1970: A First-Person Acunt of the First Gay Pri March - The Village Voice

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• THEY MARCHED AMERI’S FIRST PRI DEMONSTRATNS 1970. THEY’RE STILL OUT, LOUD, AND PROUD.INTO THE STREETSAMERI’S FIRST PRI MARCH WERE HELD 1970 NEW YORK, L.A, SAN FRANCIS, AND CHIGO. ORGANIZERS AND PARTICIPANTS RELL THE POST-STONEWALL POWER OF BEG SEEN AND HEARD.TIM TEEMANSENR EDOR AND WRERUPDATED JUL. 13, 2020 5:25AM EDT / PUBLISHED JUL. 05, 2020 5:14AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEAST / PHOTOS VIA NEW YORT PUBLIC LIBRARYTHE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE STONEWALL RTS NEW YORK CY WAS MARKED JUNE 2019. THIS YEAR SAW THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CY’S FIRST PRI MARCH, KNOWN AS THE CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATN DAY MARCH. BUT ON JUNE 27 AND 28, 1970, ONE YEAR AFTER THE RTS, NEW YORK CY WASN’T MAKG HISTORY ALONE. THAT WEEKEND THERE WERE ALSO THE FIRST PRI MARCH LOS ANGEL, CHIGO, AND SAN FRANCIS—ALTHOUGH THEIR FIRST ERATN “PRI” WAS NOT THEIR NAM.TO ANIZE AND ATTEND THOSE MARCH WAS BRAVE; THIS WAS AN ERA WHICH BEG LGBTQ AND BEG OUT BROUGHT NSIRABLE PERSONAL RISK. BUT THE STONEWALL GENIE WAS OUT OF THE BOTTLE; BEG OUT AND VISIBLE AT MARCH AND MONSTRATNS WAS THE LGBTQ RIGHTS MOVEMENT’S MOST PUBLIC STATEMENT.BELOW, PARTICIPANTS AND ANIZERS OF AMERI’S FIRST EVER DITED LGBTQ MARCH 1970 TALK TO THE DAILY BEAST ABOUT THE ERA, WHY THEY MARCHED, THE DRAMA AND LOR OF THE DAY, HOW THEY FEEL THE MOVEMENT HAS EVOLVED SCE, WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE FUTURE—AND WHAT ADVICE THEY HAVE FOR THE NEXT GENERATN OF ACTIVISTS. NEW YORK CITY: VICTORIA CZ VICTORIA CZ IS A LONGTIME TRANS ACTIVIST AND LGBTQ MPAIGNER, AND A SENR DOMTIC VLENCE UNSELOR AND ADVOTE FOR THE ANTI-VLENCE PROJECT (AVP). SHE WAS PRENT AT THE STONEWALL RTS 1969, THE 1970 CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATN DAY MARCH, AND WAS A CLOSE IEND OF SYLVIA RIVERA. CZ IS 73, AND LIV EAST FLATBH, BROOKLYN, AND APPEARED DAVID FRANCE’S 2017 DOCUMENTARY, THE DEATH AND LIFE OF MARSHA P. JOHNSON, TRYG TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY OF JOHNSON’S 1992 ATH. IN 2012, CZ RECEIVED THE NATNAL CRIME VICTIM SERVICE AWARD OM THEN-ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLR.WHAT WAS LIKE BEG AT STONEWALL?I WAS 22, AND INTIFYG AS BUTCH/FEMME DRAG QUEEN BACK THEN. AS A BAR, STONEWALL WAS A RELEASE. YOU ULD GO THERE AND BE YOURSELF AND DANCE WH WHOEVER YOU WANTED. THE MIC WAS FANTASTIC. THERE WERE VERY FEW CLUBS AROUND AND MOST OF THEM ED TO GET RAID. THE NIGHT OF THE STONEWALL RTS, PEOPLE WERE FED UP: THE ABE, THE VERBAL ABE, THE PHYSIL ABE, THE PHG, THE SHOVG, THE NAME LLG. PEOPLE ULDN’T TAKE ANY MORE, SO THEY FOUGHT BACK.WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER FEELG AND SEEG?IT WAS A VERY WARM, HUMID NIGHT. THERE WAS A STILLNS THE AIR. JUDY GARLAND HAD JT BEEN BURIED. THERE WAS A FULL MOON. IT WAS THE LM BEFORE THE STORM. I SAW THE PADDY WAGONS PULL UP AT THE STONEWALL AND THOUGHT WAS ANOTHER RAID. BUT I ULD SEE THE PS WERE OM ANOTHER PRECCT. I WAS OUT ONT. WE HEARD BOTTL BREAKG AND MIRRORS SMASHG. PEOPLE STARTG G OUT, THE PS WERE BEATG UP A LBIAN (SOME SAY THIS WAS STORMé DELARVERIE, BUT ACUNTS VARY). THE CROWD THREW PENNI AT THEM AND LLED THEM “PIGS.” THEN ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE. SOMEONE THREW A BRICK, AND CRACKED THE WDOWS. PEOPLE ED PARKG METERS TO BANG ON THE DOORS. THE CROWD GREW. MORE PS ME. THEY WEREN’T ED TO FIGHTG BACK. I THK THEY WERE MORE ASTONISHED THAN WE WERE.WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU NEXT?WHEN MORE PS ME, THEY STARTED CHASG PROTTERS. WE WENT NORTH ON SEVENTH AVENUE, THEN ON TO 10TH STREET, THEN BACK TO WAVERLY PLACE, THEN BACK TO THE STONEWALL AGA. THE PS WERE CHASG , THEN WE WERE CHASG THE PS. IT END UP LIKE A KEYSTONE EDY. THEN WE SAW PEOPLE WH MOLOTOV CKTAILS SETTG RS ON FIRE AND I THOUGHT, “THIS IS GETTG TOO MUCH.” MY THEN-BOYIEND FRANKIE WAS ILLEGAL HERE, OM CANADA. HE WAS A BOUNCER AT THE STONEWALL. HE DIDN’T WANT TO GET ARRTED, AND GET SENT BACK TO CANADA. IT GOT MORE AND MORE ROWDY. THERE WERE MORE BRICKS, PS, AND BATONS. WE GOT THE TRA HOME. WHEN WE GOT THERE, WAS ALREADY ON TV.DID YOU GO BACK THE NEXT TWO NIGHTS?THE BAR LLED FRANKIE TO GO THE NEXT DAY. THE PLACE WAS STROYED. HE BROUGHT BACK A STONEWALL BAR SIGN WH THE PRIC OF DRKS. I STILL HAVE . PEOPLE REANIZED, AND WE WENT BACK ON THE SEND NIGHT AND WAS MORE VLENT. THE THIRD NIGHT I DIDN’T GO. I THOUGHT, “I DON’T NEED ANY OF THIS.” “AS WE WERE MARCHG, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE JOED THE PARA. WE GOT TO CENTRAL PARK. IT WAS LIKE A SPECTACLE. WE WERE SO HAPPY, EE, AND LIBERATED.”— VICTORIA CZ YOU WENT TO THE FIRST PRI MARCH THE FOLLOWG YEAR 1970?Y, WAS SO TERTG. I REMEMBER AT FIRST AROUND 50 PEOPLE GATHERG AT BLEECKER AND CHRISTOPHER STREETS. THEN WE MARCHED UP SIXTH AVENUE. THEY GAVE HALF THE STREET, AND WE MARCHED ALL THE WAY UP TO CENTRAL PARK. AS WE WERE MARCHG, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE JOED THE PARA. WE GOT TO CENTRAL PARK. IT WAS LIKE A SPECTACLE. WE WERE SO HAPPY, EE, AND LIBERATED. IT WAS A DIFFERENT FEELG. NOBODY WAS ASHAMED TO BE OUT AND BE THEMSELV. IT WAS JT AN UPLIFTG FEELG OF EEDOM. FRANKIE AND I STAYED TOGETHER ANOTHER SIX MONTHS. HE DIDN’T WANT ME TO BE DRAG, HE WANTED ME REGULAR-GUY CLOTH. I SAID, “NO, THIS IS NOT ME.” HE MET ME A MI-SKIRT, AND TRIED TO CHANGE ME. I WOULDN’T GO FOR THAT. I HAD ALREADY LET MY HAIR LOOSE, AND TAKEN HORMON AND SAID, “THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO BE.” I TRANSNED BEFORE STONEWALL DURG HIGH SCHOOL. I HAD FOUND OUT THERE WERE DOCTORS EXPERIMENTG WH BLACK MARKET HORMON. MY DOCTOR WAS A REAL PNEER.HOW WAS YOUR FAY ABOUT YOU BEG TRANS?I WAS ONE OF 11 CHILDREN, AND THIRD OM THE ELST. (CZ WAS BORN GUáNI, PUERTO RI, AND MOVED AS A YOUNG CHILD WH HER FAY TO RED HOOK, BROOKLYN.) MY PARENTS BOTH WORKED, SO I HAD TO TAKE RE OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. THEY ALWAYS KNEW. I NEVER HID MYSELF, NEVER HID THE CLOSET. THEY WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE. I WAS ONE OF THE FAY, ONE OF THEM. I WAS MY MOTHER’S CHILD. MY MOTHER WAS MY DRSMAKER, MY FATHER WAS MY IEND. I ULD S ON THE BENCH AND TALK THE BREEZE WH MY FATHER ABOUT ANYTHG. IT’S VERY IMPORTANT WHEN YOU’RE ACCEPTED.THAT SOUNDS A VERY POSIVE EXPERIENCE.MOST OF THE TIME TRANS PEOPLE WEREN’T THAT VISIBLE. I TOLD MY MOTHER, “THIS IS THE WAY I FEEL.” SHE DIDN’T FIGHT ME. ONCE I STARTED MY TRANSN SHE SAW THE DIFFERENCE. I WENT TO SCHOOL, AND HAD A JOB. I PASSED. IT WAS ALWAYS DIFFICULT AT WORK BEE WHEN THEY FOUND OUT EMPLOYERS WOULD FIRE ME, OR MAKE MY LIFE SO MISERABLE I DIDN’T WANT TO GO BACK TO WORK. BEG TRANS WAS TABOO BACK THEN. I MOLED. ONCE THEY FOUND OUT, I LOST THOSE JOBS.I TOOK UP HAIRDRSG AND SMETOLOGY, THKG WOULD MAKE LIFE EASIER. IN SOME WAYS WAS MORE ACCEPTG AND TOLERANT. BUT THOSE DAYS TRANS PEOPLE WERE NOT VISIBLE. MANY PEOPLE HADN’T MET A TRANS PERSON. THEY HAD PERHAPS HEARD OF CHRISTE JENSEN (WHOSE TRANSN 1952 HAD MA HEADL).  “YOU GET ALL THE RPORATNS AND BANKS WH THEIR BOY-TOYS AND FANCY FLOATS. HOW MANY OF THOSE RPORATNS EVER HIRE TRANS WOMEN? HOW MANY OFFER MEDIL VERAGE?”