The 1969 uprising in New York City inspired a movement that continues today, but oppression of the LGBTQ+ community’s most marginalized persists, as well
At the heart of the story of the Stonewall Rebellion are homeless LGBTQ+ youths, transgender people of color and a threatened place of refuge: a gay bar that welcomed the outcasts of society.
The Stonewall Inn was a community center of sorts for drag queens and queer youths rendered homeless by familial or societal rejection. Admission at the Stonewall Inn was not expensive, and homeless youths could easily scrounge up their admission through panhandling. Once they were in, they could socialize and have a sanctuary for the night.
Dick Leitsch, a gay journalist who was the executive director of the Mattachine Society in 1969, once described the Stonewall, saying: “It catered largely to a group of people who are not welcome in, or cannot afford, other places of homosexual gathering. The ‘drags’ and the ‘queens,’ two groups which would find a chilly reception or a barred door at most other gay bars and clubs, formed the ‘regulars’ at Stonewall. The Stonewall became ‘home’ to these kids. When it was raided, they fought for it. That, and the fact that they had nothing to lose other than the most tolerant and broad-minded gay place in town, explains why the Stonewall riots were begun, led and spearheaded by ‘queens.’”
This month we proudly celebrate the 50th anniversary of the uprising at the Stonewall Inn. The Stonewall Rebellion is arguably the most pivotal event in queer liberation’s history; it fired up the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, which continues its march toward equal rights and acceptance of LGBTQ+ people today.
FURTHER READING: Portland Gay Men’s Chorus to pay tribute to Stonewall anniversary
Conversations around gay rights in the United States are often divided into two eras: before and after Stonewall. Before Stonewall, LGBTQ+ individuals faced harassment, discrimination and potential prosecution for living their lives openly. Because of this, few queer people lived their lives openly. There were several laws that criminalized homosexual behavior, and there were no protections in place that would prevent an employer from firing someone who was queer. The American Psychiatric Association even listed homosexuality as a disorder; a person could be institutionalized for being gay. Multiple accounts acknowledge the Stonewall Rebellion as the beginning of gay pride.
“Being gay before Stonewall was a very difficult proposition. We felt in order to survive, we had to look and act as rugged and manly as possible in order to get by in a society that was really against us,” said Geanne Harwood, who had been in a relationship with Bruce Merrow for 40 years in 1969. “When Stonewall happened, Bruce and I were still in the closet, where we’d been for almost 40 years. But we realized this had been a tremendous thing that had happened at Stonewall. It gave us a feeling we weren’t going to be remaining closeted for very much longer. Soon thereafter, we did come out of the closet.”
New York City, home of the Stonewall Inn, had numerous laws on its books in 1969 that criminalized queer lifestyles. Two members of the same sex were not permitted to dance together. If people did not wear a minimum of three clothing items that matched their supposed gender at birth, they could be incarcerated for “sexual deviancy.” Bars were not permitted to serve alcohol to gay people, and, therefore, the New York State Liquor Authority would not give out licenses to gay bars. Gay bars still existed, but most operated without a license and were controlled by the Mafia, who saw an opportunity to profit off a marginalized community that needed a place to gather. The Mafia would open establishments without a license as “bottle bars” or private clubs and bribe police to stay away. Between operating without a license and the criminalization of gay lifestyles, police raids were common at gay bars in 1969.
The Stonewall Rebellion, also often referred to as the Stonewall Uprising, happened in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969. New York City police raided the Stonewall Inn without warning, violently hauling patrons out of the bar and arresting 13 people. Crowds gathered on the street and instead of dispersing, as was common at these raids, they fought back against the police, throwing bricks, bottles and other objects, as six days of queer resistance ultimately ensued.
