"As an older lesbian, it's heartbreaking to witness such a coordinated and malicious effort to undo decades of progress - progress I saw, fought for, and experienced us win firsthand. And yet, the more I sit with what's happening, the clearer the bigger picture becomes. No matter how desperately this administration and its supporters try to keep us down, they will fail."
"I grew up as a deeply closeted lesbian in the late 1970s, a time when the thought of two people of the same sex showing even the smallest public affection was unimaginable. Visibility came with real consequences: Ridicule was almost guaranteed, and few dared to be publicly out and proud. Before 1973, the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) actually considered homosexuality a disorder. It wasn't completely removed until 1987."
Second term of the Trump administration has produced relentless legal and social attacks against the LGBTQ+ community, scapegoating transgender people and advancing laws that strip rights and seek erasure. An older lesbian recalls growing up deeply closeted in the late 1970s when public same-sex affection was unimaginable and visibility invited ridicule. Homosexuality was classified as a disorder in the DSM until 1987. She describes living in constant fear, performing heterosexuality, and suffering crushing loneliness before coming out at twenty-six. Despite current coordinated attacks, historical resilience and past victories provide grounds for endurance and cautious optimism.
Read at LGBTQ Nation
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