— VICTORIA CZ HOW ACCEPTG THOSE DAYS WAS THE MASTREAM GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT TO TRANS PEOPLE?I FELT THE FIRST MARCH THEY WANTED TO GO TO BACK OF THE PARA, AND WE SAID, “HELL NO.” WE WERE UP ONT REBELLG. WE MIXED THROUGH THE WHOLE CROWD. THAT’S WHY YOU DON’T SEE A SEPARATE TRANS NTGENT. WE WOULDN’T GO TO THE BACK. IT HASN’T CHANGED MUCH. WE HAVEN’T BEEN FULLY ACCEPTED, PERD. YOU GET ALL THE RPORATNS AND BANKS WH THEIR BOY-TOYS AND FANCY FLOATS. HOW MANY OF THOSE RPORATNS EVER HIRE TRANS WOMEN? HOW MANY BANKS HIRE TRANS WOMEN AS TELLERS? HOW MANY OFFER MEDIL VERAGE? WE HAVE TO PEND ON ERNMENT HANDOUTS. WE ARE STILL THIRD-CLASS CIZENS. THEN THERE ARE THE MURRS OF TRANS WOMEN OF LOR. PEOPLE LOOK AROUND AND FD SOMEONE WHO IS VULNERABLE TO BULLY.HAVE YOU HAD EXPERIENCE OF THIS YOURSELF?I STARTED AT AVP AS A SURVIVOR OF SEXUAL ASSLT AND RAPE. I HAD BEEN RAPED BEFORE BY MEN. I WAS WORKG AT A NURSG HOME 1996 AND WAS ASSLTED BY FEMALE NURS. IT WAS MORE PHYSIL AND HATEFUL. I GOT THROUGH WH THE HELP OF AVP. THEY WERE ARRTED. I WAS NEVER ALONE URT FOR THE WHOLE YEAR THE SE WENT ON (TWO OF THE ACCED WERE FOUND GUILTY OF HARASSMENT, THE OTHERS WERE ACQUTED). SOMEONE OM AVP WAS ALWAYS WH ME. I WANTED TO GIVE SOMETHG BACK TO THEM, AND I HAVE BEEN THERE FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS. HOW IMPACTFUL WAS STAR (STREET TRANSVTE ACTN REVOLUTNARI), WHICH WAS SET UP 1970 TO FEED AND HOE HOMELS QUEER YOUTH?SYLVIA AND MARSHA (P. JOHNSON) FOUND STAR HOE. IT WAS A YOUTH CENTER THE EAST VILLAGE FOR TWO YEARS. THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH FUNDS G , AND BROKE APART. THE GIRLS TOOK THE PPER PIPG PLUMBG, SOLD , AND BOUGHT FOOD FOR THE STREET KIDS. SYLVIA HAD THAT ON HER MD ALL THE TIME, TO HELP PEOPLE. MARSHA WOULD SAY, “WE HAVE TO BE GOOD TO ONE OTHER.” THOSE WERE HER FAVORE WORDS. I ED TO LL SYLVIA, RTY (MAE MOORE) AND CHELSEA (GOODW, WHO RAN TRANSY HOE BROOKLYN OM 1995 TO 2008) TO HELP GIRLS WHO ULDN’T FD SHELTERS. THEY DID NOT ONCE SAY NO. THEY WELED THEM WH OPEN ARMS.IN 1973, SYLVIA GAVE HER FAMO SPEECH WASHGTON SQUARE PARK TO PRI PROTTERS, TALKG ABOUT TRANS PEOPLE BEG RAPED AND BEATEN, AND BEG IGNORED BY THE GAY MUNY. “I WILL NO LONGER PUT UP WH THIS SH.”SYLVIA WENT HOME SLASHED HERSELF AFTER THAT. MARSHA FOUND HER, AND TOOK HER TO THE HOSPAL. OTHERWISE SHE’D HAVE BEEN AD. SYLVIA FELT THE MOVEMENT HAD ABANDONED HER, AND OTHER TRANS PEOPLE. SHE LEFT THE MOVEMENT, AND SHE MOVED TO WTCHTER. THE CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATN DAY MARCH, NEW YORK, 1970COURTY MARK SEGAL HOW WERE THE RT OF THE MARCH THAT ?THE MARCH DURG THAT TIME FEATURED GAY BARS AND CLUBS WHO RENTED OUT FLOATS AND BUGGI AND HORS. THE SEND AND THIRD MARCH WERE MORE ANIZED. GAY BARS, WH MALY MEN, AT THAT TIME SOMETIM WOULDN’T LET YOU IF YOU DIDN’T KNOW SOMEONE, SO WE WENT TO TRANS BARS.DID THE MASTREAM MOVEMENT BEE MORE TRANS-CLIVE?IT GOT MORE SPIRATNAL, BUT TRANS PEOPLE WERE STILL AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL. UNLS YOU DO SOMETHG OUT OF THE ORDARY ’S STILL NOT AS ACCEPTED THAT MUCH. THE MASTREAM MOVEMENT SILED . I ALWAYS SPEAK MY MD. DON’T TOLERATE . ACCEPT . I SAY THAT TO HETEROSEXUAL PEOPLE TOO. ACCEPT ME JT AS I ACCEPT YOU. IT’S ACCEPTANCE, NOT TOLERATN.WHAT DO YOU THK OF THE TMP ADMISTRATN?THAT DRAFT DODGER WHO THE EXCE OF HEEL SPURS? IF MARSHA AND SYLVIA WERE AROUND TODAY, MARSHA WOULD ASK WHAT KD OF HEELS HE HAD BEEN WEARG. HE’S A LIAR. THE RSIANS HAVE GOT SOMETHG ON HIM.TODAY, THEY WOULD BE UPONT MARCHG WH THE RT OF THE CROWD. MARSHA SEEMED GULLIBLE, BUT SHE ALWAYS KNEW WHAT THE PRIZE WAS. SHE WOULD GIVE YOU THAT NAIVETé BUT ALWAYS KNOWG WHAT SHE WANTED AND HOW TO GET . SYLVIA WAS YOUR FACE AND AGGRSIVE, WHERE MARSHA WASN’T. THEY MA A GOOD PAIR. “SHE SAID, ‘YOU HAVE TO KEEP THE MUNY TOGETHER BEE WE N BE OUR WORST OWN ENEMY, AND THERE’S POWER NUMBERS, AND WE DO HAVE THE NUMBERS WH OUR ALLI.’ AND I SAID, ‘I’LL TRY.’”— VICTORIA CZ TELL ME ABOUT YOUR IENDSHIP WH SYLVIA.MYSELF AND SYLVIA, WE WERE ENEMI. YOU KNOW HOW GIRLS ARE! A IEND OF HERS WAS SEEG FRANKIE, SO I WAS ALL PISSED OFF ABOUT THAT. IT WAS A RIVALRY. AFTER I STARTED WH AVP, SYLVIA AND I BEME IENDS. WHEN WE FIRST MET AFTER 25 YEARS, WAS AT A MEETG. SHE SAID, “I KNOW YOU.” I SAID, “I KNOW YOU TOO.” JT THEN A MARSHA BUTTON POPPED OFF HER BLOE, AND ROLLED OVER TO MY FEET. A SISTER ME AND PICKED UP. SYLVIA SAID, “GIVE TO HER, SHE’S ONE OF .” EVER SCE THEN, WE STARTED WORKG TOGETHER FOR THE MUNY.SHE BEME MY BT IEND. I WAS WH HER AT ST. VCENT’S (THE FORMER NEW YORK HOSPAL) THE DAY BEFORE SHE DIED ( FEBARY 2002). I ED TO GO AT LUNCHTIME. I WAS FEEDG HER. SHE TOLD ME, “VICTORIA, S DOWN. I HAVE TO SPEAK TO YOU.” SHE LLED ME “VICTORIA,” SO I KNEW WAS SER. SHE SAID, “YOU HAVE TO KEEP THE MUNY TOGETHER BEE WE N BE OUR WORST OWN ENEMY, AND THERE’S POWER NUMBERS, AND WE DO HAVE THE NUMBERS WH OUR ALLI.” AND I SAID, “I’LL TRY.” THE NEXT DAY I FOUND OUT THAT SYLVIA WAS AD. I REALLY MISS HER. THERE WAS SOMETHG SUPERNATURAL THAT MARSHA BUTTON POPPG OFF, AND SYLVIA AND I MAKG AMENDS AND WORKG TOGETHER.WHAT ARE YOU PROUST OF?I AM MOST PROUD OF MY UNSELG WORK AT AVP, AROUND DOMTIC VLENCE, HATE CRIME, RAPE, POLICE MISNDUCT, BIAS ASSLTS, WHOUT AND WH THE MUNY. ALSO, THE GRATU I GET OM OLD CLIENTS. WHEN I SEE THEM THEY TELL ME, “YOU SAVED MY LIFE,” OR “YOU GAVE ME A ROOF OVER MY HEAD,” OR “YOU GAVE ME MY SELF-TEEM BACK.” TO ME, THAT’S REWARD ENOUGH. I FOUND THAT MY LIFE ME TO A STANDSTILL WHEN I WAS RELATNSHIPS. WHEN I WOULD BREAK UP I WOULD MOVE FORWARD. RELATNSHIPS GOT THE WAY OF WHAT I WANTED TO DO, WHICH WAS TO BE EE AND BE AN ACTIVIST. WHEN I WAS ON MY OWN, I WENT TO LLEGE. WHEN I WAS ON MY OWN, I WORKED. ONE RELATNSHIP ED ME TO BE A CRACK ADDICT. THEN I WORKED FOR AVP, AND I PROGRSED. AGG IS A PROCS. YOU AGE GRACEFULLY. I’M STILL GROWG UP. I HOPE WHAT I AM DOG NOW WILL BE MY LEGACY AS AN ACTIVIST AND A PERSON, WORKG TO ENSURE ALL MARGALIZED PERSONS ARE ACCEPTED AS HUMAN BEGS. TRANS RIGHTS ARE ALWAYS HUMAN RIGHTS.DO YOU THK THE TRANS MOVEMENT HAS REACHED A POSIVE TURNG POT?I THK THE TRANS MOVEMENT HAS MOVED A LTLE FURTHER FORWARD, PECIALLY WH SHOWS LIKE POSE. I N’T INTIFY CALYN JENNER. SHE HAS NEVER WALKED MY SHO, AND I NEVER WALKED HERS. I N’T INTIFY WH HER BEE SHE’S ALWAYS HAD WHAT SHE WANTED, WHEREAS I HAD TO HTLE AND STGGLE TO GET WHAT I WANTED—AND WORK FOR . IT JT DIDN’T E ON A SILVER PLATTER. MOST OF THE GIRLS HAVE TO WORK HARD FOR . POSE IS BRILLIANT, AND REFLECTS THE LIV OF REAL TRANS WOMEN. WILL & GRACE AND OTHER SHOWS ARE EDI. POSE IS REAL LIFE. ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE?I AM OPTIMISTIC BEE I FEEL THE MOVEMENT G NOW WILL BE ABOUT CHANGE. NOW ’S THE YOUTH AND ALL RAC FIGHTG THE JTIC. GEE FLOYD’S KILLG WAS A 21ST-CENTURY LYNCHG. AS LONG AS THERE’S JTICE, BROWN CHILDREN BEG PUT G, PEOPLE HAVE TO STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT. AND THIS IS ALL WRONG.HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT BLACK LIV MATTER, AND BLACK TRANS LIV MATTER?FANTASTIC. IT’S TIME WE BRG THE THGS OUT THE OPEN, BEE THE WIR WORLD DON’T HEAR MUCH ABOUT . WE ONLY HEAR ABOUT OUR MUNY. I KNOW “ALL LIV MATTER,” BUT PICKG ON MARGALIZED GROUPS IS A SYSTEMIC THG THIS UNTRY, AND THAT SYSTEM HAS TO BREAK DOWN. WE NEED TO BREAK DOWN.YOU HAVE DONE SO MUCH WORK AND ACTIVISM OVER THE YEARS.IN A WAY I AM HONORED, AND A WAY I AM HUMBLED. WE HAVE WON MANY BATTL, BUT THE WAR KEEPS ON WH THIS ADMISTRATN. WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO YOUNGER ACTIVISTS?GET TED—BEE ONCE YOU’RE TED, NOBODY N TAKE THAT OM YOU. LOS ANGELES: KARLA JAYKARLA JAY, THOR OF TAL OF THE LAVENR MENACE: A MEMOIR OF LIBERATN, WAS AN EARLY MEMBER OF THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT AND A FOUNDG