There was little theory of homosexuality prior to the 19th century; Sigmund Freud and Magnus Hirschfield being primary investigators into sexual behaviour. They were considerate to the idea of other sexual orientations than heterosexual, believing they occurred naturally; Freud did not consider homosexuality a crime or illness.
Hirschfield found Berlin's Institute for Sexual Science, containing archives of materials on gay cultural history. This differentiated with what was happening in the UK at that time, such as with Oscar Wilde who was given a two year jail sentence for being convicted of being gay. However, the tolerance diminished with Hitler's Third Reich in 1933 when the Nazis destroyed Hirschfield's great library; losing a wealth of invaluable records.
In looking at further theory around sexuality and whether it is considered biological, instinctual or socially constructed choice. Theorists make great arguments for their findings. Jeffery Weeks (2009) looked at sexuality as a choice born out of instinct having been created by stimuli; this in itself questioned the naturalness of heterosexuality and therefore means
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Political theorists talk of Identity Politics, people arranging themselves politically on a foundation of shared identity, and in the 1970s many political organizations formed such as The Gay Liberation movement. However woman being disgruntled at the male leadership formed their own collectives and called for lesbian rights in mainstream feminist group The National Organization for Women