Howdidthisdramaticchangeinthestatusofgaypeopletakeplace？Changesingaylifehavealwaysbeenlinkedtobroaderprocessesofsocialchange.Threechangesareespeciallyimportanttomentionhere.
First，thegrowingequalityofwomenandtheblackcivilrightsrevolutioninthe1950sand1960shaddirectconsequencesforgaypeople.ThepostwarstruggleofblackAmericanstoachievefullcitizenship，fullequality，andfullhumandignityhadaprofoundeffectoneveryaspectofAmericansocietyaftertheSecondWorldWar，anditaffectedeveryAmerican，includinggayAmericans.Byadvocatingtheequalityofracialminorities，theblackmovementledsomepeopletostartthinkingofgaypeopleasasexualminority，whichhadthesamerighttoequalityanddignitythatracialminoritiesdid.Inthecourts，manyofthelegalvictorieswonbyblackAmericansestablishedimportantlegalprecedentsforgaypeople.In2004，forinstance，whentheMassachusettsSupremeJudicialCourtoverturnedlawsthatprohibitedgaycouplesfromgettingmarried，itbaseditsdecisioninpartontheUnitedStatesSupremeCourtdecisionfortyyearsearlierthatoverturnedlawsprohibitingblackandwhitepeoplefromgettingmarried.Thecourtwasexplicitabouttheimportanceofthisprecedent，andreasonedthatsomeone’ssexualorientationshouldnotbarthemfromtherighttomarryanymorethanraceorskincolordid.
Second，andjustasimportant，theblackmovementandwomen’smovementinspiredagenerationoflesbiansandgaymentoseekequalityanddignityforthemselves.Theireffortstookmanyforms.Ultimately，perhapsthemostinfluentialwaygaypeoplechangedtheattitudesofheterosexualswasbyrefusingtohidetheirhomosexualityfromthemanymore.Thismarkedamajorbreakwiththecustomarypracticeofthepast，whenalmostallAmericanlesbiansandgaymenkepttheirhomosexualityasecretfromheterosexualsanddiscloseditonlytotheircircleofgayfriends.Itiseasytounderstandwhytheykepttheirhomosexualityhidden.Itwasanenormousriskforgaypeopletocomeouttoheterosexuals.Theyriskedlosingtheirjobsaswellastherespectandsupportoftheirfamiliesandfriends.Thedecisionofmanygaypeopletocomeouttoheterosexualsinthe1970sthereforeproducedahugedebateamongothergaypeopleaboutthewisdomoftakingsuchariskystep.