Tag: gay rights 1950s

The Mattachine Society: America’s First Gay Rights Movement in the 1950s

Nov 5 2025 / LGBTQ+ History

The Mattachine Society was America’s first sustained gay rights organization, founded in 1950 by Harry Hay and others. Through secrecy, legal defense, and education, they challenged the idea that homosexuality was a disease - paving the way for future activism.