The AIDS epidemic, changing pathways to parenthood for same-sex couples, debates over transgender rights and the fight for same-sex marriage are among the developments that have shaped LGBTQ+ activism in the United States. Use these Retro Report resources to introduce your students to this history and the impact it is having on the LGBTQ+ community today.
Transgender Rights, Won Over Decades, Face New Restrictions
Transgender rights have evolved through decades of activism, cultural visibility and policy debates. In recent years, lawmakers in many states have introduced hundreds of bills addressing issues like access to gender-affirming medical care, participation in sports and gender identity in schools. Supporters and critics have sharply disagreed over the impact of these measures. This short film explores influential moments of transgender activism, like the Stonewall uprising of 1969. Introduce the history of the fight for transgender equality to your classroom in this 11-minute Retro Report video and accompanying free lesson plan.
Born by Surrogate: New Paths to Parenthood
As IVF became more widely available beginning in the late 1970s, new forms of family building, including gestational surrogacy, became possible and sparked legal and social debates. Today, IVF is widely available in the United States, although access, regulation and cost vary significantly by state and provider. Same-sex couples have sought greater access to IVF and surrogacy as pathways to parenthood. Share this 11-minute Retro Report short documentary on the history of IVF and the impact it has had on family formation.
AIDS: From Ryan White to Today’s Silent Epidemic
Advances in treatment have transformed HIV from a fatal diagnosis into a manageable chronic condition for many people, leading some Americans to view it as less urgent than during the height of the AIDS crisis.
But over the past decade, this has proven to be a dangerous misconception. New HIV infections continue to affect certain communities disproportionately, particularly racial and ethnic minorities. Misconceptions have been a part of the AIDS crisis history. In 1985, Ryan White, a 13-year-old boy with hemophilia, contracted H.I.V. through a blood transfusion. In the face of parent-led protests and opposition from local school officials, a court ruled that Ryan could not be barred from returning to school. Share this 12-minute Retro Report video and accompanying free lesson plan to introduce students to the history and continuing legacy of the AIDS crisis.
How the Supreme Court Ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges Legalized Same-Sex Marriage
This new short doc revisits the landmark Supreme Court decision from the perspective of the two named participants, Jim Obergefell and Richard Hodges. When Jim Obergefell and his partner John Arthur decided to marry after more than 20 years together, they faced a formidable obstacle: their home state of Ohio refused to recognize same-sex marriages. With John terminally ill, the couple chartered a medical jet to Maryland, where their marriage would be legal. Their decision set in motion a legal challenge that reached the Supreme Court in 2015, as Obergefell v. Hodges. The court ruled 5 to 4 that the Fourteenth Amendment requires states to license and recognize marriages between same-sex couples. Share this 10-minute short doc with your students and have them explore the fight for recognition for same-sex marriage in the U.S.
Interactive Map
This interactive map explores milestones in LGBTQ+ history, including the Stonewall uprising in New York and the Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges that established a constitutional right to same-sex marriage nationwide. Students can learn about activists and organizations in the fight for rights for LGBTQ+ people. Three Retro Report short docs are linked. Find more LGBTQ+ history resources in a related lesson plan and the LGBTQ+ section of this page.
DAGMAR ROTHSCHILD was an audience engagement intern at Retro Report from 2023 to 2024. CAROLINE WATKINS is the senior audience engagement manager at Retro Report.