MEMBER OF RADILBIANS. SHE HELPED ANIZE THE FIRST LOS ANGEL PRI MARCH—KNOWN AS THE CHRISTOPHER STREET WT PARA—ON JUNE 28, 1970.HOW DO THIS 50-YEAR SPAN OF LGBTQ HISTORY FEEL?IT IS KD OF FUNNY TO THK WAS A MID-CENTURY AGO. SOMETIM FEELS LIKE THAT, SOMETIM DO SEEM LIKE YTERDAY. IT IS QUE STRANGE. I THK TERMS OF SOCIAL HISTORY THE PROGRS GENERAL WE HAVE MA IS EXTRAORDARY. THERE WERE FOUR OF THOSE FIRST PRI MARCH NEW YORK CY, LOS ANGEL, CHIGO, AND SAN FRANCIS, WH FEWER THAN 10,000 PEOPLE. LAST YEAR, THERE WAS AN TIMATED 5 LN PEOPLE NEW YORK CY, ATTENDG OR THE MARCH. NOW THERE ARE PRIS MANY UNTRI AROUND THE WORLD. THAT IS AN EXTRAORDARY VELOPMENT THE LAST 50 YEARS. KARLA JAY, CIR 1970.DIANA DAVI/COLLECTN OF KARLA JAY YOU HELPED ANIZE THE LA MARCH?I HELPED PLAN SOME OF THE NEW YORK MARCH, THEN WENT OUT TO LOS ANGEL AT THE END OF MAY TO HELP THEM GET READY TOO. THE MAJOR OBSTACL TO THE MARCH WERE THE POLICE PARTMENTS, WHICH REMAS VERY RELEVANT TODAY. THE POLICE WOULDN’T GIVE PERMS TO MARCH BEE THEY SAW AS FELONS, WHO REALLY SHOULDN’T BE OUT ON THE STREET, LET ALONE MARCHG BROAD DAYLIGHT.IT WAS REALLY VERY DIFFICULT FOR TO PULL OFF THE MARCH BEE POLICE PARTMENTS WOULD THROW UP THGS LIKE OVERTIME, BAIL BONDS, AND HUGE SANATN BILLS WHICH WE ULDN’T AFFORD. IN LOS ANGEL WE RAISED $1,000 FOR BAIL MONEY, WHICH WOULD HAVE BAILED OUT 10 PEOPLE BACK THEN FOR “DISTURBG THE PEACE.”THE THEN-POLICE CHIEF LOS ANGEL, EDWARD M. DAVIS, TRIED TO STOP THE MARCH. HE HAD REFED TO GIVE A PERM, SAYG THAT IF HE DID HE WOULD HAVE TO ALLOW THIEV AND BURGLARS TO MARCH THE FOLLOWG WEEK. HE SAID WE WOULD “DISMO” THE PUBLIC IF WE MARCHED. (IN A FORTHG TERVIEW, THE REVEREND TROY PERRY, ONE OF THE KEY L.A. MARCH ANIZERS AND FOUNR OF THE METROPOLAN COMMUNY CHURCH, TALKS ABOUT HAVG TO TAKE THE POLICE TO URT TO GET THE MARCH GREENL.) “IT WAS HOT DURG THE DAY, SO WE SET OFF AT 7 P.M. MOST PEOPLE LA ARE NOT ED TO WALKG, LET ALONE MARCHG LONG DISTANC, SO WE KEPT SHORT.”— KARLA JAY THE MARCH WAS EVENTUALLY ALLOWED TO GO AHEAD. WHAT WAS THE DAY SELF LIKE?WE STARTED OUT AT MCCADN PLACE, RIGHT OFF HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD, AND MARCHED ONE E TO HOLLYWOOD AND VE. IT WAS HOT DURG THE DAY, SO WE SET OFF AT 7 P.M. MOST PEOPLE LA ARE NOT ED TO WALKG, LET ALONE MARCHG LONG DISTANC, SO WE KEPT SHORT. HOW WAS THE ATMOSPHERE?REALLY KD OF AMAZG. WE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. WE ENURAGED PEOPLE TO E FTIVE CLOTHG. A NUMBER OF PEOPLE ME HALLOWEEN STUM. IT WAS REALLY QUE ENTERTAG, AND ALSO SERVED AS A WAY TO DISGUISE THE MARCHERS. THEY WERE KD OF TENTATIVE.I WALKED WH THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT BANNER, AND I LIKED TO WALK THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET SE PEOPLE THREW THGS. PEOPLE ED TO THROW BOTTL OM THE SIL. BUT NONE OF THAT HAPPENED THIS PARTICULAR MARCH. THERE WERE PEOPLE LED UP, 10-EP, WATCHG TO THE SI. THE ATMOSPHERE WAS EXTREMELY FTIVE.WE WERE SHOUTG, “OUT OF THE CLOSETS, TO THE STREETS,” “2-4-6-8, HOW DO YOU KNOW YOUR GRANDMOTHER’S REALLY STRAIGHT?”—THGS LIKE THAT. WE ED TO SG A SONG, “IF WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR SAPPHO WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME,” ALTHOUGH YOU ULD TAKE SAPPHO’S NAME OUT AND ADD WHATEVER NAME YOU LIKED TO THE CHOS.WAS WELL ATTEND?A GUY UNTED 1,169 PEOPLE G ONE OF THOSE LTLE UNTERS. IT PROBABLY WASN’T EXACTLY ACCURATE, BUT FAIRLY ACCURATE. WE DIDN’T KNOW WE WERE MAKG HISTORY. WE WERE WALKG THE SUNSHE, SHOWG OUR FAC. AND, THOSE DAYS, WE WERE RISKG LOSG A LOT TO DO THAT: RISKG LOSG OUR APARTMENTS, HOM, REERS, YOU ULD BE THROWN OUT OF SCHOOL. WE KNEW THAT ONCE WE TOOK THAT STEP OVER THE STARTG LE THAT WE ULDN’T GO BACK. NOT MANY PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN A STEP LIKE THAT. FOR SO MANY PEOPLE TO SAY, “HERE I AM, LOOK AT ME.” THAT WAS MAKG HISTORY—TO BE VISIBLE. THAT’S THE BIGGT CHALLENGE STILL. EVERY DAY THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE OUR MUNY WHO STILL VISIBLE VAR WAYS. IF EVERYONE ME OUT, THEY (ANTI-LGBTQ POLICIANS) WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO DO TO WHAT THEY’RE DOG TODAY. “SUDNLY I HEARD PEOPLE CHEERG. I DIDN’T KNOW IF I WAS GOG TO CRY, I WAS SO EXCED AND BREATHLS THAT PEOPLE WERE CHEERG FOR , FOR SOMETHG THAT WE HAD BEEN HATED FOR FOR OUR ENTIRE LIV.”— KARLA JAY WHAT ARE YOUR STRONGT MEMORI OF THE DAY SELF?I REMEMBER HOLDG MY BREATH, JT AS WE STEPPED OFF ON THE MARCH I DIDN’T KNOW IF PEOPLE WOULD CHEER OR BOO. SUDNLY I HEARD PEOPLE CHEERG. I DIDN’T KNOW IF I WAS GOG TO CRY, I WAS SO EXCED AND BREATHLS THAT PEOPLE WERE CHEERG FOR , FOR SOMETHG THAT WE HAD BEEN HATED FOR FOR OUR ENTIRE LIV. AT THAT MOMENT WE KNEW WE HAD MA HISTORY. WE DIDN’T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD SHOW UP, CERTALY MORE THAN WE EXPECTED. AFTERWARDS WE WENT TO BAR LLED SATAN’S AND HEARD OM THE ACTIVIST MORRIS KIGHT THAT ACTIVISTS CLUDG TROY PERRY, WHO FOUND THE METROPOLAN COMMUNY CHURCH, HAD GOTTEN ARRTED. (PERRY WILL SPEAK ABOUT HIS ARRT, HIS NIGHT JAIL, AND MUCH MORE HIS FORTHG TERVIEW WH THE DAILY BEAST.) AN ARGUMENT ENSUED ABOUT WHETHER WE SHOULD GO TO THE POLICE STATN OR WA TO GET THEM OUT THE MORNG AS WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET THEM OUT AT THAT HOUR. FALLY, TURNED TO NOT QUE A FIGHT, BUT SOME PEOPLE WANTED MORRIS TO SHUT UP AND POURED BEER OVER HIM. IT WAS KD OF LIKE THE WILD WT. ONE GUY SAID TO MORRIS, VERED BEER, “MORRIS YOU’RE ALL WASHED UP.” THAT WAS OUR GAY LIBERATN NIGHT.WHAT HAPPENED THE MORNG? THEY GOT OUT. THEN WE DID A S- FOR 10 DAYS AT THE FERAL BUILDG. DAVIS WAS LOOKG FOR AN EXCE TO ARRT , BUT THE PS ULDN’T ARRT BEE WAS A FERAL PLAZA. WE SAT THERE FOR 10 GELG DAYS TRYG TO GET CIVIL RIGHTS AND MARRIAGE EQUALY. SOME PEOPLE WERE FASTG. SOME PROTTERS SAID THEY HAD MET WH POLICE AND GOTTEN NCSNS. I DON’T THK THEY DID, BUT SOMETIM PEOPLE SAID THAT TO STOP SOMETHG THAT HAD BEE ULS WH NO WNER. WE GOT PUBLICY AND NOW WAS THE JULY 4TH WEEKEND, EVERYONE WAS GONE, AND REALLY WAS TIME TO GO HOME.THIS WAS 50 YEARS AGO. HAS THE LGBTQ MOVEMENT LIVERED WHAT YOU EXPECTED?IN SOME WAYS I NEVER THOUGHT BACK THEN THAT WE WOULD HAVE MARRIAGE EQUALY. L REMEMBER ONE OF THE EARLY GAY LIBERATN FRONT MEETGS NEW YORK, WHERE WE SAT A CIRCLE AND TALKED ABOUT WHAT WE WANTED. ONE WOMAN SAID SHE WANTED TO GET MARRIED. WE ALL LGHED AT HER. WE THOUGHT SHE WAS CRAZY. BACK THEN WE ULDN’T EVEN HOLD HANDS PUBLIC WHOUT GETTG BEATEN UP. WE THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY “FAR OUT,” AS WE LLED BACK THEN. WE WEREN’T TERTED MARRIAGE, IMATG WHAT WE SAW AS HETEROSEXUAL FAILED RELATNSHIPS. WE REALLY THOUGHT WE AS OUTLAWS ULD CHANGE STRAIGHT SOCIETY. WE ED TO SAY, “WE’LL NEVER GO STRAIGHT UNTIL YOU GO GAY.”  “THE MARRIAGE EQUALY MOVEMENT THREW GENR NON-NFORMG AND TRANS PEOPLE UNR THE B, AND DIDN’T CHERISH PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO LIVE A DIFFERENT KD OF LIFE.”