riddled with the topic of homosexuality and its representation. Recurring topics, such as this, are often represented throughout society in a variety of manners. The issues and challenges that the LGBTQIA+ community faces are not new and contemporary issues. Instead, these trials date back to fifty years ago and the fight for representation has not ceased. Works Cited Beer, Caroline, and Victor D. Cruz-Aceves. “Extending Rights to Marginalized Minorities: Same-Sex Relationship Recognition in Mexico and the United States.” State Politics & Policy Quarterly, vol. 18, no. 1, 2018, pp. 3–26, https://www.jstor.org/stable/26973412. Accessed 1 May 2022. Waldman, Amy. "30 Years After Stonewall, Diversity Is Shown in Gay Pride Parade: 30 Years After Stonewall, Diversity Shows in Gay Pride March." New York Times (1923-), Jun 28, 1999, pp. 3. ProQuest, http://ulib.iupui.edu/cgi-bin/proxy.pl?url=http://search.proquest.com/hi.... |
Emilia Spann | ||
| 1978 |
Briggs Initiative (Proposition 6), Harvey Milk, & The White Night Riots Harvey Milk was a gay rights activist who played an important role in the fight for equal rights for LGBTQ in the late 1970s. As one of the first openly gay American politicians to be elected into office as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Milk sought to help with political reform that San Francisco was in desperate need of. Milk was a strong advocate for the community and promoted a friendly culture of cooperation, peace, and equal rights for all. He recognized a crucial need for change and helped with the progression of the Gay Liberation Movement and equality in general. In the short time that Milk served in office, he faced growing rhetoric of anti-gay sentiment in the late 1970s. This is specifically seen in California Proposition 6, (also known as the Briggs Initiative) which was an initiative that was attempting to ban gay and lesbian people from working in California public schools. Prop. 6 is strikingly similar to the Florida bill 1557 that resulted in the "don't say gay" protests. With the recent Florida bill 1557 being a point of stagnation in the fight for equal rights for LGBTQIA+, I'm happy to be sharing with you a moment in history where a victory was made in the ongoing fight, that is the fact that Prop. 6 was defeated. *Link to most recent gallery entry https://editions.covecollective.org/chronologies/dont-say-gay-walt-disney-company* Check out Jacob's entry "Don't Say Gay & The Walt Disney Company" to learn more about the recent "Don't Say Gay Bill" and take a look at how similar it is to The Briggs Initiative of the 1970s. *Link to yet another related gallery entry https://editions.covecollective.org/chronologies/clause-28-prohibition-promoting-homosexuality-teaching-or-publishing-material* Also, take a second to dig Ashley's gallery entry on clause 28(Another bunk piece of anti-gay legislation from across the pond). Harvey Milk's legacy brought people together in unity. His career is highlighted by a victory over oppression. Milk knew that the fight for equal rights could not be won from the closet and thus organized and inspired people to 'come out' literally and metaphorically to publically oppose Prop. 6. "Specifically, LGBTQ activists formed coalitions with unions, low-income workers, and oppressed groups, they organized visible mass demonstrations, and thousands of LGBT came out of the closet and directly confronted the homophobic arguments of their opponents" (Khalil pg. 4). Not only did Milk work directly with the community, but he also wrote a letter to President Carter calling for a response to the following: "On November 1978, California ballot will be an initiative, which would prohibit gay persons from teaching and would have other serious infringements on individual rights. Though it is a state ballot issue, it is also of great national importance and we hope you will strongly oppose it" (Milk's letter). The letter was well received and resulted in President Carter's condemnation of Prop. 6. This, along with countless other efforts of activism by Harvey Milk, brought forth a win over Prop. 6 in a landslide. This moment in history gives me hope that Florida's "don't say gay" bill will be nonexistent in the near future. Milk's heroic life met a bitter end shortly after the victory over Prop. 6. Harvey Milk and San Francisco mayor, George Moscone were both shot and killed by a right-wing politician named Dan White. Dan White was a bigot who referred to people in the LGBTQ community as radicals, social deviants, and incurables. Harvey Milk was only 48 years old when he was murdered. Dan White was sentenced to 7 years and 2 months in jail for the two murders he committed in broad daylight. The fact that Dan White received this sentence is disgusting. It looks as though Dan White was given this measly sentence for murdering two men because one of these men was gay. What does this say about our justice system? It's saying that it's okay to murder people who are gay. It also says that the lives of LGBTQ matter less, or simply don't matter at all. If Dan White would've murdered two white men who were not associated with the LGBTQ community, then he would've gotten the death penalty. I don't believe in capital punishment; I also don't believe that someone who commits a hate crime of this magnitude should be released back into society after only 5 years as Dan White was. This, in a way, resembles certain aspects of the