GAY PRIDE 2010: The History of the Stonewall Riots

As we celebrate 2010 NYC Pride Week, She's So New York recognizes the history of the courageous who stood for Gay Pride so that ourselves, our family members, our friends - strangers we don't know; can walk proudly as they wish. We are still not there. With Prop. 8 preventing many of our long standing couples from marrying and the liberties a married family affords, we are still pushing. No matter how long it takes us, we'll get there. Today, we focus on the pinnacle of Gay history and essentially, the freedom to be gay and proud: The Stonewall Riots.



From  the Movie: Stonewall Uprising

The Stonewall rebellion was a defining moment in the history of the gay rights movement. That uprising awakened gay men and lesbians to the idea that they were being attacked as a group. That, in turn, awakened them to the idea that they needed to organize as a group. Advocacy and lobbying groups mushroomed after Stonewall, and now include everything from nonprofit groups mounting anti-discrimination advertising campaigns to political action committees to housing and health-related initiatives.

It was on the night of June 27, 1969, that a routine police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a Christopher Street hangout for gays, run by the Mafia, prompted not cowed obedience from the customers but uncharacteristic fury and outrage. It was not unusual for the police to raid gay bars, and they did so regularly, to arrest transvestites and harass the customers. What made the raid of the Stonewall Inn unusual is that the gay and lesbian patrons spontaneously fought back, tossing beer cans, bricks and anything else in reach at the police officers, who responded by beating many of the protesters and arresting dozens of others.

Excerpt courtesy of The New York Times


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We are asking our SSNY readers: What Does Gay Pride Mean to You? How do you feel about the advancement of homosexuals being recognized in mainstream media? Bi-Sexual? Bi-Curious? Transgendered? Are you still in closet? Why? Send your submissions to walkergordonproductions@gmail.com!