LGBTQ EXPERIENCES IN WORLD WAR II AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF LGBTQ CULTURE wartime effort, placing themselves in a maledominated environment. For the women that enlisted in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC), the results were similar, they were socialized solely with women. The WAAC also gave women the ability to exist outside of the strict gender stereotypes they experienced at home. These situations allowed people to explore and pursue their sexuality. Experiences that LGBTQ people had as enlisted soldiers during World War II led to the creation of visible gay culture and identities in 20thcentury America. After the war, these experiences gave LGBTQ people the community, confidence, and knowledge of themselves to create visible gay culture. This led to meeting places and PAGE 14 VOL. 2, NO. 1 ZEITGEIST BY SOFIA ZASIEBIDA An often overlooked consequence of World War II in America is the effect it had on the expression of people’s sexuality. World War II caused an extreme disruption in gender roles and patterns of the twentieth century. Aggression stems from misfortune. For example, the rise of foreign aggression occurred in Germany after the Treaty of Versailles plummeted the German Many men and women were taken from the overwhelmingly heterosexual environments of their families and small towns. They were sent to gendersegregated environments in an attempt to help the wartime effort. For instance, Men were drafted or voluntarily enlisted in the military to help the Two unknown American sailors. Image courtesy from the National WWII Memorial.
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