History plays a significant part in our lives as it helps shape the world that we live in today. As cliche as it may sound, in order to know where we are going -- we must know where we have been. Knowing and understanding our past is the only way that can help us avoid past mistakes, in the future.
When it comes to queer history -- it is crucial that we not only appreciate the past events that made resistance possible, but we need to acknowledge the legendary figures who contributed to making a difference in today’s society. Although there are many key events throughout queer history, the most pivotal event that shook up the 1970s is of course -- the Stonewall Riots.
What started as a routine raid at the Stonewall Inn turned into one of the biggest protests in queer history as members of the LGBT community fought back. The riot took place during the early morning hours of June 28th, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, New York. A crowd formed outside and watched quietly as members of the LGBT community were being arrested; however, when police began using force -- the situation escalated from 0 to 100, real quick. People threw stones, rocks, coins, bottles, and bricks at the police officers and even sat the bar on fire. Safe to say, the LGBT community was fed up with how things were going and this was their way of saying “enough is enough.” Following the aftermath of Stonewall, many people took it to the streets and demonstrated all over New York City. Leila Rupp in her book A Desired Past, called the Stonewall Riot a symbol of “self-acceptance, pride, and resistance” (177) or the “Rosa Parks moment for gays.” No longer will people remain quiet and abide by the mistreatment of the LGBT community. The Stonewall riots sparked activism and self-awareness that had a long-lasting impact. Ezequiel De La Fuente notes that Stonewall “gave people the confidence to oppose the government” (StMU History Media). The morning of June 28th marked the beginning of a new era and paved the way for the modern gay rights movement.
Prior to Stonewall, there were “only fifty lesbian gay groups across the country, but by 1973 these had proliferated into more than a thousand” (Rupp, 178). Groups such as the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) and the Gay Activist Alliance (GAA) were among the first to emerge after Stonewall. These organizations differ tremendously from previous organizations such as the Mattachine Society. The Mattachine Society focused on a more quiet and conforming version of gayness, while the GLF was the exact opposite. The GLF was more radical than any groups we have ever seen, John D’ Emilio points out, “in everything that they did and everywhere they went, they sought to create visibility, to give substance to a new image of lesbians and gays” (D’Emilio, 8). With a more radical liberation meant new tactics. These organizations weren’t afraid to disrupt public meetings and confront political officials to get their message across, they demanded change and wasn’t going to stop until they got what they wanted.
The following years after Stonewall was drastically different for members of the LGBT community. Although there were still challenges, it was apparent that life was much better than the previous years. The gay rights movement have accomplished a lot throughout the 1970s and it was clear that their hard work paid off. Moreover, various institutions that enforced gay oppressions were also starting to weaken. There were less discrimination and harassment towards the LGBT community, and they became more visible in society.
The gay liberation movement took what activist started in the 1950s and turned that into a greater militancy. While there are still issues facing the LGBTQ+ community, the Stonewall Riots was a key event in history that propelled the movement towards a better future -- both politically and socially. Today, the events of June 28th are still being celebrated all over the United States with “pride marches.”
Truth is, the story of the Stonewall Riots isn’t a story that we hear every day nor is it commonly taught in the classrooms. However, with an event as significant as Stonewall, it is important that we honor it. Not only did it give the LGBTQ+ community hope, but it helped them see what is possible. Regardless of what happened in the past, history is history. We need to share the good, the bad, and the ugly if we want to make any kind of progress.
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