The lavender scare to document dark chapter in lgbt. It should be crystal clear to everyone that both during the lavender scare and today during the trump administrations trans scare, the motives in declaring war on entire categories of. Apr 29, 2019 josh howard is raising funds for the lavender scare a documentary film on kickstarter. This clip is from a cbs documentary narrated by mike wallace in the 60s. The socalled red scare was said to have been saturated with lavender. The new deal meant an abundance of new federal jobs, and many of the people filling these positions were part of the lgbt community, leaving behind their. People remember the persecution that those who were suspected of being affiliated with the communist party faced. The new deal meant an abundance of new federal jobs, and many of the people filling these positions were part of the lgbt community, leaving behind their smaller, more conservative hometowns. Mccarthyism, the lavender scare, and the fight for full lgbt. In 1953, president eisenhower declared gay men and lesbians to be a threat to the security of the country and therefore unfit for government service. The lavender scare is the first documentary film to tell the littleknown story of an unrelenting campaign by the federal government to identify and fire all employees suspected of being homosexual. The lavender scares filmmakers have already completed principal photography thanks to grants from the ford foundation, among others but have turned to kickstarter to raise the funds needed to for final editing.
In this book, johnson concludes that the lavender scare, as it became routinized in the bureaucracy of the national security state, outlasted its more wellknown cousin, the red scare. So when she enlisted in 1952, she felt like she belonged. C onversely, the lavender scare did much to galvanize the homosexual community. Wildcard searching if you want to search for multiple variations of a word, you can substitute a special symbol called a wildcard for one or more letters. Oct 15, 2016 mccarthyism, the lavender scare, and the fight for full lgbt equality not so very long ago, lgbtq people had no specified protections in any areas of their lives. The historian covers in detail one period of lgbt history that has been all but lost, yet, it was important in driving the events presented in making gay history far more than the. A lesbian recounts her korean war military experience, in women and the. The lavender scare refers to the fear and persecution of homosexuals in the 1950s in the united states and united kingdom, which paralleled the anticommunist campaign known as mccarthyism.
Congressional investigations and the lavender scare. The government dismissed homosexuals on the grounds that emotional weakness and the likelihood of blackmail made them security risks. As the cold war progressed, gays and lesbians were cast as a. Dryden theatre george eastman house october 7, 2017 11. The mccarthy era is generally considered the worst period of political repression in recent american history. Lavender scare dimension of the red scare of the 1950s that targeted the homosexual community as loyalty and because of their perceived lack of morality and security risks because communist influences could use blackmailing threats of exposing closeted homosexuals for american intelligence.
The cold war persecution of gays and lesbians in the federal government. In the cold war years of the postwwii period, the conflict between the united states and soviet union was often viewed as a conflict between two sets of values. And perhaps just as importantly, this book is a cautionary tale, reminding us of how acts taken by the government in the name of national. Following the lavender scare, gay and lesbian societies were created. An untold history of gay persecution, the lavender. Due to the persecution of gay men and women at the time, the mattachine society. A film that exposes a shameful witch hunt that targeted gay and lesbian federal workers and gave birth to the lgbt rights movement. The cold war persecution of gays and lesbians in the federal government johnson, david k. In the aftermath of senator joseph mccarthys famous declarations about communists in the state department, department security officer john peurifoy stated that 91 people had resigned from the state department while under investigation as security risks, most of whom were homosexual. May 24, 20 the lavender scare uncovers a homosexual witch hunt started in 1953 when president eisenhower ordered the firing of all federal employees discovered to be gay or lesbian. The lavender scares first two chapters lay out the books premise and background. He is not interested in, nor capable of, a lasting relationship like that of a heterosexual marriage.
