The 54th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots

Today is the 54th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, a watershed moment for LGBTQIA+ rights in America and around the world.

History of LGBTQIA+ rights in America

• Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the FBI and other law enforcement agencies kept lists of "known homosexuals," their friends, and their favorite bars. Police raids on gay establishments were not uncommon. “Homosexual acts” were illegal across the country, except for Illinois.
• In 1952, the American Psychiatric Association listed homosexuality as a mental disorder. It remained in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) until 1974.

The Stonewall Riots

• On June 28, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Greenwich Village. The protest continued over six days as LGBTQIA+ individuals demanded a safe establishment to exist and express themselves without fear of arrest. 
• These riots marked the beginning of the LGBTQIA+ liberation movement in America.
• The first pride march was held in 1970 in New York City, one year after the Stonewall Riots. The 1970 Christopher Street Liberation March morphed into what is known today as the New York City Pride March and acted as a catalyst for celebrations across the world. 
• Transgender women of color were on the frontlines of the LGBTQIA+ movement, including the "Mothers of Marginalized LGTBQ Youth," Marsha P. Johnson, and Sylvia Rivera. The women were leaders of the Stonewall Riots; prominent AIDS activists; and founded STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries), which provided services to homeless, transgender youth. 

Will you celebrate the legacy of the Stonewall riots?