— KARLA JAY WE HAD A MORE AMB IMAGE OF TRANSFORMG HETEROSEXUAL CULTURE TO BE MORE ANDROGYNO AND BE ABLE TO GIVE UP ON THE IA OF MONOGAMY AND THE PATRIARCHAL SYSTEM. MARRIAGE HADN’T WORKED OUT SO WELL FOR HETEROSEXUAL PEOPLE. WE HAD A VERY DIFFERENT IA. IT MAK ME VERY SAD THAT WE LEFT OUT NON-NFORMG PEOPLE OF ALL SORTS.THE MARRIAGE EQUALY MOVEMENT THREW GENR NON-NFORMG AND TRANS PEOPLE UNR THE B, AND DIDN’T CHERISH PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO LIVE A DIFFERENT KD OF LIFE—PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO LIVE AS SGLE PEOPLE OR SLEEP WH EVERYONE TOWN OR LIVE AS A “THROUPLE.” WE WANTED TO SEE WHAT ULD BE DONE, NOT TO HAVE WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE. THAT WAS OUR AMBN THEN AS RADILS. I WAS A FEMIST, I CERTALY DIDN’T WANT A TRADNAL UPLEDOM.WHAT DID YOU WANT, OR STILL WANT?I’D ALSO LIKE TO SEE MORE PROTECTNS FOR LGBTQ FAI, AND PARTICULAR AN END TO VLENCE AGAST TRANSGENR WOMEN OF LOR. IT’S AN EPIMIC. THERE WERE A LOT OF TRANSGENR WOMEN THE MOVEMENT BACK THEN, AND EXCEPT FOR SYLVIA (RIVERA) AND MARSHA (P. JOHNSON) THE WOMEN HAVE BEEN FOTTEN. THAT’S SAD. IT’S DISGRACEFUL NOW TO SEE SOME FEMISTS ATTACKG TRANS WOMEN, AT A TIME WHEN THE RIGHT WG ARE ATTACKG . WE SHOULD EMBRACE ONE ANOTHER. I FULLY SUPPORT MY TRANS BROTHERS AND SISTERS. I THK TO NY TRANS PEOPLE THEIR FULL HUMANY AND RIGHT TO EXIST IS AWFUL. I JT DON’T HAVE STRONG ENOUGH WORDS FOR LGB PEOPLE AND FEMISTS SPENDG THEIR TIME ATTACKG TRANS PEOPLE THIS POLIL ENVIRONMENT. “WE N’T BEG TO FATHOM THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE WE’RE FACG GOG FORWARD. IF WE DON’T GET TMP OUT OF THERE AND DON’T FLIP THE SENATE, WE ARE FOR TREMENDO TROUBLE THE FUTURE.”— KARLA JAY WHAT SHOULD THE LGBTQ MOVEMENT DO NOW?ONE OF THE THGS WE WERE ADAMANT ABOUT BACK THEN WAS BEG TERSECTNAL, ALTHOUGH WE DIDN’T HAVE THAT WORD. IN 1969 AND 1970, WE FORMED ALLIANC WH THE BLACK PANTHERS AND OTHER LEFT-WG GROUPS. TODAY, I WOULD LIKE FOR THE ANIZATNS THAT ARE MOSTLY FOCED ON JT THE LGB MUNY—AND TOO LTLE ON THE T—TO THK MORE BROADLY ABOUT REALLY ALIGNG MORE MEANGFUL WAYS WH OTHER ANIZATNS; REALLY TO MEAN WHEN THEY SAY THAT BLACK LIV MATTER. IT’S EASY TO TALK THE TALK BUT THOSE ANIZATNS THAT DON’T WALK THE WALK NEED TO STEP ASI AND LET THOSE OM THE POC AND BIPOC MUNI TO LEAD . THIS IS THE NEXT STEP.HOW DO YOU SEE THE TMP ADMISTRATN’S LGBTQ ANIM, AND IMPORTANCE OF THE NOVEMBER ELECTN? I THK THIS ELECTN IS THE MOST CRIL ELECTN WE’VE EVER FACED. TMP HAS DONE CREDIBLE DAMAGE BY APPOTG 200 FERAL JUDG TO THE URTS. WE N’T BEG TO FATHOM THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE WE’RE FACG GOG FORWARD. IF WE DON’T GET TMP OUT OF THERE AND DON’T FLIP THE SENATE, WE ARE FOR TREMENDO TROUBLE THE FUTURE. I WOULD HAVE HOPED FOR A BETTER, STRONGER, MORE FORWARD-THKG DEMOCRAT NDIDATE, BUT I WOULD BE WILLG TO VOTE FOR A BBAGE OVER TMP IF WERE NNG. NEW YORK CITY: MARK SEGALMARK SEGAL, THEN 18, PARTICIPATED THE STONEWALL RTS NEW YORK CY, AND WAS ONE OF THE ORIGAL FOUNRS OF THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT. HE WAS A MARSHAL AT THE FIRST NEW YORK PRI MARCH—THE CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATN DAY MARCH— 1970. HE IS THE FOUNR AND PUBLISHER OF PHILALPHIA GAY NEWS, AND THOR OF AND THEN I DANCED: TRAVELG THE ROAD TO LGBT EQUALY.WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THAT DAY 1970? FOR ME, ’S ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE DAYS OF MY LIFE. THERE ARE FEW DAYS YOU REMEMBER—MY WEDDG FIRST, OF URSE, BUT THIS IS UP THERE BEE THAT DAY I KNEW WOULD BE THE START OF A SUBSTANTIAL MOVEMENT FOR EQUALY. WE HAD CREATED SOMETHG. FIRST HAD E STONEWALL. FROM THE ASH OF STONEWALL HAD E THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT. THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT CHANGED EVERYTHG FOR THE LGBT MUNY, OR AT THAT TIME THE GAY MUNY, TERMS OF WHAT EVER THOUGHT OF SELF AND WHAT WE WILL BE. WHAT WAS THAT ERA LIKE?THERE WAS NO LGBT MUNY BEFORE THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT. THE ONLY PLAC WHERE LGBT PEOPLE ULD GO WERE PRIVATE PARTI, OR WHERE THEY MET PARKS, OR THE FEW ILLEGAL GAY BARS THERE WERE AND THEY WERE ONLY THE MAJOR CI. AND THERE WERE SOME SMALL GAY ANIZATNS LIKE THE MATTACHE SOCIETY AND DGHTERS OF BILIS, WHICH DID SMALL MONSTRATNS. THEY MIGHT HAVE HAD MEETGS, BUT VERY FEW PEOPLE SHOWED UP BEE THEY WERE SRED THE POLICE WOULD RAID THEM.AT STONEWALL, WAS A RT. NO ONE WAS EXPECTG ANYTHG TO E OM , WH THE EXCEPTN OF (ACTIVIST) MARTY ROBSON. THREE THGS ABOUT STONEWALL STAND OUT. FIRST OF URSE THERE WAS THE VLENCE OF POLICE. PERSONALLY I HAD NEVER WNSED THIS BEFORE, AND THE POLICE, AND THEIR BEHAVR, REPRENTED THE OPPRSN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF HAD BEEN GOG THROUGH OUR ENTIRE LIV.I REMEMBER STANDG ACROSS THE STREET OM THE STONEWALL AND SAYG TO MYSELF, “THIS IS 1969. WOMEN, BLACK PEOPLE AND LATO PEOPLE ARE FIGHTG FOR THEIR RIGHTS. WHAT ABOUT ?” THAT MOMENT WAS WHEN I CID TO VOTE MY ENTIRE LIFE TO THIS MOVEMENT. “IT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST JOYO RT YOU HAVE EVER SEEN, BEE THE HEAVY WEIGHT OF OPPRSN LIFTED THAT NIGHT.”— MARK SEGAL YOU DON’T THK THE MIDDLE OF A RT WHETHER WILL BE HISTORIC. YOU THK, “WILL I BE SAFE?” AND THERE WAS ALSO A LOT OF JOY. SOME OF THE PICTNS OF STONEWALL ARE FALSE. WHILE THERE WERE PEOPLE THROWG THGS AT THE BAR AND CHAOS, THERE WAS A SENSE OF JOY. WE WERE FIGHTG BACK FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, FIGHTG AS A UN, AND THERE WAS POWER NUMBERS. THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE NNG AROUND HAVG FUN. IT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST JOYO RT YOU HAVE EVER SEEN, BEE THE HEAVY WEIGHT OF OPPRSN LIFTED THAT NIGHT. WE FELT THAT THAT OPPRSN WAS BEG LIFTED BY OUR VERY ACTNS.WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE FIRST NIGHT OF RTG?SOMEWHERE DURG ALL THIS MARTY ROBSON (A NOTED GAY ACTIVIST, WHO DIED 1992) ME UP AND GAVE ME A PIECE OF CHALK TO WRE ON THE STREETS AND WALLS UP AND DOWN CHRISTOPHER STREET: “CHRISTOPHER STREET, TOMORROW NIGHT.” THAT CREATED THE SEND NIGHT OF STONEWALL. ON THE THIRD NIGHT, THE PEOPLE WHO LATER BEME THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT WERE LEAFLETG ON THE STREETS. THAT ACT OF LEAFLETG WAS AN ACT OF FIANCE BEE WAS ILLEGAL FOR TO BE DOG . WE WERE LERALLY SAYG TO THE POLICE, “SCREW YOU, YOU NNOT STOP ANY MORE.”THREE WEEKS AFTER THE RTS ME THE FIRST MARCH THAT MARTHA SHELLEY AND MARTY ROBSON ANIZED. IT WAS NOT A PRI MARCH. IT WAS OM WASHGTON SQUARE PARK TO CHRISTOPHER STREET. THIS WAS AGAST THE POLICE. WE WERE SAYG, “TAKE BACK THE STREETS.”REMEMBER, AT THIS TIME THERE WAS NO “GAY MUNY.” THE ONLY THG WE HAD WAS TAKG BACK OUR STREETS AND CREATG PRI. LATER THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT CREATED MUNY. WE CREATED EVERYTHG WE ULD TO HELP BUILD AN CLIVE AND DIVERSE MUNY. WE CREATED THE FIRST TRANS YOUTH ANIZATNS, MEDIL ALERTS, LEGAL ALERTS; WE CREATED THE FIRST GAY MUNY CENTER. WE DISTRIBUTED NEWSPAPERS ON THE STREETS.AND THEN THE FIRST MARCH WAS CREATED, A YEAR TO THE DAY OF THE RTS.THE FIRST MARCH WAS TO CELEBRATE THREE THGS—TO MARK THE OCSN OF STONEWALL OBVLY; TO CELEBRATE THE FACT OF OUR PRI WHAT WE HAD CREATED AND PRI OURSELV; AND THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THAT PRI: THAT WE WERE OUT, LOUD, PROUD, AND YOUR FACE. THAT’S LLED VISIBILY. THAT’S WHAT THE MARCH WAS ALL ABOUT.HOW EASY WAS TO ANIZE THE FIRST MARCH?IT WAS ANIZED BY THE CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATN DAY COMMTEE. WE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT WAS GOG TO HAPPEN. WE NGREGATED AT SEVENTH AVENUE AND CHRISTOPHER STREET. WE MARCHED DOWN CHRISTOPHER STREET, THEN UP SIXTH AVENUE TO SHEEP MEADOW CENTRAL PARK. WE WERE LEAVG WHAT WAS OUR GHETTO TO WALK ACROSS TOWN PUBLIC. THOANDS OF LGBT PEOPLE HAD NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE. WE WERE FYG THE WORLD TO E AFTER . WE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT WAS GOG TO HAPPEN. WE GAVE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE CLASS. I WAS A MARSHAL. I DIDN’T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO E WH . I DIDN’T KNOW THE MAGNU OF MUNY WE’D CREATED THAT FIRST YEAR. ON THE MORNG-OF, WE THOUGHT A FEW HUNDRED PEOPLE MIGHT SHOW UP.  “I HADN’T REALIZED HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE THERE UNTIL I CLIMBED A POLE AT 17TH STREET AND LOOKED BACK... I FELT A CHILL AT THAT MOMENT I DON’T THK I WOULD EVER HAVE AGA MY LIFE.”— MARK SEGAL WHAT’S YOUR OUTSTANDG MEMORY OF THAT FIRST NEW YORK MARCH?THE AREA OF SEVENTH AND CHRISTOPHER WAS SO CROWD MA LG PEOPLE UP VERY DIFFICULT. IT WAS CHAOTIC. IT WAS AN OCSN OVERFLOWG WH JOY, SEEG HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE THERE. I HADN’T REALIZED HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE THERE UNTIL I CLIMBED A POLE AT 17TH STREET AND LOOKED BACK AND ULD STILL SEE PEOPLE G OUT OF CHRISTOPHER STREET. I FELT A CHILL AT THAT MOMENT I DON’T THK I WOULD EVER HAVE AGA MY LIFE. AT THAT MOMENT I KNEW WE HAD CREATED A MOVEMENT FOR EQUALY THAT WOULD EXIST FOR A LONG TIME. THE LGBTQ RIGHTS MOVEMENT IS ONE THE BT EXPORT GIFTS AMERI HAS GIVEN TO THE WORLD. HOW DO YOU SEE THE 50-YEAR SPAN OF LGBTQ HISTORY SCE THEN?IF YOU LOOK AT JT THE UNED STAT WE’VE E AN CREDIBLE WAY. REMEMBER, 1969 I WAS AN OUTLAW JT BEE OF WHO I WAS. WHO WOULD EVER HAVE THOUGHT THAT THAT KID STANDG OUTSI THE STONEWALL AT 18 YEARS OLD WOULD BE VED BY PRINT OBAMA TO DANCE WH HIS HBAND AT THE WHE HOE ( 2014, AT A WHE HOE PRI RECEPTN)? THAT’S HUGE. MARK SEGAL, 2ND LEFT, WH HBAND JASON VILLEMEZ, WH THE OBAMAS.COURTY MARK SEGAL WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WE WOULD HAVE HAD A VIABLE OUT PRINTIAL NDIDATE, GAYS THE ARY, MARRIAGE EQUALY, THE RECENT NON-DISCRIMATN--EMPLOYMENT CISN BY THE SUPREME COURT? THE ARE ALL THGS WE THE GLF LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR. EVERYTHG WE HAVE THE LGBT MUNY TODAY IS FOUND ON THE SHOULRS OF THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT. BEFORE THE GLF, THOSE ACTIVISTS HAD BEEN VERY BRAVE, BUT NOT BEEN ABLE TO FORM A MASSIVE MOVEMENT AS WE DID. I BLAME THE LGBT ANIZATNS THAT ME AFTER FOR IGNORG THE TRANS MUNY. IF THEY HAD EMBRACED TRANS PEOPLE, WE WOULD BE FURTHER DOWN THE LE ON TRANS ISSU. THEY ARE EMBRACG TRANSGENR PEOPLE AND ISSU NOW, BUT ’S RELATIVELY RECENT AND THEY HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO THAT AREA.WHAT DO THE TMP ADMISTRATN’S ATTACKS, PARTICULARLY ON TRANS PEOPLE, MEAN?THERE WILL ALWAYS BE CYCL CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENTS. I THK WE WILL SURVIVE TMP I DON’T KNOW IF HE WILL SURVIVE . WHAT I MEAN IS HISTORY WILL RERD HIM AS WRONG. AS FAR AS TRANS RIGHTS GO HE WILL BE NSIRED THE GEE WALLACE STANDG THE DOORWAY. EVERY SGLE PUBLIC OPN POLL SHOWS THAT THE AMERIN PUBLIC IS FAR AHEAD OF TMP AND HIS ADMISTRATN. TMP IS AN OUTLIER. “WHEN THERE IS AN ISSUE, DO OUTRAGEO ACTS, BUT MAKE SURE THEY ARE NON-VLENT. TRY AND KEEP A LTLE JOY YOUR LIFE. JOY IS VERY IMPORTANT WHEN ALG WH A TOUGH SUBJECT.”— MARK SEGAL WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR THE NEXT GENERATN OF ACTIVISTS?WHEN THERE IS AN ISSUE GO TO THE STREETS. WHEN THERE IS AN ISSUE DON’T BE AAID OF GETTG ARRTED. WHEN THERE IS AN ISSUE, DO OUTRAGEO ACTS, BUT MAKE SURE THEY ARE NON-VLENT. AND DURG ALL OF , TRY AND KEEP A LTLE JOY YOUR LIFE.YOU TALK ABOUT JOY A LOT.JOY IS VERY IMPORTANT WHEN ALG WH A TOUGH SUBJECT. DURG MY 51 YEARS OF WORKG ON THIS, I ALWAYS TOLD THOSE I HAVE WORKED WH THE ALLIED MUNY, OR THOSE I WAS TRYG TO MAKE ALLI, “THIS IS GOG TO BE DIFFICULT FOR YOU. THE ONLY WAY TO GET THROUGH IS IF WE HAVE SOME FUN DOG .” I HAVE WORKED WH ERNORS, PRINTS, MAYORS, YOU NAME . SOME WEREN’T ALWAYS IENDLY. YOU N ONLY DO THAT IF YOU’RE WILLG TO TALK AND HAVE MUNITNS AND DIALOG. I DON’T THK SOMEONE WILL REMA AN ENEMY FOREVER. I NNOT EXPRS HOW MANY POLICIANS WERE OPPOSED TO MARRIAGE EQUALY WHO NOW EMBRACE FULLY. NEW YORK CITY: ALSTON GREENALSTON GREEN, 69, IS A CLIENT OF SAGE, THE ADVOCY ANIZATN FOR LGBTQ ELRS. A CREATIVE NSULTANT AND FABRIC AND GRAPHIC SIGNER (CLUDG LEADG THE SIGN IATIVE FOR “MAHOGANY,” HALLMARK’S AIN-AMERIN RD BRAND), HE LIV NEW YORK CY, AND ATTEND THE CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATN DAY MARCH 1970.WHAT WAS THE 1970 NEW YORK MARCH LIKE?IT WAS RATHER QUIET. IT DIDN’T HAVE A PARA PERM. IT WASN’T REALLY HUGE. BUT THE NGREGATN THAT HAPPENED AT SHEEP MEADOW CENTRAL PARK AFTERWARDS ATTRACTED A LARGE CROWD. I WAS 19 YEARS OLD, AND WAS ALL KD OF NEW TO ME, BEE I HAD ONLY RECENTLY E OUT. I DIDN’T REALIZE THE FULL IMPACT OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED AT STONEWALL. I GREW UP PHILALPHIA, I HAD MOVED TO NEW YORK CY TO GO TO SCHOOL (PARSONS SCHOOL OF DIGN) TWO MONTHS AFTER THE RTS.HOW DID THE MARCH FEEL?A BATN OF THE CELEBRATORY AND THE POLIL. THERE WERE A LOT OF HIPPI, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE STONED. I WAS PRETTY POLIL. THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND THE VIETNAM SUATN WERE AT THE TOP OF MY LIST. AT THE TIME I ULD HAVE BEEN DRAFTED. THERE WAS A LOTTERY BACK THEN, BUT I WASN’T LLED TO GO. I KNEW PEOPLE WHO HAD MOVED TO CANADA TO AVOID . WE HAD NO BS BEG THAT WAR. IT STROYED A LOT OF MEN, WHO EHER DIED OR ME BACK WH PTSD, OR DG ADDICTN. IT WAS A REALLY AWFUL, PAFUL TIME, AND WE DIDN’T TREAT THEM RIGHT. “I’M AIN AMERIN. IN THAT ERA THE BAR SCENE WAS VERY SEGREGATED. SEVERAL BARS WE ULD NOT GET TO—ALTHOUGH THE STONEWALL SELF ACCEPTED EVERYBODY.”— ALSTON GREEN THE FIRST MARCH WAS TYPIL OF THAT THG THAT HAPPENS WH WHE GAY MEN WHO WANTED TO EXCLU TRANS PEOPLE—AND THEY WERE THE ON WHO HELPED START THE RTS! I THK ’S WONRFUL THEY’RE ERECTG THOSE MONUMENTS TO SYLVIA (RIVERA) AND MARSHA (P. JOHNSON). I’M NOT SURPRISED SYLVIA WENT OFF AT THE PROTTERS 1973. I DON’T BLAME HER.I’M AIN-AMERIN. IN THAT ERA THE BAR SCENE WAS VERY SEGREGATED. SEVERAL BARS WE ULD NOT GET TO—ALTHOUGH THE STONEWALL SELF ACCEPTED EVERYBODY. MY FIRST EXPERIENC OF GOG OUT HERE WERE AT PARTI ATTEND BY A NSISTENT GROUP OF GAY MEN—AND A FEW LBIANS, BUT NOT THAT MANY— HARLEM, THE BRONX, AND BROOKLYN. WE HAVE ALL THIS TECHNOLOGY NOW. WHO KNOWS HOW WE DID BACK THEN, BUT WE DID . WE HAD OUR OWN LTLE FAY.THE FIRST BAR THAT OPENED MANHATTAN THAT WELED PEOPLE OF LOR WAS A BLOCK AWAY OM THE U.N. ON THE EAST SI. AT THAT TIME WAS NOT REALLY A MIXED NEIGHBORHOOD. THEN EVERYTHG CHANGED THE MID-’70S, THE VILLAGE BEME VERY POPULAR. THE WORLD WAS YOUR OYSTER, REALLY WAS. YOU ULD REALLY BE, SAY, AND DO WHATEVER YOU WANTED. I WAS YOUNG, I DIDN’T GO CRAZY, BUT I CERTALY ENJOYED MYSELF. I WASN’T OUT MY JOB AT THE TIME. ALSTON GREEN, 1992, AND 1985COURTY ALSTON GREEN HOW HAS GEE FLOYD’S KILLG, AND EVERYTHG THAT HAS E OM , AFFECTED YOU?I WAS VASTATED WHEN I SAW THE VIO. THAT IS WHAT WE LL A TELEVISED LYNCHG. LISTEN TO THE LAST LE OF GIL STT HERON’S 1971 SONG “THE REVOLUTN WILL NOT BE TELEVISED”: “THE REVOLUTN WILL BE LIVE.” WHAT HAPPENED WAS AWFUL, BUT I’M GLAD SPIRED YOUNG PEOPLE TO GET OFF THEIR ASS. I HAVE BEEN CYNIL ABOUT LENNIALS, BUT ’S GREAT TO SEE THEM SO VOLVED. WHAT DO YOU THK WHEN YOU NSIR THAT 50-YEAR SPAN OF HISTORY?IT FEELS GOOD TO HAVE HELPED GET TO WHERE WE ARE NOW. WE STILL HAVE PROBLEMS, BUT ’S GOOD THE MOVEMENT IS MORE DIVERSE NOW. WHERE WE ARE NOW IS TWO STEPS FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK. I WAS SAD TO HEAR ABOUT THE ALTERTN AT THE QUEER LIBERATN MARCH AT THE WEEKEND. I TELL YOUNG PEOPLE: ’S YOUR TURN NOW. “WHE AMERI IS NOW BEG FORCED TO LOOK AT THE UGLS THAT BUILT THIS UNTRY. THIS UNTRY WAS BUILT ON SYSTEMIC RACISM. WE HAVE LIVED EVERY DAY OF OUR LIV AS BLACK PEOPLE. WE KNOW .”