Activists Hail a Watershed Moment in Gay Rights Movement

In the next few days, the Boy Scouts of America is expected to announce whether or not it plans to change its longstanding national policy against openly gay members. Through an article retracing previous hurdles faced by gay rights proponents, Moni Basu, a journalist for CNN, explores the tremendous gains made by gays in the past 60 years, and how the mindset towards gay rights in America has changed.

            The context of this article that prompted this piece was Obama’s encouragement to the Boy Scouts of America to end their ban on gays. From this, Moni Basu stemmed her own purpose of writing an article to detail the historical progress made in gay rights that has gotten America to the point where its President is actually advocating for gay rights. This article shows that the activists from decades ago are finally starting to see the results of their never ending struggle to gain the rights they deserve. Although this article targets all of American society, a specific audience can be found in solely the gay community. Basu makes the point to acknowledge gay activists who have fought long and hard to get America where it is today.

Although there are several minor rhetorical devices used in this article, the most prominent device is Moni Basu’s appeal to America’s cultural memory. Cultural memories are social constructions of the past that allow individuals and groups to relate to one another by connecting to a common recollection. In this article, Basu addresses several gay rights struggles in history. She begins with the Stonewall Riots, then addresses various landmarks such as the Defense of Marriage Act and the military’s change in the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. Basu then concludes with Obama’s inaugural address mentioning Stonewall, and finally the Boy Scout’s consideration to change its national policy banning gays from membership. By pulling at the cultural memory of Americans, Basu help readers recognize how American attitudes towards gays have grown and changed through history.

Overall, Basu certainly does achieve her purpose of detailing the progress gays have made in gaining their rights. By showing the change in history from the Stonewall Riots to this point, the audience walks away with new knowledge and perspective on the gay's struggles to change America. The contrasting view from Stonewall to now that is presented in this article shows readers the immense change that spanned 60 years and has change American society in unpredictable ways.