Were gays persecuted and killed in the Holocaust?

Yes, gay men were persecuted in Germany under Paragraph 175 of the Criminal Code. Between 1933 and 1945, an estemated 100,000 men were arrested as homosexuals, and of those, approximately 50,000 were sentenced. Most served time in regular prisons. An estemated 5,000 to 15,000 of the 50,000 were sent to concentration camps. According to Ruediger Lautmann, a leading scholar, the death rate of those prisoners may have been as hight as 60%.

Many concentartion camp survivors have testified that men with the pink triangle were treated more severly by both guards and inmates. Some homosexual men were subjected to medical experimentation in an attempt to cure their homosexuality.

After the war, homosexual concentration camp survivors were not acknowledged as victims of Nazi persecution. Some homosexual in mates were forced to serve out their criminal sentences, because they were still guilty under paragraph 175. Paragraph 175 remained in effect in West Germany until 1969.

Information about the Nazi persecution of homosexuals has been very limited. Many survivors were afraid or ashamed to tell their stories. This is mainly due to the criminalization and social stigmatization of homosexuality in Europe and the US in the decades after the Holocaust.

Resources:
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
The Men with the Pink Triangle
The Pink Triangle: The Nazi War Against Homosexuals

How do you know you are gay if you have never had sex with a person of the opposite sex?

I think that this is a sort of silly question. People know who they are and are not attracted to. You know know without asking, what turns you on. There is not an elimination process to figure out what you like.

I think that it is sort of funny that no one ever asks the opposite question: How do you know that you are straight if you have never had sex with a person of the same sex? No one ever wants to answer that question, but they expect LGBTQ people to answer theirs.

Do you get angry when people believe gay stereotypes?

I do not get angry when people believe gay stereotypes. I get angry when they act on those stereotypes. Beliefs can be changed with knowledge and education, actions cannot be taken back. I especially get angry when the belief of a stereotype effects a person's wellbeing, such as not getting a promotion or a job, because they are not percieved as being capable of doing the job.

I do not feel that stereotypes by themselves are negative or positive. Everyone does it. It's a way for our brains to store a vast majority of information about a group. Education about a group may change your view of that group, and break down stereotypes, but they may still be there. Being aware of what stereotypes you have, and not letting them influence your actions is what really matters.

Have you ever been harassed for being gay?

I have never been directly harassed, which means that no one has ever harassed me face to face. I have been on the street when someone has driven by yelling "faggot" out the window of their car. It's funny how "brave" people are when they are driving down the street at 25 mph. I wonder how brave they would really be if we were face to face, and they couldn't run away.

In some cities int he Bay Area, I think that harassment based on sexual orientation is not as overt as it once was, but there are still many cities in the nation where people are harassed, and no one does anything about it. May cities have made great strides in creating a place where everyone is treated equally. San Francisco is definitely at the forefront. The city of San Jose, and the county of Santa Clara have Domestic partner benefits for same-sex couples. The state of California is one of the few states where both sexual orientation and gender identity are protected groups under the equal employment laws. And there are laws to prevent harassment & bullying in public school in California.

There are many great strides being made, but there still is a lot more work that needs to be done. I hope that that day will come in my lifetime.

I want to help the LGBTQ community. How can I do that?

The best way to help the LGBTQ community is to speak out against homophobia. When you hear people saying anti-gay things, speak out. Tell them that you do not apreciate what they said, and that they should really consider the power of their words. When people say things like, "That's so gay." Say something. We know that they really don't mean that what ever they are talking about is not homosexual, it means that it is dumb or stupid, which by implication means that gay people are dumb or stupid.

You can also volunteer your time or oney to an LGBTQ organization. There are many many organizations, and you can find one that will fit what you personally want to do to help the LGBTQ community. If you don't know, you can check out the organizations in the links sections of this page. If there is a LGBTQ center in your city, and you don't want to volunteer there, they usually have contacts with other local organizations that need volunteers.

Before you volunteer anything, make sure you check out the organization. Do they meet the need of the LGBTQ community that you want to address. If you are passionate about same-sex marriage, then you should probably volunteer for a group that is working towards that. If your main focus is ending homophobia, and discrimination, then join a group that works towards that. If you are not passionate about the purpose of the organization, then you may not work as hard as you would if you were.

But above all the most help you can do is to effect people in your own life. Change minds and hearts through personal contact. Speak up and out against homophobia.

Why are there so many LGBTQQ organizations?

The reason that there are so many organizations, is because obtaining equal rights and ending homophobia is such a huge endevor. There are state laws that need to be changed, and there are groups dedicated to that. There are national laws that need to be changed, and there are groups dedicated to that. Then there are groups that fill the need of the LGBTQQ community. There are so many aspects for the fight for eauality that no one organization could do it all by themselves.

The work is immense, and it is delt with by organizations that can devote all their time and energy towards furthering that goal. They are doing what they do best, and what they train for.

In addition, when there are more groups, you can find an organization that will fit your personal needs.

Why does it seem that all LGBTQ people have a connection?

Many LGBTQ people aree connected on a certain level. They have all had to deal with being different from what society has told them is the norm. THey all have to deal with what it means to be LGBTQ. That is why many lGBTQ people feel that they have a connection to one another. Almost all LGBTQ people have had to come out and deal with other's reactions to that.