— ALSTON GREEN I ALSO WANT YOUNG PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT GAY HISTORY. WHAT WE ARE SEEG THIS UNTRY IS VERY DISTURBG AND IGHTENG. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO REALIZE HOW THE UNTRY IS BUILT. AS PEOPLE OF LOR WE KNOW. WE SEE EVERY DAY. WHE AMERI IS NOW BEG FORCED TO LOOK AT THE UGLS THAT BUILT THIS UNTRY. THIS UNTRY WAS BUILT ON SYSTEMIC RACISM. WE HAVE LIVED EVERY DAY OF OUR LIV AS BLACK PEOPLE. WE KNOW . SLAVERY END, AND THEN THE PENAL SYSTEM WAS BUILT FOR EE LABOR.WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNGER ACTIVISTS?TO KNOW HISTORY. YOU NEED TO UNRSTAND HISTORY ORR TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD. I’M NOT KNOCKG YOUNG PEOPLE. I 100 PER CENT DIDN’T FEEL WAS IMPORTANT TO ME UNTIL I WAS 25/26. THAT’S WHEN STARTED I READG ABOUT THE MATTACHE SOCIETY. IT’S IMPORTANT FOR ALL LGBTQ PEOPLE TO KNOW THEIR HISTORY. ALSTON GREEN, 1984, AND 1995COURTY ALSTON GREEN HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE FUTURE?MY BIGGT DISAPPOTMENT RIGHT NOW IS HOW IMPATIENT PEOPLE ARE, AND HOW MANY ARE NOT PAYG ATTENTN. I N’T BELIEVE SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE A PROBLEM WEARG MASKS, WHEN THEY HELP SAVE OTHER PEOPLE’S LIV. MY GENERATN WENT THROUGH THE AIDS CRISIS. WE KNEW THE IMPORTANCE OF SAFER SEX. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD DIFFICULTI WH THAT. I WENT TO THREE OR FOUR FUNERALS A WEEK, WHICH WAS TOO MUCH FOR ME TO AL WH. WE WERE FORCED TO LEARN HOW TO TAKE RE OF EACH OTHER. WE LOST SO MANY MALE LEARS, LBIANS STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE. IN THE EARLY 1980S EVERYONE WAS BURNT OUT OM PEOPLE DYG. DRAG BEME VERY POPULAR. WE BEME MORE FORTABLE WH GENR FLEXIBILY.I’M OPTIMISTIC. I HOPE THE YOUNGER GENERATN ARE LEARNG OM WHAT IS HAPPENG NOW. I N’T BELIEVE THERE ARE SHOWS LIKE POSE, FEATURG TRANS AND NON-BARY PEOPLE ON TV. IT’S PRETTY AWOME TO SEE. I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD GET TO THIS POT. I DON’T WATCH RUPL’S DRAG RACE, BUT SO MANY STRAIGHT PEOPLE DO! SAN FRANCISCO: PETER FISKEPETER FISKE IS A STONEWALL VETERAN, AND HAS BEEN AN ACTIVIST FOR OVER 50 YEARS. HE WAS AT THE FIRST GAY FREEDOM DAY MARCH SAN FRANCIS ON JUNE 27, 1970, AND AT THE FOLLOWG DAY’S “GAY-IN” PIIC GOLN GATE PARK. HE IS A LEATHER PERSON, AND “A PROUD ALLY FOR PEOPLE OF LOR, TRANS PEOPLE, AND BLACK LIV MATTER.”WHAT HAPPENED ON JUNE 27 AND 28, 1970, SAN FRANCIS?THERE WAS A PARA ON SATURDAY, AND A PIIC WHICH WE LLED A “GAY-” GOLN GATE PARK ON THE SUNDAY. WE LLED GAY FREEDOM DAY. IT HADN’T REALLY FOUND THE NAME “PRI” YET. I’M A STONEWALL VETERAN, BUT I’M A VETERAN OF THE BAR, NOT THE RTS. IT WAS MY HANGOUT 1968 AND 1969. I HAD E TO NEW YORK FOR SEVEN-AND-A-HALF MONTHS. I HAD TAKEN A LOT OF DGS SAN FRANCIS AND WANTED TO CLEAN MYSELF UP. I WENT TO THE STONEWALL 50, 60 TIM, AND I WAS THERE THREE TIM WHEN THE POLICE RAID 1969. WHAT I SAW TURNED ME TO A LIFELONG ACTIVIST.  “YOU’D GET NO NOTICE OF A RAID. THE FIRST EVINCE WAS THE MIC BEG TURNED OFF, AND THE LIGHTS TURNED ON. IT WAS ABOUT 1 THE MORNG WHEN HAPPENED THAT FAL TIME BEFORE STONEWALL SELF.”— PETER FISKE WHAT WAS LIKE BEG THE STONEWALL WHEN A POLICE RAID HAPPENED?I WAS THERE THE LAST TIME THE PS RAID BEFORE JUNE 28, 1969. YOU’D GET NO NOTICE OF A RAID. THE FIRST EVINCE WAS THE MIC BEG TURNED OFF, AND THE LIGHTS TURNED ON. IT WAS ABOUT 1 THE MORNG WHEN HAPPENED THAT FAL TIME BEFORE STONEWALL SELF. THE PS WOULD E , AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO LE UP AND SHOW THEM YOUR ID. IF YOU WERE NOT WEARG THREE EMS OF CLOTHG THAT MATCHED WHAT THEY EMED TO BE YOUR GENR, OR IF YOU WERE UNRAGE, YOU WERE ARRTED. THEY LLED “QUEERS” AND “FAGS.” THEY WERE MEAN AND BULLYG. IF YOUR ID WAS OK, THEY LET YOU LEAVE, AND THE BAR REOPENED AFTERWARDS. THAT LAST RAID BEFORE THE ONE THE NIGHT OF THE RTS, PEOPLE WERE ANGRY AND MUTTERG. STONEWALL WAS A STREET BAR. THERE WERE HTLERS, STREET PEOPLE, HOMELS PEOPLE, POOR PEOPLE, AND ALSO SUBURBAN PEOPLE, PEOPLE OF LOR, LEATHER FOLKS. I WAS ONE OF THEM. I ED TO GO THERE AFTER GOG TO THE TWO LEATHER BARS NEW YORK HAD THOSE DAYS. PETER FISKE AT ROCKAWAY BEACH, QUEENS, JUNE 1969, THE SAME MONTH AS STONEWALL.COURTY PETER FISKE YOU WEREN’T THERE FOR THE RTS THEMSELV?I LEFT NEW YORK THE TUDAY BEFORE THE RTS. I WAS NOT A VERY POLIL GAY PERSON BEFORE WHAT I SAW AT THE STONEWALL. I HAD DRAG QUEEN IENDS, AND WAS AT THE COMPTON’S CAFETERIA RT SAN FRANCIS 1966. THERE WAS A LOT OF POLICE BTALY SAN FRANCIS. IT WAS NOT A TOLERANT CY UNTIL THE 1970S. THAT NIGHT AT COMPTON’S, THE PS BEAT EVERYBODY, THE QUEENS FOUGHT BACK, AND A BUNCH WERE TAKEN TO JAIL. IN THOSE DAYS, PEOPLE’S NAM GOT PRTED THE NEWSPAPER. IT WAS AWFUL FOR THEM. THAT WAS PART OF THE OPPRSN.WHEN I ME BACK TO SAN FRANCIS AFTER STONEWALL, I WENT TO GLF MEETGS. I DIDN’T GET EXTREMELY POLILLY ACTIVE IMMEDIATELY. THAT ME DURG THE AIDS CRISIS. AFTER STONEWALL, GLF EXPAND WILDLY SAN FRANCIS. GAY PEOPLE WERE MOVG TO THE POLK STREET NEIGHBORHOOD, THE FIRST “GAYBORHOOD” SAN FRANCIS; THE CASTRO WAS STILL MIXED BACK THEN. NEW BARS WERE OPENG ALL THE TIME.HOW WAS THE MARCH? A LOT OF PEOPLE AT THE TIME WERE AAID TO BE A GAY MARCH. I WOULD SAY THE CROWD HAD AROUND 800 TO 1200 PEOPLE ON , WHICH WAS A LOT. I WAS HAPPILY SURPRISED WHEN I GOT THERE. PEOPLE HAD E OUT, DRSED MOSTLY HIPPIE-ISHLY. IT WAS VERY LORFUL. THERE WERE A LOT OF DRAG QUEENS. PEOPLE DIDN’T DO DRAG THE STREETS NORMALLY. I WORE A LEATHER VT AND LEATHER CHAPS.  “WE WALKED DOWN POLK STREET, AND AS THE STREET GOT UN-GAYER AND UN-GAYER, I THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE TLLS, BUT PEOPLE WAVED.”— PETER FISKE THERE WERE SPEAKERS AT THE MARCH. THE ROUTE STARTED AT POLK AND SUTTER, NEAR TO ONE OF THE BIGGT GAY BS OF THAT TIME, THE TOWN SQUIRE, KNOWN AS THE SQUIRE. WE WALKED DOWN POLK STREET, AND AS THE STREET GOT UN-GAYER AND UN-GAYER, I THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE TLLS, BUT PEOPLE WAVED. WE WALKED ALL THE WAY TO NORTH BEACH, AND HAD A PIIC AT AQUATIC PARK. EVERYONE SMOKED MARIJUANA. THE NEXT DAY, GOLN GATE PARK, THERE WERE A LOT OF DGS BEG DONE. I BELIEVE I TOOK A SMALL DOSE OF LSD FOR THAT ONE. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT THE CY?SUDNLY THE CY SEEMED FULL OF ACTIVISTS, AND WE WERE STARTG TO FD OUR WAY. I REMEMBER PICKETG PACIFIC BELL WHO WOULDN’T HIRE HOMOSEXUALS. EVENTUALLY, THE THEY GAVE . THE CY CHANGED THROUGHOUT THE 1970S. BY 1978, THIS LTLE PARA HAD BEE ONE WH 3-400,000 PEOPLE, MARCHG AGAST THE BRIGGS INIATIVE, WHICH WAS AIMED AT STOPPG LGBTQ PEOPLE OM TEACHG CALIFORNIAN SCHOOLS. HARVEY MILK MA HIS REER FIGHTG . I KNEW HIM TO SAY HELLO TO. I ED TO SEE HIM AND HIS THEN-PARTNER STT SMH AT THE BATH-HOE. I REMEMBER HIM BEG ASSASSATED AND THE WHE NIGHT RTS THAT FOLLOWED (WHEN HIS ASSASS, DAN WHE WAS GIVEN A LENIENT SENTENCE). THERE WAS A LOT OF ANGER THAT DAY. OUR MARCH THAT AFTERNOON SNAKED THROUGH THE STREETS. WE CHANTED, “HE GOT AWAY WH MURR. HE GOT AWAY WH MURR.” THE MONSTRATORS BURNED AROUND 6 POLICE RS; AND THE PS BEAT UP PATRONS AT SOME CASTRO GAY BARS RETALIATN.YOU ALSO LIVED THROUGH THE AIDS ERA SAN FRANCIS.AIDS BROUGHT ME MY PARTNER AND LOVE OF MY LIFE, COULTER THOMAS. HE WAS INTERNATNAL MR. LEATHER 1983. WE MET 1983 AT AN AIDS BENEF. HE WAS WH SOMEONE ELSE, AND WHEN THAT PERSON DIED HE MOVED TO SAN FRANCIS, WE GOT TOGETHER. WE HAD A WONRFUL TIME TOGETHER FOR FOUR AND A HALF YEARS, UNTIL, SEPTEMBER 1992, AIDS ALSO TOOK HIM AWAY. HE WAS THE MOST BETIFUL MAN I EVER SAW MY LIFE, AND HE WAS ALSO A REALLY KD AND SWEET MAN.HE TRODUCED ME TO A GROUP OF IENDS WHO WERE TRANSNG OM FEMALE TO MALE, AND I GOT TO KNOW THEM AND THEY ARE STILL VERY CLOSE TO ME NOW. BEE OF THAT, LATER ON, I MPAIGNED TO GET THE LEATHER MUNY AND LEATHER EVENTS TO ACCEPT TRANSGENR MEN AND WOMEN. IT TOOK A LONG TIME, BUT WE DID . “THERE WAS A S-DOWN PROTT. BEE OF MY AGE I WAS TOLD I WOULD BE ARRTED WH THE CLERGY. WHEN I WAS ARRTED AND THEY PULLED OUT PLASTIC HANDCUFFS, I JOKED I WOULD PREFER METAL ON.”