Many assume that the modern gay rights movement in the United States began when gay and lesbian patrons of New York's Stonewall Inn rebelled against police harassment in 1969, inspiring impassioned activism in the 1970s. However, decades before that historic night, activists had been working to improve the status of homosexuals in America. This volume examines early gay rights efforts as well as the burgeoning gay liberation movement after Stonewall. Topics include gays in the military, lesbian-feminism, family issues, AIDS-related activism, hate crimes legislation and the battle over same-sex marriage.