current Black Lives Matter Movement. Police are getting sentences for murdering people of color that are in no way even close to the life sentences they deserve. A similarity can also be seen between the White Night Riots that came after the unjust sentencing of Dan White, and the Black Lives Matter protests that came after the murder of George Floyd. Both sets of protests came necessarily as a result of hate crimes, systematic injustices, bigotry, and murder. All of this brings an analogical question to mind. What would a one-way ticket to justice cost? The cost, as in terms of what is being paid, is centuries of oppression and counting, sadly. Some may look at Harvey Milk's death as an impedance to the Gay Rights Movement, as we've yet to see not one member of public office with a comparable drive, tenacity, and commitment to the fight for equal rights for LGBTQ. However, Milk did leave us with some powerful and righteous ideas that we can look to for guidance. Despite his tragic end, Milk's legacy inspired and showed countless people that they can and should be proud of who they are, which is something that continues to this very day. Harvey Milk's life positively influenced society for the better. He embodied the spirit of change in a way that brought people together through accepting others while encouraging people to simply be proud of who they are. Harvey Milk famously said, "If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door." I'm ending this entry with two hopeful poems I wrote while wrapped in inspiration over Harvey Milk and what he stood for. In Light of and for the Sake of Love Take all the fear. Take all the hate. Take all the bigotry and send it back where it came.
Give in to peace. Give in to love. Be proud of who you are and in unity, we will all rise above.
Do Something Do Something. People are being murdered. Our Friends, Our Sisters, Our Brothers, Our Families, They are dying.
The loss of our loved ones In the name of what? Some ass-backward justice, Some racist legal system, Some crooked police force Of fascists and bigots and pitchforks. What kind of animalistic justice is this?
Cops who murder for nonviolent offenses, Or for Being Black! Cops who kill Our Friends, Our Sisters, and Our Brothers.. Our Families, they are crying.
Do something for sake of your duty, For sake of moral obligation to your fellow man. For your fellow man needs you to Do Something. Things can change, and things will get better, If you, yes you, Do Something.
Black Lives Matter.
-MZR
Works Cited Bettmann, Getty. Archive Image. "Harvey Milk." A and E Television Networks, June 19, 2020. https://www.history.com/topics/gay-rights/harvey-milk
Khalil, Ramy K. "Harvey Milk and California Proposition 6: How the Gay Liberation Movement Won two Early Victories." Western Washington University Masters of Arts Thesis, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 1-147, May 2012.
Milk, Harvey. "Letter from Harvey Milk to President Carter Regarding the Briggs Initiative." Board of Supervisors City Hall San Francisco 94102, District 5, June 28, 1978. https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/harvey-milk-carter?tmpl=component&print=1
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Marcus Ramey | ||
| Jun 1981 |
AIDS Epidemic & Its Presence Throughout the United States First beginning in the 1980s, the AIDS epidemic was marked as one of the most well-known public health epidemics within the contemporary United States. As such an epidemic can be described, placed, and analyzed within a timeline format, still today the issue of AIDS and sexually transmitted disease brings devastation to our country. Further marked with heavy assumption and accusation, the AIDS epidemic was often characterized by a great stigma surrounding the issues and topics of sexuality– specifically within the homosexual community. During this time, the AIDS epidemic was described as a global hardship and obstacle regarding the health, prosperity, and well being of United States’ citizens. During its time, the AIDS epidemic was a national, even global, issue. June 5, 1981 marked the first date of which AIDS appeared within the United States as a sexually transmitted disease, one that can be spread to others. Immediately, this epidemic became face-to-face with much questioning and concern surrounding the exact way in which such a disease could be transmitted from human to human. As noted by author Paula Treichler, in a 1987 journal article on the topic of AIDS, various misconceptions existed regarding the topic of AIDS and its transmission. “The biggest misconception that we have encountered and that most cities…have seen is that many people feel that casual contact– being in the same room with an AIDS victim– will transmit the virus and may infect them,” Treichler states. It can be said that this outbreak and epidemic spanned all across the globe, serving to elicit questions, stereotypes, and discrimination to those who possessed the disease. Upon its discovery, the infection of HIV and AIDS was met with great debate and discrimination, specifically within the homosexual community. Often labeled as the “gay man’s pneumonia,” AIDS, and the possession of the disease, was quickly met with acts of discrimination and questioning regarding one’s sexuality and the sexual lives of gay men. Furthermore, the issues that exist in relation to the topic of such a disease as this are often linked