By Emma Roderick
It has been 45 years since the Stonewall Rebellion. In June of 1969, some of the most marginalized LGBTQ people in New York City—homeless youth, drag queens and kings, sex workers, transgender women of color—rioted during a police raid of the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village. The next night, they rioted more. And again a few nights later. Soon, they had formed committees, organizations, a movement.
It is easy to forget the roots of the movement when we look at the Gay Pride Parade, happening in the same neighborhood (and in multiple sites around the country) this week. Activist, service, and faith organizations will mingle with floats and contingents from large corporations that encourage gay couples to sign up for joint checking accounts or honeymoon cruises. Stonewall was an expression of pride, yes, but it was angry. It was messy. It was violent (although most of the violence came from the police). Some activists at the time thought it had gone too far. It’s never clear what the legacy of a riot will be when it happens, which is part of why riots scare us. They don’t always have happy endings.
Source: Reclaiming Pride and Remembering its Roots
