Flags Out: Fight for LGBTQ Rights

Everything You Need to Know About Stonewall Uprising and the Fight for LGBTQ Rights

Early hours of June 28, 1969 when the Stonewall Uprising began in New York City when police raided the Stonewall Inn — a gay club located at the Greenwich Village in New York City. The raid sparked a riot among bar patrons and neighborhood residents that is now a catalyst for the Gay Rights Movements in the united States and the world.

More about Stonewall Uprising and the fight for LGBTQ rights below.

1. Gay Bars Constant Raids

American LGBT or Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, and Transgenders were not always welcome in America from the 1960s and the preceding decades. Solicitation of same-sex relationships for an instance was illegal in New York City. That being said, LGBT individuals would gather to gay bars and clubs — their considered a place of refuge where they are allowed to express themselves openly and socialize with others without worry.

However, the considered safe space of the said community was penalized and shut down by the New York State Liquor Authority for allegedly serving alcohol to known or suspected LGBT individuals, because according to them, gathering of homosexuals was “disorderly.”

2. Activists’ Efforts to Overturn the Regulations

Thankfully, In 1966, there were activists who took efforts for the establishments regulations to overturn — LGBT patrons could now be served alcohol. But engaging in gay behavior in public like holding hands, kissing or just by simply dancing with someone of the same sex, was still illegal. That said, police harassment continued to the gay bars and many the said establishments still operated without liquor licenses.

3. Stonewall Inn

The crime syndicate saw profit in catering to rejected gay bar costumers, and by the mid-1960s, the Genovese crime family controlled most Greenwich Village gay bars. They purchased Stonewall Inn in 1966 — originally a “straight” bar and restaurant — and cheaply renovated it then reopened the next year as a “gay” bar.

The said inn was registered as a private “bottle bar,” which a liquor license is not required since patrons were supposed to bring their own alcoholic beverages. The attendees had to sign their names on a book before entry for the club’s false exclusivity.

Stonewall Inn became an important institution in Greenwich Village. It was large and quite cheap to enter — that became a nightly home for many runaways and homeless gay youths who shoplifted to afford the entry fee — It also welcomed drag queens who experienced a bitter reception at other gay bars and clubs.

4. Raids on Mafia-run Bars

Bar raids were still present, but most of the time, corrupt police would tip off Mafia-run bars before they occurred. This allowed owners to stash the alcohol and hide other illegal activities.

5. The Stonewall Riots Begin

Armed with a warrant, cops entered Stonewall Inn finding bootlegged alcohol. They arrested a total of 13 people, including employees and people violating the state’s gender-appropriate clothing statute. But it doesn’t end there, female officers would take patrons that are suspected cross-dressing, take them to the bathroom and check their sex.

The constant police harassment and social discrimination resulted for the angry patrons and neighborhood residents to hung around outside of the bar rather than dispersing that became increasingly disturbing as the events unfolded and people were handled roughly. It was reported that an officer hit a lesbian over the head as the cop force her into the police van. She then later shouted to onlookers to act, and stirred up the crowd to throw bottles, cobble stones, pennies, and other objects at the police. A few minutes after, the historical Stonewall riot involving hundreds of people began.

The police barricaded themselves in the bar and the mob attempted to set fire after breaking through the barricade repeatedly. But the flames were eventually able to douse The fire department and a riot squad were eventually able to douse the flames and were able to rescue those inside Stonewall and disperse the crowd. But for five more days, protests continued in the area and it sometimes involved thousands of people.

6. Stonewall’s Legacy (Say it loud, gay is proud)

Although the Stonewall uprising was not the one who started the gay rights movement, it was a blazing force for LGBT community’s political activism that lead to numerous gay rights organizations, including the Gay Liberation Front, Human Rights Campaign, Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, and Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.

America’s first gay pride parade occurred a year after the riot. The anniversary of the riot on June 28, 1970, thousands of people marched in the streets of Manhattan from the Stonewall Inn to Central Park. It was then called “Christopher Street Liberation Day.”

In 2016, former President Barack Obama designated the site of the riots specifically the Stonewall Inn, Christopher Park, and the surrounding streets and sidewalks a national monument in recognition to its contribution to gay rights.

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Written by Ignacio, Louie Rhence C.

Source(s):

Morris, L. (2019, July 13). What Happened at the Stonewall Riots? A Timeline of the 1969 Uprising. History. https://www.history.com/news/stonewall-riots-timeline

Villet, G. (2017, June 31). 1969 Stonewall Riots. History https://www.history.com/topics/gayrights/the-stonewall-riots