— PETER FISKE DO YOU THK MASTREAM GAY ACTIVISM HAS DONE ENOUGH FOR TRANS PEOPLE?I DON’T THK WE HAVE DONE ENOUGH. THAT’S WHY I AM SO GLAD TO SEE SO MUCH GOG ON WH BLACK LIV MATTER, AND TRANS LIV MATTER AND BLACK TRANS LIV MATTER. I’M STILL AN ACTIVIST. I WAS GLAD ABOUT THE SUPREME COURT LG. THE FIRST AND ONLY TIME I WAS ARRTED WAS 2009, WHEN PROPOSN 8 (BANNG SAME-SEX MARRIAGE CALIFORNIA) WAS LED NSTUTNAL. (IT WAS FALLY OVERTURNED 2013.) THERE WAS A S-DOWN PROTT. BEE OF MY AGE I WAS TOLD I WOULD BE ARRTED WH THE CLERGY. WHEN I WAS ARRTED AND THEY PULLED OUT PLASTIC HANDCUFFS, I JOKED I WOULD PREFER METAL ON. MY P IENDS FOUND THAT VERY FUNNY. THE CHARG WERE DROPPED THE NEXT DAY.WHAT DO LGBTQ ACTIVISM MEAN TO YOU TODAY?I DIDN’T DREAM OF MARRIAGE EQUALY. IN 1969, WE WERE FIGHTG NOT TO BE OPPRSED. THAT WAS WHAT STONEWALL WAS ABOUT. I THK WE HAVE E FURTHER THAN I ULD HAVE EVER DREAMED. THERE IS STILL SOME WAY TO GO, OF URSE. WE’RE NOT DONE YET. THEY ULD TAKE ALL WAY AWAY AGA IF THE UNTRY NTU TO GO DOWN THE DARK ROAD ’S BEEN ON FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNG ACTIVISTS?SOMETIM YOU HAVE TO GET ANGRY TO GET ACTN. SOMETIM YOU HAVE TO MAND RATHER THAN ASK. AND KEEP GOG. IF YOU’RE ANGRY ENOUGH ABOUT , CHANNEL THAT ANGER TO CREATIVE ACTN. I’M PROUD TO BE PART OF THE STONEWALL GENERATN OF ACTIVISTS. I DID BEE WE WANTED THE WORLD TO BE BETTER FOR THE ON G AFTER ME. I ALSO DID BEE I WAS DAMN ANGRY, PECIALLY THE 1980S DURG THE HEIGHT OF AIDS WHEN THE ERNMENT DIDN’T JT NOT RE BUT ACTIVELY WANTED AD. WE WERE IGHTENED FOR A TIME THEY WOULD PUT MPS.  “I’M SO PROUD OF THE YOUNG RIGHT NOW. THEY HAVE REALLY DONE SOMETHG THAT REMDS ME OF THE TIME AROUND STONEWALL AND THE TIME AROUND THE START OF AIDS.”— PETER FISKE IT’S BEEN A LONG, WONRFUL ROAD AND I’M NOT GOG TO STOP. I N’T PHYSILLY GO TO MONSTRATNS FOR BLACK LIV MATTER, BUT I WOULD BE THERE IF I WASN’T AT HIGH RISK FOR COVID. I HAVE EMPHYSEMA, I’M 75, AND I HAVE LUNG PROBLEMS—CHRONIC PULMONARY DISEASE. I N BE THERE SPIR. I’M SO PROUD OF THE YOUNG RIGHT NOW. THEY HAVE REALLY DONE SOMETHG THAT REMDS ME OF THE TIME AROUND STONEWALL AND THE TIME AROUND THE START OF AIDS, AND THEY’RE DOG FOR LGBTQ PEOPLE, WOMEN, PEOPLE OF LOR, TRANS PEOPLE. AND THEY’RE NONTG AND EXPOSG OUR OWN RACIST HISTORY.YOU LEFT SAN FRANCIS TO MOVE TO PALM SPRGS?Y, 2011. PALM SPRGS IS GAY LEATHER HEAVEN! HALF THE LEATHER MUNY SAN FRANCIS HAS MOVED HERE. THERE ARE 3 BARS, SEVERAL CLUBS, AND A UPLE OF LEATHER RORTS. 40-50 PER CENT OF THE TOWN IS GAY. IT ED TO BE REPUBLIN AND RACIST UNTIL THE 1990S, BUT THAT CHANGED WHEN THE QUEERS MOVED . NEW YORK CITY: ELLEN BROIDYELLEN BROIDY WAS AN EARLY MEMBER OF THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT. SHE WAS PRINT OF THE NYU STUNT HOMOPHILE LEAGUE, A FOUNR OF RADILBIANS, AND, FALL 1969, PRENTED THE ROLUTN CREATG THE CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATN DAY MARCH AT THE EASTERN REGNAL CONFERENCE OF HOMOPHILE ORGANIZATNS. A CALIFORNIAN SCE 1971, SHE PLETED HER DOCTORATE U.S. HISTORY AT UC IRVE. SHE HAS WORKED AS A LIBRARIAN, FACULTY MEMBER, AND WRG SPECIALIST AT UCI, UCLA, AND UCSB. ELLEN AND HER PARTNER OF 41 YEARS LIVE SANTA BARBARA WHERE SHE REMAS ACTIVE PROGRSIVE , WH A PARTICULAR FOC ON RACIAL AND IMMIGRATN JTICE.WHAT DID YOU DO TO HELP MAKE THE MARCH HAPPEN?I WAS ONE OF FOUR PEOPLE WHO WROTE ONE OF THE IAL STATEMENTS SAYG WE SHOULD HAVE THIS KD OF MARCH. I MA THE PROPOSAL AT THE EASTERN REGNAL CONFERENCE OF HOMOPHILE ORGANIZATNS ON NOV. 2, 1969. (THE STATEMENT, WRTEN BY BROIDY, CRAIG RODWELL, FRED SERGEANT, LDA RHOS, PROPOSED THERE SHOULD BE AN ANNUAL MARCH, THE LAST SATURDAY JUNE, TO MARK THE 1969 RTS, AND NOT JT NEW YORK CY BUT ACROSS AMERI.) WE WANTED TO BE ON THE SATURDAY, BUT END UP BEG SUNDAY. CHIGO HAD THEIRS ON THE SATURDAY AND BEAT NEW YORK. I WAS 23 WHEN I MA THE PROPOSAL, 24 AT THE TIME OF THE MARCH, AND 74 NOW.HOW WAS G OUT FOR YOU?ALL THE STGGL WERE MY HEAD. THEY DID NOT EXIST WH FAY AT ALL, WHICH WAS QUE UNUAL AT THAT TIME. I WAS 23 WHEN I FALLY TOLD MY MOTHER THAT I WAS A LBIAN. SHE LOOKED ACROSS THE TABLE AT ME AND SAID, “I’VE KNOWN SCE YOU WERE 6.” I SAID, “WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME?” SHE SAID, “I DIDN’T THK WAS ANY OF MY BS AND YOU’D E TO ON YOUR OWN.” SHE’D BEEN AN ACTIVIST ALL HER LIFE CIVIL RIGHTS, AND WORKED AT THE NATNAL URBAN LEAGUE. “WHAT STONEWALL WAS WAS A MOMENT. WHAT GLF NEED TO DO WAS TURN THAT MOMENT TO A MOVEMENT, AND THE JUNE 1970 MARCH WAS A PIVOTAL TURNG POT THAT MOVEMENT.”— ELLEN BROIDY HOW WAS THE MARCH SELF?THERE WAS A GREAT APPETE TO HAVE ONE, AND A HIVE GROUP OF ACTIVISTS LOOKG TO ANIZE . IT TOOK ON A LIFE OF S OWN. DEMONSTRATNS NEW YORK CY ARE NOT EASY TO MOUNT BEE OF POLICE AND PERMS AND ALL OF THAT. THERE WERE THOANDS OF PEOPLE AT THE MARCH, SO CLEARLY H A NERVE. WHAT STONEWALL WAS WAS A MOMENT. WHAT GLF NEED TO DO WAS TURN THAT MOMENT TO A MOVEMENT, AND THE JUNE 1970 MARCH WAS A PIVOTAL TURNG POT THAT MOVEMENT.WE DID NOT LL THE MARCH “STONEWALL.” WE LLED THE CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATN DAY MARCH. TALKG ABOUT NOT WHAT HAPPENED THE BAR BUT ON THE STREET MAY BE A DIFFERENCE WHOUT A DISTCTN, BUT I THK ’S IMPORTANT. ALL THOSE BAT AROUND WHO THREW THE FIRST STONE AND PENNI HAS TAKEN ON AN TERTG MYTHOLOGY OF S OWN. BUT WHAT HAPPENED THE STREET WASN’T MYTHOLOGY. AND WHAT HAPPENED WH THE MARCH WASN’T EHER. IT WAS TANGIBLE AND REAL.DID FEEL LIKE A MOMENT HISTORY?THROUGH MY 24-YEAR-OLD EY SURE FELT LIKE A TURNG POT, LIKE WE HAD JOED THE REVOLUTN, AND NOT ONLY JOED THE REVOLUTN BUT JOED OUR OWN NAM WHICH WAS SIGNIFINT. I’VE BEEN DISAPPOTED UNTIL NOW THE LAST 50 YEARS BEE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A REVOLUTN. I WAS GRATIFIED TO SEE THIS YEAR’S DYKE MARCH NEW YORK ALONGSI BLACK LIV MATTER. THE REVOLUTNARY FORC ARE G TOGETHER A WAY THAT PROBABLY ULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED 50 YEARS AGO.VISUALLY, WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER OM THE 1970 MARCH NEW YORK?ONE REALLY STRONG PICTURE MY MD WERE THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE LOOKG OUT OM THEIR WDOWS AND FIRE P. WE WERE LLG OUT, “OFF THE SIWALKS, TO THE STREETS.” AND DAMN , PEOPLE DID THAT.WHAT WAS YOUR EMOTNAL TRAJECTORY THAT DAY?“TRAJECTORY” IS A GOOD WORD BEE I PROBABLY STARTED OFF FEELG A GREAT AL OF ANXIETY AND TREPIDATN. WE HAD NO IA WHETHER THE CROWDS WERE THERE TO SUPPORT OR DO HARM. WE HAD NO IA WHAT THE REACTN OF THE POLICE WOULD BE—IF SOMETHG WENT AMISS, WOULD THEY LET HAPPEN, FACILATE , OR TERVENE? WHEN I SAW THE CROWD NUMBERS, THAT TREPIDATN AND FEAR DISSIPATED, AND WAS REPLACED WH A KD OF ELATN. IF SOMEONE WAS ASKED TO SCRIBE ME, “ELATN” WOULD NOT BE A WORD THEY WOULD CHOOSE. I’M SORT OF DOUR. BUT THAT DAY I FELT ELATN, GREAT CHEER AND JOY, JT TO BE THERE.HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE SPAN OF TIME SCE THE FIRST MARCH?IF YOU ASKED ME THIS QUTN LAST YEAR AT STONEWALL 50, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE GIVEN A SOMEWHAT NEGATIVE RPONSE. THIS YEAR, EVERYTHG HAPPENG WH BLACK LIV MATTER FEELS MUCH MORE POSIVE. I HAD FELT PRETTY NEGATIVE FOR THE LAST 49 YEARS. IN OUR YOUTH—I WAS 24 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME OF THE FIRST PRI MARCH—WE REALLY THOUGHT WE WERE ON THE CP OF REVOLUTN. BEFORE WE HAD A WORD FOR , WE THOUGHT WE KNEW SOMETHG ABOUT TERSECTNALY AND CROSSG BORRS. BUT WE ALL ME TOGETHER AND WHAT WE END UP “DOG” WAS DONALD TMP. “WE WEREN’T OUT FOR A PIECE OF THE PIE, WE WERE OUT TO BLOW UP THE BAKERY. WE WERE OUT TO START THE WHOLE THG AGA.”