The oral history of what sparked the riots features colorful anecdotes about what kicked off the melee that night in the Village. A popular account is that the first punch was thrown by a black butch lesbian resisting arrest. This person is believed to be Stormé DeLarverie, a well-known drag king who had been performing popular shows at places like the Apollo Theatre for years. After being beaten in the head with a baton by an officer, she punched the officer back and shouted to lingering bystanders, “Why don’t you guys do something?” That catalyzed their counterattack on the police.
The crowd swelled to hundreds of people that night who threw bottles and chanted “Gay power!” Hundreds continued to return for six days in a massive demonstration of queer resistance. Among the drag queens and street kids essential to the Stonewall Rebellion were several trans people of color including Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera and Miss Major Griffin-Gacy, who continued as renowned activists for trans rights for decades.
Since police raids were common at gay bars in 1969, there has been a lot of discussion about why the uprising happened at the Stonewall Inn versus another establishment. A commonly spread (and debunked) myth is that the coincidence of Judy Garland’s funeral earlier that night across town had inspired the city’s drag queens to revolt. A more legitimate reason is that the Stonewall was the only place that allowed people to dance with one another. Still, the most likely explanation for the uprising at the Stonewall Inn is that the bar uniquely welcomed the most marginalized members of the queer community, and when their only refuge was threatened, they fought for it.
Since Stonewall, there has been a lot to celebrate in terms of LGBTQ+ rights. On its first anniversary, June 28, 1970, queer New Yorkers celebrated “Christopher Street Liberation Day” and marched from the Stonewall Inn to Central Park in New York’s first gay pride march.
Pride is now celebrated by millions across the globe annually, with many cities celebrating on the anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion. The uprising paved the way for activism that has led to marriage equality, mainstream representation and workplace protections for LGBTQ+ individuals in the U.S.
The heroes at the heart of the Stonewall Rebellion remain among the queer communities’ most marginalized populations. LGBTQ+ youths still represent a disproportionate amount of the homeless youth population, at 40%. The reason for this is the same reason that queer youths landed on the streets in the late 1960s: societal and/or familial rejection. Trans people today, especially trans women of color, continue to be disproportionately subjected to harassment; five transgender women have already been slain nationwide in 2019. On top of violence and harassment, trans people also face discriminatory government policy such as the recent ban on military service.
Fifty years after Stonewall, gay bars still serve as sanctuaries for the queer community and will continue to do so.
In addition to gay bars, LGBTQ+ community centers offer refuge and a welcoming space with services for the LGBTQ+ community.
“In a climate where hate language fuels hate violence and the essence of safe spaces could be compromised in the blink of an eye, community is our refuge,” said Mariah Emerson, of Center on Halsted, an LGBTQ+ community center in Chicago. “As the most comprehensive LGBTQ community center in the Midwest, it is our honor and responsibility to uplift and create space for the LGBTQ community – in all of its intersections.”
Safe spaces for queer people to gather, dance and meet similar people remain essential to healthy growth for the LGBTQ+ rights movement.
Courtesy of StreetWise / INSP.ngo
PORTLAND PRIDE EVENTS
Pride Northwest 2019
This year, Pride Northwest celebrates its 25th anniversary, as well as the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion.
Portland Pride Waterfront Festival
When: Noon-8 p.m. Saturday, June 15; 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, June 16
Where: Tom McCall Waterfront Park
Cost: $8 donation
Portland Pride Parade
When: 11 a.m. Sunday, June 16
Where: From West Burnside and Northwest Park Avenue, through Old Town, to Tom McCall Waterfront Park
For a schedule of official Pride Northwest events, visit www.pridenw.org.
Radical Pride 2019
A Queer Liberation Front event in protest of the capitalistic takeover of Pride.
When: Noon-6 p.m. Saturday, June 15
Where: Tom McCall Waterfront Park
Cost: Free
Portland Gay Men’s Chorus
What: “Stonewall Riot! Soundtrack to a Revolution," featuring pop hits of 1969
When: 7 p.m. Saturday, June 22
Where: Keller Auditorium, 222 SW Clay St., Portland
Tickets: pdxgmc.secure.force.com/ticket
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