Stonewall Riots

1194 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: gay rights movements in the us

The event that kick-started the LGBT+ rights movement.
Being gay or trans in the 1960's was considered a crime, and a serious mental illness. There were laws prohibiting being gay in public, and gay men were frequently jailed for having relationships with other men. Sadly, the police weren't the biggest problem for them. Discrimination, abuse, and murder by civilians happened most often. People in the LGBT+ community were afraid to be in public due to the fear that they could be hurt or even killed. This is what made gay bars, such as the Stonewall Inn, so attractive to the LGBT+ community. They could be with other people like them, and wouldn't have to worry about concealing their true identity.

In 1966, 3 Mafia members purchased the Stonewall …show more content…

Stormé patrolled down Seventh and Eighth Avenue, checking in on lesbian bars. She was looking for any intolerance or abuse, "ugliness" as she'd say, towards her "baby girls." During the Stonewall Riots, she was known as the one who started it all. When police handcuffed her she complained the handcuffs were too tight. The police then hit her with a baton and threw her into the wagon. She didn't see anyone trying to help, so she began yelling at the crowd, This prompted the crowd to start rioting. She is also said to of thrown the very first punch, and is referred to as the "Rosa Parks" of the LGBT+ community. Marsha "Pay it no Mind" Johnson was a transgender woman, and one of the city's most well-known drag queens. Marsha devoted her life to helping others like her and was one of the most outspoken LGBT+ rights activists of her time. Along with Sylvia Rivera, she started Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries, more commonly known as STAR, a group formed to get LGBT+ youth and drag queens off of the streets. STAR also promoted inclusiveness in the LGBT+ community. During Stonewall, Marsha was one of the most aggressive fighters, and according to many accounts, she was the one who initiated the fighting. When policemen told her to line up, she said, then threw a shot glass at a mirror. It became known as the "shot glass …show more content…

In fact, only 16 countries across the world have legalized same-sex marriage. The US became one of those countries recently on June 26, 2015. Many people think that gay marriage is the end of the LGBT+ rights movement, but the fight must still continue. For example, in the US, 21 states don't have any kind of state-level protection against LGBT+ employment discrimination. Which means you can legally be fired just because of your sexual orientation or gender identity.

Today people all around the world commemorate the Stonewall Riots and celebrate their identity at pride parades that take place in June. During pride, there is usually a moment of silence in honor of the participants in the Stonewall Riots, and activists in the LGBT+ community that have passed. The LGBT+ community is forever grateful to the participants of the Stonewall Riots and activists who helped them get to where they are today. It may be a long time before we reach full acceptance and equality, but raising awareness and following in the footsteps of the people at the Stonewall Riots is how we will achieve

Show More
Related

  • The Stonewall Riots

    1946 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...protest movements throughout America and the world.” Among the gay community Stonewall has become the word for freedom, for fighting, for equality. It became a turning point in Gay history, so much so that most books on the subject refer to “pre-Stonewall” and “post-Stonewall” as the lines of demarcation. Of course the journey is still long and fight has not been won. At the turn of the century there were still 20 states that made homosexual sex illegal , any only a few states would recognize the love and companionship of gays through marriage or civil unions. The military policy of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is still active and prejudices continue to exist. But, as exemplified by any other civil rights movement, it is through the constant grind of activists and lay-people constantly protesting and educating, that change occurs, even if only one person at a time.

    Read More

  • Stonewall Riots Research Paper

    1479 Words  | 3 Pages

    The stonewall riots happened june 28, 1969. It took place in the the Stonewall inn which is located in Greenwich Village which is a neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. “The stonewall inn is widely known as the birthplace of the modern LGBT rights movement and holds a truly iconic place in history” (gaycitynews). This means that the Stonewall riots was the event that started the gay rights movement. This is saying that The Stonewall is where the gay rights movement started for gay people to have same rights has anyone else. It all started with A number of incidents that were happening simultaneously. “There was no one thing that happened or one person, there was just… a flash of group, of mass anger”(Wright). This means that everything was happening at once and a bunch of people were angry. People in the crowd started shouting “Gay Power!” “And as the word started to spread through Greenwich Village and across the city, hundreds of gay men and lesbians, black, white, Hispanic, and predominantly working class, converged on the Christopher Street area around the Stonewall Inn to join the fray”(Wright). So many gay and lesbian people were chanting “gay power” . “The street outside the bar where the rebellion lasted for several day and night in june”(gaycitynews). so the stonewall riot lasted many days and