Mccarthyism, the lavender scare, and the fight for full. Jan 10, 2017 the expression lavender lads referred to gay men. While johnson naturally focused his story on washington, d. When i was a very young boy, the high point of every week was sunday. The lavender scare not only broke up and quieted the cities queer communities who were afraid of federal employment discrimination and potential hate crime, but it also resulted in a largely conservative. The cold war persecution of gays and lesbians in the federal government is a heartwrenching reminder that homosexuals faced brutal employment discrimination and endless police hostility. Before it ended, this lavender scare cost thousands of federal employees their jobs and many their lives, but it also ignited the sparks of the modern gay rights movement.
But while the red scare has been far more extensively documented, the lavender scare, according to the u. Despite the dominance of mccarthys red scare in the collective memory of the 1950s, more people. Place the importance of the integration of the military and brown v. The lavender scare was a moral panic about homosexual people in the united states government and their mass dismissal from government service. The lavender scare a documentary film by josh howard. Apr 24, 20 gay pride and selfrepresentation under the lavender scare. The lavender scare shatters the myth that homosexuality has only recently become a national political issue, changing the way we think about both the mccarthy era and the origins of the gay rights movement.
Gay men and lesbians were said to be national security risks and communist sympathizers, which led to the call to remove them from state. Johnson, this powerful and illuminating documentary uses archival footage and firsthand accounts to trace the history of americas. The lavender scares new relevance the human rights campaign is calling on the state department to apologize for all the gays and lesbians it fired in the 1950s. The cold war persecution of gays and lesbians in the federal. The lavender scare remains largely undocumented today and refers to the massive and systemic firing of gay and lesbian employees from the federal workforce during the cold war. Kerrys lavender scare apology reveals an important shift. Of course, many federal employees lived in the city, from postal workers to those who staffed various federal offices, and they were subject to the ban on the employment of lesbians, gays.
The two books are complements in that the lavender scare. The untold story of the most vicious witch hunt in american history. In 1950, harry hay founded the mattachine society founded in 1950, the mattachine society was one of the earliest civil rights organizations for homosexuals. The lavender scares effects, however, were still lasting. Though he was a member of the congressional com mit tee that spent several months examining the homosexualsingovernment issue, mccarthy mys. Josh howard is raising funds for the lavender scare a documentary film on kickstarter. He demonstrates how, in the language of the 1950s, security risk became a virtual code word for homosexual. Feb 28, 2017 c onversely, the lavender scare did much to galvanize the homosexual community. The lavender scare is a very readable and valuable work that clarifies the relationship between the cold war and national security interests, and those victimized by the need to preserve said security. Finally, explain the impact of the lavender scare on the later gay rights movement.
Red scares, lavender scares, and the quest for equality. Describe the red scare and the lavender scare in the context of the cold war. Explain why the government feared that leftists and homosexuals threatened the security of the nation. Gay pride and selfrepresentation under the lavender scare. It contributed to and paralleled the anticommunist campaign known as mccarthyism and the second red scare. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The lavender scare had its origins in the antiqueer campaigns begun in the military immediately after wwii, and in an anticruising campaign begun in the washington d. The red scare, the congressional witchhunt against communists during the early years of the cold war, is a wellknown chapter of american history. Jun, 2018 lasting from roughly 1947 to 1961, the lavender scare happened in conjunction with the red scare, the 1950s congressional witch hunt against communists spearheaded by sen. The cold war persecution of gays and lesbians in the federal government new edition by johnson, david k. The lavender scare but as the political crusade took off, mccarthy was nowhere to be seen. Jan 18, 2012 the lavender scare grew from the mccarthy persecutions of the 1950s, but johnson argues that its policies lasted far longer and became more institutionalized than the anticommunist hysteria.
Homosexuals at the state department in the 1950s and 60s, security within the u. These people are frightened to death national archives. Phrase searching you can use double quotes to search for a series of words in a particular order. Eisenhower deems homosexuals to be security risks and orders the immediate firing of any government employee discovered to be gay or lesbian. Gay men and lesbians were often considered communist sympathizers fellow travelers, and the era of lavender scare may be seen as the time when. Helen james grew up in a military family her great great grandfather fought in the civil war, her father in wwi, and her uncles in wwii. A second unintended consequence of the lavender scare was a growing sense of solidarity among homosexuals.
