10.2 The Stonewall Riots and the rise of the LGBTQ+ rights movement

The Stonewall Riots of 1969 marked a turning point in LGBTQ+ history. This violent clash between police and patrons of a New York City gay bar sparked a new era of activism and visibility for the LGBTQ+ community.

In the years following Stonewall, LGBTQ+ activists organized, protested, and demanded equal rights. Their efforts led to increased public awareness, shifting attitudes, and the gradual emergence of pride celebrations and advocacy groups across the country.

Stonewall Riots and LGBTQ+ Rights

Events and Significance

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• The Stonewall Riots erupted on June 28, 1969, when police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City's Greenwich Village neighborhood
  • Patrons and local residents fought back against the police harassment and brutality
• The riots continued for several days and involved violent clashes between protesters and police
  • Marked a significant shift from the more passive resistance tactics previously employed by LGBTQ+ activists
• Stonewall catalyzed the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, galvanizing the community to organize, protest, and demand equal rights and societal acceptance on a larger scale than ever before
• The first Gay Pride marches took place in cities across the United States on the first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in June 1970 (New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago)
  • Established a tradition of annual pride celebrations and demonstrations
• The Stonewall Inn was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2000 and a National Monument in 2016
  • Recognizes its significance in American history and the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights

Impact on LGBTQ+ Visibility and Activism

• The Stonewall Riots and the subsequent rise of the LGBTQ+ rights movement increased visibility and public awareness of LGBTQ+ issues
  • Forced American society to confront and reevaluate its attitudes towards gender and sexuality
• Media coverage of the riots and the growing LGBTQ+ rights movement, although often initially negative or sensationalized, brought the struggle for equality into the national spotlight
  • Sparked public debate about LGBTQ+ rights and acceptance
• The increased visibility and activism of the LGBTQ+ community in the post-Stonewall era contributed to a gradual shift in public opinion
  • Growing support for LGBTQ+ rights and acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals in American society
• Despite progress, the impact of Stonewall and the LGBTQ+ rights movement on public perception has been gradual and uneven
  • Ongoing challenges and resistance from conservative and religious groups opposed to LGBTQ+ equality

LGBTQ+ Leaders Post-Stonewall

Activists and Organizers

• Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, two transgender women of color, were prominent figures in the Stonewall Riots
  • Later co-founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) to advocate for transgender rights and provide support for homeless LGBTQ+ youth
• Brenda Howard, known as the "Mother of Pride," organized the first Gay Pride march in New York City in 1970
  • Played a key role in establishing the annual pride celebrations that followed

Organizations and Groups

• The Gay Liberation Front (GLF) formed in the immediate aftermath of Stonewall
  • Became one of the first organized groups to challenge societal norms and advocate for LGBTQ+ liberation through confrontational tactics and protests
• The Gay Activists Alliance (GAA) split from the GLF in late 1969
  • Focused on more targeted, single-issue campaigns and lobbying efforts to secure legal protections for LGBTQ+ individuals
• The National Gay Task Force, later renamed the National LGBTQ Task Force, was founded in 1973
  • Serves as a national advocacy organization for the LGBTQ+ community, working to influence public policy and opinion

Strategies for LGBTQ+ Activism

Public Demonstrations and Direct Action

• LGBTQ+ activists organized public demonstrations, marches, and protests to increase visibility, challenge societal norms, and demand equal rights
  • Annual Gay Pride events and the 1979 National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights
• Activists engaged in direct action and civil disobedience, such as sit-ins, kiss-ins, and disruptions of government meetings and hearings
  • Confronted discrimination and drew attention to LGBTQ+ issues

Lobbying and Alliance Building

• LGBTQ+ organizations lobbied politicians and government agencies to repeal discriminatory laws and policies, secure legal protections, and increase funding for LGBTQ+ health and social services
• Activists worked to build alliances with other social justice movements, such as the civil rights, women's liberation, and anti-war movements
  • Recognized the intersectionality of their struggles and the need for solidarity

Public Education and Media Representation

• LGBTQ+ activists and organizations engaged in public education campaigns to challenge stereotypes, increase understanding and acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals, and promote positive media representation
• As the movement grew and activists challenged stereotypes, media representation of LGBTQ+ individuals began to shift
  • From predominantly negative portrayals to more nuanced and sympathetic depictions in news, television, and film (The Boys in the Band, Philadelphia)

Impact of Stonewall on Public Perception

Shifting Attitudes and Growing Support

• The Stonewall Riots and the rise of the LGBTQ+ rights movement led to increased visibility and public awareness of LGBTQ+ issues
  • Forced American society to confront and reevaluate its attitudes towards gender and sexuality
• The increased visibility and activism of the LGBTQ+ community in the post-Stonewall era contributed to a gradual shift in public opinion
  • Growing support for LGBTQ+ rights and acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals in American society

Ongoing Challenges and Resistance

• Despite progress, the impact of Stonewall and the LGBTQ+ rights movement on public perception has been gradual and uneven
  • Ongoing challenges and resistance from conservative and religious groups opposed to LGBTQ+ equality (Anita Bryant's "Save Our Children" campaign, the Moral Majority)
• Media coverage of the riots and the growing LGBTQ+ rights movement, although often initially negative or sensationalized, brought the struggle for equality into the national spotlight
  • Sparked public debate about LGBTQ+ rights and acceptance