Stonewall Riots Term Paper Example

Term paper

Stonewall riots - a series of armed conflicts between the gays, lesbians and police in New York. that began on the night of June 28, 1969 in a gay bar Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street (Greenwich Village, New York). These collisions are often considered as the first case in history when the representatives of the LGBT community resisted legalized system of state persecution of sexual minorities. It is believed that the riots have become the important event that initiated a mass movement for human rights of gay community in the United States and around the world.
American representatives of the LGBT community in the 1950s and 1960s faced with more harsh anti-homosexual legal system. In those days, homosexual acts between adults even by mutual agreement, taking place in private homes, were a criminal offense throughout the USA. Homosexuals were forced to live a double life, keeping their personal lives in a secret from everyone. After the social upheavals of the Second World War, many people in the US were keen to restore the pre-war social order and to refrain from changes. Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy, inspired by the anti-communist sentiment in society, launched a campaign for repressions against dissidents (communists, socialists, anarchists and so on) in the government, the army and other government-funded organizations and institutions. Among the victims of national hysteria were homosexuals. Gays and lesbians were accused of propensity to crimes and threat to national security. During this campaign, in the period from 1947 to 1950, 1700 gays and lesbians have been denied in employment, 4,380 people were dismissed from the armed forces and 420 people were dismissed from government agencies.
During the 1950-1960-ies the FBI and the police drew up lists of famous homosexual people, institutions that have been supportive to them, as well as their relatives and friends. US Postal Service monitored the addresses from which materials of homosexual nature were sent. Local government bodies did not lag behind: bars, serving the homosexuals, were closed, customers of bars have been arrested, and their pictures on the following morning were published in newspapers. By order of the officials from the mayor's office was conducted a sweep of neighborhoods, parks and beaches for gays. Wearing dress of the opposite sex was outside the law. Teachers suspected of homosexuality were dismissed from educational institutions. Thousands of men and women were subjected to public humiliation, physical harassment. People were dismissed, imprisoned or forcibly confined in psychiatric hospitals. (Betsy, 35-42)
In response to this state of affairs independently were created the first two gay organizations. In 1950, in Los Angeles communist activist Harry Hay organizes Mattachine Society. Community provided legal and psychological assistance to gays and lesbians and conducted educational activities. In 1955 in San Francisco, eight women have organized community for lesbians Daughters of Bilitis. Originally community united lovers of dances, but later their goals and methods have become the same as the Mattachine Society. This movement is called "Homophilic." (David, 30-53)
In the 1950s and 1960s, very few establishments welcomed not concealing their sexual orientation LGBT people. They were mostly gay bars. One of these bars, Stonewall Inn, like many similar institutions, at that time belonged to mafia. It was popular among the poorest and most marginalized members of the LGBT community: drag queen, transgender people, feminine boys and homeless youth. On Saturday, June 28, 1969, at night four plainclothes policemen, two patrol officers in uniform, as well as Detective Charles Smith and Deputy Inspector Seymour Pine, saying: "The police check!" entered the bar. Before that four police officers under cover the whole evening spent at the bar, collecting evidence of "obscenity" of its clients. The police ordered the owners of the bar to turn off the music and turn on the light. That night at the bar, there were about 200 people. Customers who have fallen under the police raid and been confused, tried to escape from the bar through the window in the toilet, but police blocked all exits. Among the clients were found men dressed as women. However, they refused to go to the police station. (David, 67-86)
Eyewitness testimonies about the details of how a riot has started differ from each other. According to one, transsexual named Sylvia Riviera threw bottles at police officer after which he poked her with his baton. Other witnesses claim that a lesbian, which was led to a police car through the crowd resisted, and the crowd responded in solidarity in the same way. Regardless of these differences in the testimonies in the crowd struck up a melee fight, which quickly reached up to police. Overwhelmed by such a reaction of the crowd, the police retreated back to the bar. Attack of the crowd did not weaken. Some have tried to set fire to a bar. Others used a parking counter as a battering ram to oust the police from the premises of the bar.
Throughout the night the police caught feminized men and often beat them. At the first night was arrested 13 people, four police officers as well as an unknown number of protesters were injured. However, it is known that at least two of the rioters were severely beaten by the police. Protesters threw bottles and stones, shouting «Gay power! ". Crowd of approximately 2 thousand people fought with more than 400 police officers. The police sent reinforcements called "tactical patrol team," which has been used to counter demonstrations against the Vietnam War. It arrived in order to disperse the crowd. However, they failed because on those who arrived rained the hail of stones and other objects. (Chuck 192-195)
Eventually all calmed down, but the next night the crowd came back. Although the violence this time was much smaller, but strong pressure comparable to the atmosphere of the previous night was felt. Clashes between rioters and police continued until about 4 am. For the third time clashes occurred on the fifth day after the first police raid on the Stonewall Bar, on Wednesday. A thousand of people gathered at the bar and again had a resistance. For several weeks the inhabitants of the gay district quickly organized a group of activists, concentrating efforts on founding places for lesbians and gays, wherein one could openly speak about his homosexual orientation without fear that they can be arrested.
After the riots in a gay bar Stonewall Inn gays and lesbians of the USA overcame gender, class and generational differences, becoming a close-knit community. Community created by LGBT organizations in the past decades, has formed a favorable environment for the emergence of the movement for the liberation of gays and lesbians. By the end of July in New York was formed "Gay Liberation Front and by the end of the year presence of GLF was evident in the large cities and universities across the country. Such organizations were soon created around the world, including Canada, France, Great Britain, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand.
The following year, in commemoration of the Stonewall riots GLF organized a march from Grinvinch Village to Central Park in New York. In June 28, 1970 in memory of the riots first manifestations of gay pride were hold in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta and Toronto. Later, the same marches took place in other cities and countries. Today, Gay Prides are organized every year around the world in the summer (usually in late June).
The middle of the 1990s was marked by the inclusion in the scope of the gay community of bisexuals, who first participated in the Washington march 1993. Transgender persons also continued to be outcasts in the gay community. In June 1, 2009, President Barack Obama declared the month of June as the Pride of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people. The celebration of the 40th anniversary of the riots at Christopher Street gives an occasion to reflect on the progress that has been made since 1969. (Chuck 192-195)

References

Betsy Kuhn. (2011). Gay Power!: The Stonewall Riots and the Gay Rights Movement, 1969
David Carter. (2004). Stonewall: The Riots That Sparked the Gay Revolution
Chuck Stewart. (2003).Proud Heritage: People, Issues, and Documents of the LGBT Experience