150. Lawrence vs Texas One Of The Most Important Cases In American Queer History
Description
A late night knock. A false report. An arrest that should never have happened. And a landmark case that would change the lives for millions of queer Americans.
What began as a humiliating raid in a small Houston apartment would ignite a legal battle that reshaped queer life in America. In 1998, John Geddes Lawrence and Tyron Garner were dragged from Lawrence’s home and charged under a Texas law that criminalized their very existence. They were not activists. They were not politicians. They were ordinary men caught in an extraordinary injustice that exposed how fragile freedom could be when queerness was treated as a crime.
This case, Lawrence v. Texas, became a turning point in LGBTQ+ history. It struck at the heart of sodomy laws still on the books in more than a dozen states. In this episode, we trace the humiliating arrest, the years of legal battles, and the cultural shockwaves that followed. The story reveals how one case helped dismantle centuries of stigma and changed the landscape for queer rights in the United States. This is queer history, true crime, and justice colliding in one of the most important cases in American law.
Hosted by Jordi and Brad, Beers With Queers brings chilling crimes, queer stories, and twisted justice to light all with a cold one in hand.
Press play, grab a drink, and join us as we uncover the darkest corners of LGBTQ+ history.
United States
