The Raid Of The Stonewall Inn

In 1969, being gay in the United States was a criminal offense. If a citizen was gay, they could face arrest, the loss of their jobs, and the risk of being disowned by their families. At that time, homosexuality was considered a mental illness; something that needed to be changed or cured. There were few places where gay people could go that they could be open about their sexuality, and one of the main places were gay clubs. One of these clubs included the Stonewall Inn, which at the time was a dingy, mafia-run bar located in Greenwich Village. On June 28, 1969, the police raided the bar. Police frequently raided gay bars and met little to no resistance; however, this time, the patrons fought back. The raid quickly turned into a riot, and the
Normally, they would be tipped off before a raid would occur - so the people there could either flee or at least get a chance to appear, literally, as though they weren’t gay or engaging in homosexual behavior - but this time, they didn’t receive any warning. According to History.com, “Armed with a warrant, police officers entered the club, roughed up patrons, and, finding bootlegged alcohol, arrested 13 people, including employees and people violating the state’s gender-appropriate clothing statute (female officers would take suspected cross-dressing patrons into the bathroom to check their sex).” As police began to drag people out of the bar, patrons gathered outside, becoming increasingly agitated at the way the police officers were manhandling those that were arrested, but no one retaliated until “an officer hit a lesbian over the head as he forced her into the paddy wagon.” (History.com) The woman yelled to the bystanders to act, and they began to throw bottles, coins, and rocks at the officers, beginning a riot which would last five whole days. The days after the initial raid saw several demonstrations in New York and incited the formation of the Gay Liberation Front and other LGBT+ organizations. This was only the beginning of the push for gay rights in America, but the almost immediate call to action for LGBT individuals after the Stonewall Riots demonstrates how important the event
The month of June is the designated “Pride Month.” The purpose of Pride month is to recognize the impact that LGBT+ individuals have had on American history and all over the world. The Stonewall Riots are regarded as the tipping point of the gay liberation movement almost five decades later. In the last ten years, the gay community has seen major support and acceptance from society. Prior to June 26, 2015, it was still illegal for gay couples to marry in some states. In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples can marry nationwide. “Nearly 46 years to the day after a riot at New York's Stonewall Inn ushered in the modern gay rights movement, the decision could settle one of the major civil rights fights of this era.” (CNN) Just as this quote says, the Stonewall Riots are still seen as the primary catalyst for the modern gay rights