The Gay Rights Movement

Another example of the political demands and outcomes involved in identity movements can be seen in the modern Hindu Nationalist Movement. This movement, which has it roots in the Hindutva Movement of the early 20th century and opposition to British colonialism, attempts to redefine the parameters of Indian citizenship from secular terms to religious ones (Pande). Hindu nationalists conceptualize rights to citizenship as inherently religious and genealogical. According to these extremists only those of Himalayan descent with roots in Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, or Jainism can truly claim Indian citizenship. Hindu Nationalism fashions an Indian identity that relies upon the Hindu religion to distinguish itself from the British and Islamic empires.
The most recent example of this is visible in the United States Gay Rights Movement. Gaining prominence in the 1980s the Gay Rights Movement used the identity of “Lesbians Gays Bisexuals and Transexuals” to demand inclusion and equal rights under US policy. These Americans use their sexuality to define themselves, and present their preferences as an inextricable part of their identity, and then make claims on the basis of this minority identification. Pointing to the promise of equal rights in US society, the Gay Rights Movement demanded marriage rights and full acceptance in United States institutions and culture. This movement manipulates the state through framing the gays as victims of a discriminatory and oppressive state, roles that they then publicize as much as possible to gain the sympathy of the press and third parties. The Gay Rights Movement was able to pressure legislation by using the press as a device to spread the message of gays as victims and the state as the bully and members of the LGBT movement as unfairly oppressed (Kirk). By using the egalitarian ideals of the American government against them, the Gay Rights Movement was able to gain enough popular support to significantly effect the actions of members of American government. As a result, in 2015, through a major Supreme Court decision, marriage rights were guaranteed to gay couples and the Gay Rights Movement secured one of the policy reforms they had been advocating for (Vogue). The Gay Rights Movement provides a current and exemplary example of how identity movements can lead to forced policy change through simply gaining public sympathy and framing as issue of identity and rights as a humanitarian