50 years after Stonewall: Yuval Noah Harari on the new threats to LGBT rights
With rising homophobia and rapid developments in surveillance, a new era of persecution is all too possible. It is time to unite and act
In 1969, when the New York police raided the Stonewall Inn and encountered unexpected resistance from LGBT protesters, homosexuality was still criminalised in most countries. Even in more tolerant societies, venturing out of the closet was often akin to social and professional suicide. Today, in contrast, the prime minister of Serbia is openly lesbian and the prime minister of Ireland is proudly gay, as are the CEO of Apple and numerous other politicians, businesspeople, artists and scientists. In the United States, the average Republican today holds far more liberal views on LGBT issues than the average Democrat held in 1969. The argument has moved from “should the state imprison LGBT people?” to “should the state recognise same-sex marriage?” (and almost half of Republicans support same-sex marriage).
History rarely moves in a straight line. There’s no reason to think LGBT liberation will inevitably spread around the world