Charles pennsylvania state university, behrend college published on husa may, 2004. An untold history of gay persecution, the lavender scare. With the united states gripped in the panic of the cold war, president dwight d. The persecution of gays and lesbians in the federal government. Home home senate investigation into homosexuals in government, 1950, u. Fired 5,000 gays in 1953 witch hunt joan cassidy left active duty in the navy for fear of being outed as lesbian. Mccarthyism, the lavender scare, and the fight for full lgbt equality not so very long ago, lgbtq people had no specified protections in any areas of their lives. Following world war ii, a perfect storm was forming that would dramatically change.
The lavender scare was a moral panic about homosexual people in the united states. Here is a compressed account of the lavender scare, along with sources and links for further study. Few people are aware that the mccarthyite red scare of the fifties was paralleled by a. Though he was a member of the congressional com mit tee that spent several months examining the homosexualsingovernment issue, mccarthy mys teriously recused himself from those hearings, johnson notes. In 1953, the movement peaked as president eisenhower issued an executive order banning all homosexuals from the federal government. Senate, rg 46 the red scare, the congressional witchhunt. Persecution of lesbianism during the cold war jessica toops the cold war era of the 1950s is often connected with the red scare and the idea that the spread of communism must be stopped no matter the cost. The lavender scare not only broke up and quieted the cities queer communities who were afraid of federal employment discrimination and potential hate crime, but it also resulted in a largely conservative, homogenous culture within the government. For example, world war ii with quotes will give more precise results than world war ii without quotes. Mar 08, 2018 the lavender scare had its origins in the antiqueer campaigns begun in the military immediately after wwii, and in an anticruising campaign begun in the washington d. The backlash against the persecution that occurred during the lavender scare led to the formation of several prominent gay rights organizations, including the mattachine society. A statement repenting for decades of antilgbt discrimination is the latest page to go missing after donald trumps inauguration.
Some us government officials connected the comintern an international communist organization with what they termed the homintern, which they saw as an international homosexual conspiracy linked with communists. The lavender scare grew from the mccarthy persecutions of the 1950s, but johnson argues that its policies lasted far longer and became more institutionalized than the anticommunist hysteria. Congressional investigations and the lavender scare summer 2016, vol. Johnson, university of chicago press, chicago, 2004, isbn 0226401901. He states, the average homosexual, if there be such, is promiscuous.
Gay men and lesbians were often considered communist sympathizers fellow travelers, and the era of lavender scare may be seen as the time when homosexuals became the chief scapegoats of the cold war. The lavender scare overlaps with the second red scare the fear of communist activities within u. Although men of all kinds were arrested in the parks, the focus would come to land on men in sensitive government positions, and the idea that they might. Jan 19, 2017 in this file photo, the white house is illuminated in rainbow colors after the supreme court issued its ruling legally recognizing samesex marriage throughout the u. The lavender scare in chicago chicago stories outhistory. The lavender scare uncovers a homosexual witch hunt started in 1953 when president eisenhower ordered the firing of all federal employees discovered to be. This work will take its place beside those of george chauncey and allen berube, and every serious student of 20th century american. Gay men and lesbians were said to be national security risks and communist sympathizers.
The red scare, the congressional witchhunt against communists during the early years of the cold war, is a wellknown chapter of american. In this file photo, the white house is illuminated in rainbow colors after the supreme court issued its ruling legally recognizing samesex marriage throughout the u. Feb 17, 2005 the lavender scare but as the political crusade took off, mccarthy was nowhere to be seen. In 1950, the mattachine society became the second gay rights organization in the countrys history, and along with the daughters of bilitis established a refuge and an underground culture for gays and lesbians.
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