to challenges surrounding representation and approval of homosexual men during this time. In a way, this epidemic served as ammunition to further oppress and discriminate against those often labeled as “other”. Cheryl Ware states that, “The HIV and AIDS epidemic decimated gay male populations around the world,” further supporting the conversation regarding the topics of oppression and discrimination. Still just recently and today, the issue of representation and treatment of homosexual men and women throughout the United States is a grave issue. Still today, members of the LGBTQIA+ community often face difficulties and hardships regarding their lifestyle and sexuality in terms of equality impartiality. With many suggestions given regarding how to combat this global epidemic, it is said that, “a comprehensive AIDS plan be developed and that universal health care be provided for all Americans,” in a 1991 column written in the Indianapolis Star. Works Cited "September 26, 1991 (Page 4 of 48)." Indianapolis Star (1923-2004), Sep 26, 1991, pp. 4. ProQuest, http://ulib.iupui.edu/cgi-bin/proxy.pl?url=http://search.proquest.com/hi.... Treichler, Paula A. “AIDS, Homophobia, and Biomedical Discourse: An Epidemic of Signification.” October, vol. 43, 1987, pp. 31–70, https://doi.org/10.2307/3397564. Accessed 1 May 2022. Ware, Cheryl. “‘Things You Can’t Talk about’: Engaging with HIV-Positive Gay Men’s Survivor Narratives.” Oral History, vol. 46, no. 2, 2018, pp. 33–40, http://www.jstor.org/stable/44993572. Accessed 1 May 2022. |
Emilia Spann | ||
| circa. The end of the month Spring 1988 to circa. The middle of the month Autumn 2003 |
Clause 28: Prohibition on Promoting Homosexuality by Teaching or by Publishing Material
Section 28 or Clause 28 was part of a series of laws across Britain that banned the promotion of homosexuality by local authorities. It went into effect from May 24, 1988, to November 18, 2003. In 1986 to be exact, it was introduced by David Wiltshire, a Conservative, in which the bill prohibited local authorities from: “intentionally promoting homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality” or “promote the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship” (qtd. in McGhee). In an article by Sue Sanders and Gill Spraggs which was first published in “Learning Our Lines: Sexuality and Social Control” edited by Carol Jones and Pat Mahoney, they stated how: During the last few years the presentation of lesbian and gay issues has become inextricably intwined in the public mind with party politics, a tendency which came to a head in the campaign surrounding the notorious Clause 28 of the Local Government Bill 1988. During the same time, the field of education, and especially school-based education, has become established as a key site of conflict and confusion. How has this come about?” (Sanders and Spraggs). To be specific, it was only in effect from 1988 to 2000 in Scotland and 2003 in England and in Wales. The damage and legacy this section had 34 years ago it had caused is still felt and remembered even today. It took a decade to repeal Section 28 and it will take a long time for the generation of LGBT youth and teachers to heal from. Kelly Ann Cecillia McGhee, a volunteer who spend a few months in the archive researching material regarding Section 28 by the Conservative Government in the 1980s wrote an article called “The Destruction Caused by Clause 28.” In her article, she highlights how “pupils who experienced prejudice were unable to voice the discrimination that they faced, and little counselling or support was available to families or children” (McGhee). This section in some way is like the “Don’t Say Gay” bill which was passed by the Florida Senate on March 8th which aims to restrict schools from teaching students about their sexual orientation and gender identity. Moreover, she also adds that “certain books were also prohibited from classrooms, teachers were also unable to disclose their sexuality in fear of losing their jobs and teachers and parents were no longer in control of what sexual education their pupils or children received” (McGhee). This is not something anyone should have to experience and fear like it is something that is inevitable. The effect of Section 28 defined social attitudes towards homosexuality, gay, and lesbian people that left them feeling unsafe and commonly drew dangerous comparisons between homosexuality and criminal behavior (McGhee). One quote that has stuck with me for quite some time now is by Emma Watson, which she mentioned: “It is time that we all see gender as a spectrum instead of two sets of opposing ideals.” A writer and blogger who specializes in US politics, Joe Sommerlad elaborated on Section 28 more in his article titled “Section 28: What was Margaret Thatcher’s controversial law and how did it affect the lives of LGBT+ people?” According to Sommerlad, Ms. Thatcher, is responsible for the first new homophobic law to be introduced in a century, in which she had once said that “Children who need to be taught to respect traditional moral values are being taught that they have an inalienable right to be gay" (qtd. in Sommerlad). The clause had a pernicious influence in legitimizing hate and the increase in homophobia and bullying, which demonized LGBT+ children. Like the clause, the “Don’t Say Gay” bill will make many stay imprisoned in the closet for fear or social reprisal, disapproval, or worse.
