| Queer history was made here. The Stonewall Inn is a gay bar in New York City's Greenwich Village section that was raided in June 1969 by police. These police raids were typical for the time, and bar patrons were often arrested for no reason. Their names would sometimes appear the next day in the newpaper, and they could lose their jobs as a result. But this police raid was different, because the patrons resisted and started what have become known as the the Stonewall Riots. For several days, the area surrounding the Stonewall became a battle zone between gays and police. This action galvanized gays and lesbians into forming a community, and a number of queer organizations were formed in New York as a result. Every June since then there's been a march in New York to celebrate the Stonewall Riots. That's why June is now Gay Pride Month all over the country. Even though the gay rights movement didn't begin at Stonewall, it marked a turning point in our struggle for civil rights. |