    Read More

  • Historical Impact of The Stonewall Riots in Stonewall

    1045 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...the first widely public violent resistance protests against oppression and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The riots created a sense of national awareness and a motivation for other homosexuals to join the struggle for civil rights. Carter’s book does an effective job in helping the reader understand the significance of an event that may otherwise seem insignificant to some people. The book adds to the little knowledge known about what exactly happened during the Stonewall riots and what caused the riots to occur. The general audience, or anyone interested in learning about the history of homosexual resistance in the United States, will greatly benefit from reading Carter’s descriptive account of the Stonewall riots.

    Read More

  • A Critical Review of All Shook Up

    753 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...mosexual culture of the 1950s did everything to help keep their sexual status a secret.Homosexuals were looked at as a disgrace to whatever community he or she lived in. It was not acceptable for a couple of the same sex to be in public displaying affection. In addition, movies and tv shows brought about a lot of sexual wondering. At this time, teenagers were also being very disrespectful toward their parents.

    Read More

  • The Stonewall Riots

    1224 Words  | 3 Pages

    The media considers the1969 Stonewall Riots in New York City the spark of the modern gay rights movement. This occurred after the police raided the Stonewall bar, a popular gay bar in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. Allyn argues that the new energy and militancy generated by the riot played a crucial role in creating the gay liberation movement. Arguably, the Stonewall Riots have come to resemble the pivotal moment in gay rights history largely because it provided ways for the gay community to resist the social norms. In fact, the riots increased public awareness of gay rights activism (Allyn 157). Gay life after the Stonewall riots, however, was just as varied and complex as it was before. In the following era, ho...

    Read More

  • The Resistance Movement of Queer People of Color

    2878 Words  | 6 Pages

    Prior to the 1970’s, members of the LGBTQ community, and especially those who also identified as people of color, were forced to stay silent despite constant discrimination because of their minority statuses. They did not have a voice or means to speak out against the oppression. During the 1960’s, the few safe spaces established for QPOC in urban communities had disappeared, since this particular era was being overshadowed by the Civ...

    Read More

  • The Stonewall Riots Analysis

    605 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Stonewall riots became a symbolic call to arms for many, it was gays and lesbians literally fighting back. After the riots many gay rights groups found new hope in gaining rights. New ideas, tactics, events and organizations were all a result of the riots.

    Read More

  • History Of Stonewall

    1797 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Stonewall rebellion has been considered the birth of a new wave of a liberation movement that changed the world for millions of lesbians, gay men, drag queens, and drag kings of all races, ethnicities, and ages. Yet, it was certainly not the first raid nor the first moment of protest for homosexuals. The raid at Stonewall was preceded by decades of police harassment of gay establishments. The first recorded raid of a gay bathhouse was in 1903, at the Ariston Hotel Baths at 55th and Broadway in New York where 26 men were arrested. Seven of them received sentences ranging from four to 20 years in prison (Chauncey, 1994). Countless raids, arrests, and imprisonments occurred in the decades that followed.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Homosexuality In A Separate Peace

    1376 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the 1940s, homophobia was extremely prevalent in the United States. People who were openly gay were often stigmatized. “Homosexuality was discussed as ‘an aspect of three personality disorders: psychopaths who were sexual perverts, paranoid personalities who suffered from homosexual panic, and schizoid personalities’ who displayed gay symptoms” (Kaiser 29). Many regulations and practices discriminated against gays. The military found homosexuality to be a direct threat to strength and safety of the U.S. government and the American people, in general. In 1941 the Army and the Selective Service banned homosexuals from participation in the war (Kaiser 29). All major religions considered it sinful and throughout the country, more and more people found it to be immoral. Life was hard for homosexuals in the early and mid-twentieth century. They were forced to hide their sexuality in order to escape derision or imprisonment.

