The year is 1969. In Greenwich Village, on Christopher Street, sits a dingy, Mafia-owned bar serving bootlegged liquor in dirty glasses. Though the Stonewall Inn may not have looked like a haven, it was, in fact, a safe place for a large group of marginalized New Yorkers.
In the 60s, homosexual relationships were illegal in New York. LGBTQ+ persons could be arrested for holding hands, dancing, or kissing. The only places they could be themselves were the gay bars in the city. Gay bars were raided almost constantly, including the Stonewall Inn. Normally, the police would arrest employees serving liquor without a license and patrons dancing together or wearing “gender-inappropriate clothing,” after which the crowd would disperse. However, on June 28, 1969, the crowd did not disperse. Patrons and neighbors banded together and began a five-day protest against the discrimination and violence faced by gay Americans.
While the Stonewall Uprising was by no means the beginning of the gay rights movement, it was and is considered a significant turning point. The uprising inspired LGBTQ+ people the world over to rise up and become activists on behalf of their community. The uprising also led to the creation of several civil rights groups, including GLAAD and PFLAG. This spike in activism led to the passing of non-discrimination laws in states around the country. Of course, it is important to mention that while things have improved dramatically in the U.S. for LGBTQ+ individuals, much is yet to be done, especially in regards to transgender rights and safety for Black LGBTQ+ individuals.
On June 28, 1970, one year after the Stonewall Inn raid, thousands of LGBTQ+ people and allies marched from Stonewall Inn to Central Park in a parade that is replicated every June the country over in honor of Pride Month. In 2016, President Obama designated Stonewall Inn a national monument.
Learn more here:
- https://guides.loc.gov/lgbtq-studies/stonewall-era#:~:text=On%20June%2028%2C%201969%2C%20the,of%20gay%20and%20lesbian%20life.
- https://www.history.com/topics/gay-rights/the-stonewall-riots
- https://www.britannica.com/event/Stonewall-riots
- https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/stonewall-inn-through-years/