Works Cited: McGhee, Kelly Ann Cecillia. “The Destruction Caused by Clause 28.” Glasglow Women’s Library,
Sanders, Sue, and Gill Spraggs. “Section 28 and Education.” The Women’s Press, 1989,
Sommerlad, Joe. “Section 28: What was Margaret Thatcher’s controversial law and how did it affect the lives of LGBT+ people?” Independent, 25 May 2018, |
Ashley Hess | ||
| Spring 2022 |
Don't Say Gay & The Walt Disney Company Florida House Bill 1557 also called the “Dont Say Gay” bill was signed by Govener Ron DeSantis. Going from a New York Times article called by Dana Goldstein went over a few of the key points of the bill such as “instruction on gender and sexuality would be constrained in all grades, schools would be required to notify parents when children receive mental, emotional or physical health services, unless educators believe there is a risk of “abuse, abandonment, or neglect, parents would have the right to opt their children out of counseling and health services, parents could sue schools for violating the vaguely written bill, and districts would have to cover the costs and Florida would rewrite school counseling standards.” The signing of this bill has led to protests and walkouts; not only in Florida but all over the United States. One of the major call outs was to The Walt Disney Company and their CEO Bob Chapek. Some disgruntled members of The Walt Disney Company even went to release an open letter saying “leadership regarding the Florida legislature’s recent “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” bill have utterly failed to match the magnitude of the threat to LGBTQIA+ safety represented by this legislation. Primarily, those statements have indicated that leadership still does not truly understand the impact this legislation is having not only on Cast Members in the state of Florida, but on all members of the LGBTQIA+ community in the company and beyond.” All of this followed a hashtag saying #DisneyDoBetter and some other social media pushback. While after some pushback Mr. Chapek did apologize for his original stance and said The Walt Disney Company would be trying to push against the bill and support members of the LGBTQ+ community. The open letter also demanded “a more inclusive environment, encouraging a welcoming culture, supporting diverse groups and taking away funding from the politicians that supported House Bill 1557.” The Walt Disney Company was very quick to agree that their lack of action was wrong and then tried to make amends with its staff. This of course led to pushback again from Gov. DeSantis. Gov. DeSantis would push against Disney and their self-governing status in the Reedy Creek area. From a CNN article entitled “Why Disney has its own government in Florida and what happens if that goes away” by Eric Levenson and Dianne Gallagher would go on to say “The move comes as Florida's Republican-led government has taken aim at Disney -- the largest single-site employer in the state -- for its opposition to a law restricting education on LGBTQ issues in schools” this shows the clear reason and comparison and reaction from the Gov. to the company. This has become a very heavy legal issue and is a keystone to a lot of issues in the country/world such as expression, rights, and other aspects of identity. As i am writing this at the end of April 2022 this issue is still evolving and the battle for rights in America is very much underway. I know things will not change soon, but I can be hopeful that this timeline entry might be outdated in a good way very soon.
Works Cited Goldstein, Dana. “Opponents Call It the 'Don't Say Gay' Bill. Here's What It Says.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 18 Mar. 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/18/us/dont-say-gay-bill-florida.html. Levenson, Eric, and Dianne Gallagher. “Why Disney Has Its Own Government in Florida and What Happens If That Goes Away.” CNN, Cable News Network, 22 Apr. 2022, https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/21/us/reedy-creek-walt-disney-florida/index..... Lynch, Jamiel, et al. “Disney's Self-Governing District Says Florida Cannot Dissolve It without Paying off Its Debts.” CNN, Cable News Network, 28 Apr. 2022, https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/27/us/reedy-creek-disney-florida/index.html. Mazzei, Patricia. “DeSantis Signs Florida Bill That Opponents Call 'Don't Say Gay'.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 28 Mar. 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/28/us/desantis-florida-dont-say-gay-bill.... “Open Letter & Petition.” Disney Do Better Walkout, https://www.whereischapek.com/open-letter. |
Jacob Mooney |