    Read More

  • Harvey Milk

    1065 Words  | 3 Pages

    The background of homosexuality in the 1940’s and 50’s was harsh, but people started to be opened toward the rights. There were criticisms toward homosexuality in the early days of Milk. Gay men carried the labels of mentally ill or psychopathic. Often times, gay men committed suicide from harsh judgement and criticism that always followed them. Even though population of homosexuality grew and had jobs, they were harassed and beaten by the police. There were a lot of disapproval and hostility of homosexuality. Anita Bryant, a singer, made a campaign to oppose the rights of homosexuals. Christian forces and activists withdrew gay-right legislation which lead to Proposition 6. The harshness from background of homosexuality back in the 1940’s and 50’s took the freedom away from the homosexuals. After the harshness, there came a little bit of hope for the homosexuals in San Francisco. Castro, a city in San Francisco, became the center of gay neighborhood. In 1964, gay men formed Society of Individual Right (SIR), and 1,200 members joined. Homosexuals started having good views when Sipple who was gay saved the president from a gunshot. Finally in 1972, Board of Supervisor banned the discrimination law for homosexuals. Even though in 1940...

    Read More

  • Stonewall Riots Essay

    885 Words  | 2 Pages

    especially young gay people, had risen throughout the sixties, the events at the Stonewall Inn

    Read More

  • Treatment of Homosexuals in Reality and Pop Culture

    2470 Words  | 5 Pages

    Alan Brinkley, author of The Unfinished Nation, speculates that the raid of police officers on the Stonewall Inn, a gay club in New York started the effort to protect and create rights for gay Americans. The police would frequently taunt and harass patrons of the nightclub until one day when the crowd turned on the police and a riot insued. This caused a overall wakeup for both the police force and the nation for which it was televised (Brinkley 955).

    Read More

  • The Causes Of The Stonewall Riots

    1014 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Stonewall Riots marked the start of the gay rights movement, and inspired members of the gay community to fight for their rights instead of being condemned for their sexuality. Even today, gay people in the US use the incident at Stonewall to educate younger members of the gay community. "The younger generation should know about Stonewall so that they will realize it is possible to make change. It is possible to overcome entrenched, institutionalized prejudice, discrimination, and bigotry. And that they can live full equal lives." (Frank Kameny, aarp.org) This is the message that many members of the gay community continue to spread after the incident at the Stonewall Inn.

    Read More

  • The Stonewall Riots

    842 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Stonewall Riots were a catalyst for the gay rights movement not just in the United States, but also around the world. The first gay pride marches occurred in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York on June 28th, 1970, the one year anniversary of the Riots. Also, three LGBT newspapers printed soon after the demonstrations. In conclusion, the causes of the Stonewall Riots were anti-gay laws, NYPD corruption, and lack of media attention.

    Read More

  • The Gay Rights Movement

    1050 Words  | 3 Pages

    The history of the gay rights movement goes as far back as the late 19th century. More accurately, the quest by gays to search out others like themselves and foster a feeling of identity has been around since then. It is an innovative movement that seeks to change existing norms and gain acceptance within our culture. By 1915, one gay person said that the gay world was a "community, distinctly organized" (Milestones 1991), but kept mostly out of view because of social hostility. According to the Milestones article, after World War II, around 1940, many cities saw their first gay bars open as many homosexuals began to start a networking system. However, their newfound visibility only backfired on them, as in the 1950's president Eisenhower banned gays from holding federal jobs and many state institutions did the same. The lead taken by the federal government encouraged local police forces to harass gay citizens. "Vice officers regularly raided gay bars, sometimes arresting dozens of men and women on a single night" (Milestones). In spite of the adversity, out of the 1950s also came the first organized groups of gays, including leaders. The movement was small at first, but grew exponentially in short periods of time. Spurred on by the civil rights movement in the 1960s, the "homophile" (Milestones) movement took on more visibility, picketing government agencies and discriminatory policies. By 1969, around 50 gay organizations existed in the United States. The most crucial moment in blowing the gay rights movement wide open was on the evening of July 27, 1969, when a group of police raided a gay bar in New York City. This act prompted three days of rioting in the area called the Stonewall Rio...

    Read More

More about Stonewall Riots

Open Document