— ELLEN BROIDY HAS THE MOVEMENT ACHIEVED WHAT YOU HOPED?MARRIAGE EQUALY, SERVG THE ARY: AS A MEMBER OF GLF 50 YEARS AGO, THE WEREN’T EVEN ON MY LIST. BUT THGS LIKE THE RECENT ANTI-DISCRIMATN SUPREME COURT CISN, YEAH, THAT’S WONRFUL. I NEVER SERVED THE ARY. I MARRIED, AND I’M VERY GRATEFUL THAT HAPPENED, BUT WAS NOT SOMETHG ON MY MD OR THE MDS OF MY LLEAGU WHEN WE WERE MARCHG 1970.AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE, WE WEREN’T OUT FOR A PIECE OF THE PIE, WE WERE OUT TO BLOW UP THE BAKERY. WE WERE OUT TO START THE WHOLE THG AGA.WHAT DO YOU THK OF THE LGBTQ MOVEMENT NOW?IT HAS GONE THE WAY NEED TO GO WHICH IS NOT TO SAY I NECSARILY REGNIZE . THE ISSU ARE DIFFERENT. IN SOME WAYS ’S FAR MORE DRAMATIC BEE WE’RE ALG WH THE MURRS OF TRANS WOMEN OF LOR. OUR MOMENT IS OVER, ALTHOUGH I DO WISH MY YOUNGER LLEAGU HAVE A STRONGER SENSE OF HISTORY AND THEY DID NOT WAKE UP ONE MORNG AND VENT THE WHOLE THG. THEY ARE STANDG ON OTHER PEOPLE’S SHOULRS. BUT THEN, REFLECTG BACK, I WAS QUE DISMISSIVE OF THE HOMOPHILE MOVEMENT THAT ME BEFORE GAY LIBERATN. THE ONLY THG I REGRET IS THE SENSE THAT LBIANS SOME WAYS HAVE DISAPPEARED OM THE FACE OF THE MOVEMENT AND I MOURN THAT.WHAT HAS THE MOVEMENT ACHIEVED THE LAST 50 YEARS?WHAT ISN’T REVOLUTN IS REFORM. THOSE ARE TWO PRETTY DISTCT NCEPTS. WE HAVE A GREE OF EQUALY, BUT WE STILL DON’T HAVE LIBERATN. WE HAVE EQUALY AS HAS BEEN GIVEN TO BY THE URTS. WE ARE STILL NOT A POSN OF BEG A LIBERATED MUNY THAT N MAND S OWN NAME THIS AND THAT. THIS IS REFORM, NOT REVOLUTN; AND ’S A KD OF EQUALY, NOT LIBERATN. THE FACT THAT THE SUPREME COURT HAD TO MAKE THAT CISN IS CLEAR THAT THIS IS AN EQUALY THAT N BE TAKEN AWAY AND THAT IS TERRIFYG, AS WAS THE FACT THAT THE GOOD CIZENS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA WERE ABLE TO VOTE ON MY RIGHTS WHEN ME TO PROPOSN 8. “KNOW YOUR HISTORY. ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT YOU DID NOT VENT THIS STGGLE. YOU N MOVE FORWARD NEW AND IMPORTANT WAYS, BUT YOU DIDN’T VENT .”— ELLEN BROIDY WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE TO THE NEXT GENERATN OF ACTIVISTS?KEEP DOG , KEEP ON KEEPG ON. DON’T LET THE PRSURE OFF. DON’T NY WHY YOU ARE THIS MOVEMENT. KEEP GOG AND THEN OCSNALLY TURN AROUND AND LOOK OVER YOUR SHOULR AND REMEMBER . KNOW YOUR HISTORY. ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT YOU DID NOT VENT THIS STGGLE. YOU N MOVE FORWARD NEW AND IMPORTANT WAYS, BUT YOU DIDN’T VENT . I SAY THAT WH A GREAT AL OF SELF-CRICISM, GIVEN MY OWN PLETELY DISMISSIVE BEHAVR TOWARDS THE PEOPLE WHO ME BEFORE ME, LIKE THE MATTACHE SOCIETY AND DGHTERS OF BILIS, THE MASTREAM HOMOPHILE ANIZATNS OF THAT TIME. AND REALLY THEY WERE CREDIBLY BRAVE PEOPLE. THEY DIDN’T PARTICIPATE THE STGGLE THE WAY I THOUGHT THEY SHOULD HAVE, BUT AT 23 YOU THK YOU KNOW EVERYTHG.DO YOU THK LGBTQ EQUALY WILL EVER BE SETTLED, OR WILL ALWAYS BE A STGGLE?YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY: EEDOM IS A STGGLE. 50 YEARS AGO WE THOUGHT THIS STGGLE WAS FOR LBIANS AND GAY MEN. NOW ’S LBIANS, GAY MEN, BISEXUALS, TRANSGENR AND TERSEX PEOPLE. I DON’T SEE AN END TO ANY OF THE STGGL, AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN END TO WHE SUPREMACY, HETEROSEXISM, HOMOPHOBIA, AND RACISM. WE HAVE GOT TO KEEP MOVG FORWARD. CHICAGO: GARY CHICHTERGARY CHICHTER, 73, HAS PROVID MORE THAN 50 YEARS OF MMENT AND WORK TO THE LGBTQ MUNI—CLUDG MARCHG THE GURAL GAY LIBERATN MARCH OF JUNE 27, 1970. IN 1971, CHICHTER -FOUND THE CHIGO GAY ALLIANCE, WHICH CREATED CHIGO’S FIRST GAY AND LBIAN MUNY CENTER. HE HAS SERVED ON THE CHIGO COMMISSN ON HUMAN RELATNS’ ADVISORY COUNCIL ON LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENR ISSU, AND SAT ON THE CHIGO LGBT HALL OF FAME COMMTEE OM S CEPTN 1991 (-CHAIRG SCE 1992).WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THE PLANNG OF THE MARCH?IT WAS ANIZED BY GAY LIBERATN FRONT STUNT GROUP AT THE UNIVERSY OF CHIGO. A MONTH OR SO PRR TO , WE CREATED A SYMBOL OF TWO SETS OF MALE AND FEMALE SYMBOLS UNR A PROUD FIST. AROUND 200 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED. WE WANTED TO MARCH OVER TO MICHIGAN AVENUE TO SHOW PEOPLE THERE WERE ANGRY QUEERS AROUND. WE MARCHED TO DALEY PLAZA FOR A RALLY. THE ATMOSPHERE WAS NOISY, AND JUBILANT FOR THE MOST PART. WE SHOUTED FOR PEOPLE TO E OUT OF THEIR CLOSETS AND JO . THEN WE DANCED AROUND AS HIPPI DID THE DAY.I REMEMBER PEOPLE’S JAWS DROPPG. THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHG LIKE THAT. PEOPLE THE MARCH FELT THE SAME: A LOT OF THEM HAD NEVER MARCHED BEFORE. THE 1970 CHIGO MARCH KICKS OFF AT WASHGTON PARK (BUGHOE SQUARE).COURTY GARY CHICHTER WERE YOU POLIL BEFORE THE MARCH?I HAD E OM A NSERVATIVE SUBURBAN BACKGROUND. TWO YEARS PRR, WE HAD THE 1968 DEMOCRATIC NATNAL CONVENTN HERE. I SPENT WEEKS GOG TO MONSTRATNS, AND SAW THE POLICE BEATG UP PROTTERS. I WAS EVEN H BY A TEARGAS NISTER ON MICHIGAN AVENUE.IN 1969, MY THEN-PARTNER RICHARD AND I WERE AT HOME ONE SATURDAY NIGHT, AND GOT A LL OM A IEND OF RICHARD’S WHO WAS LIVG NEW YORK CY, WHO SAID, “YOU’LL NEVER GUS WHAT’S GOG ON HERE,” AND TOLD ABOUT THE STONEWALL RTS.GROUPS LIKE GLF STARTED FORMG ON CHIGO MP. THERE WERE SOCIAL EVENTS AND DANC. BARS STARTED ALLOWG DANCG. THE VICE PARTMENT DIDN’T RE; THEIR ATTU WAS “GET THEM OFF THE STREETS.” THE RALLY AFTER THE 1970 CHIGO MARCH AT CIVIC CENTER (DALEY CENTER).COURTY GARY CHICHTER WHAT WAS LIKE, BEG LGBTQ CHIGO AT THAT TIME?IF YOU DON’T HAVE SOMETHG, YOU DON’T MISS WHEN DON’T HAVE . I WAS PRETTY OPEN ABOUT MY SEXUALY. IT DIDN’T BOTHER ME TO BE GAY, AND I HAD A PRETTY GOOD RELATNSHIP WH MY FAY. BUT DURG THE 1968 CONVENTN THE PS RAID GAY BARS. THERE WAS A LOT OF STREET CISG. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME A 24-HOUR RTRANT DRKG A LOT OF FFEE. THAT’S HOW YOU MET UP WH PEOPLE. SOME OF THE BIGGER BARS WERE RACIST, AND DIDN’T LET BLACK GAY PEOPLE DRK THEM, BUT WE EVENTUALLY WORKED THROUGH THAT. “YOU THK PEOPLE WILL SAY NO, BUT I’VE FOUND IF YOU WALK AND ACT LIKE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANT, YOU GET . WE GOT EVERYTHG WE WANTED.”— GARY CHICHTER HOW DO YOU SEE THE LAST 50 YEARS OF LGBTQ HISTORY?KNOWG YOUR HISTORY AND HERAGE GIV YOU POWER. I’VE BEEN POSTG ON FACEBOOK THROUGHOUT JUNE ABOUT LGBTQ HISTORY, WHICH PEOPLE LIKED. I WAS MAD BEE I ME TO NEW YORK CY FOR THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF STONEWALL, AND THERE WAS SO MUCH, CELEBRATG SYLVIA (RIVERA) AND MARSHA (P. JOHNSON) AND EVENTS AND EXHIBS. THERE WASN’T ANYTHG LIKE THAT CHIGO, AND UPSET ME. THERE WAS A MEMORIAL AT THE STONEWALL MEMORATG THE PULSE MASSACRE, BUT CHIGO DIDN’T TOUCH ON THAT. AT THE 1974 RALLY: GARY CHICHTER (L), PATRICK JORDAN (R)COURTY GARY CHICHTER WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE 1970 MARCH?I WAS PART OF THE CHIGO GAY ALLIANCE. IN 1971, WE THOUGHT WE SHOULD GET A PERM FOR THE MARCH. MY SIGNATURE IS ON THE FIRST PERM GIVEN TO AN LGBTQ PARA. YOU THK PEOPLE WILL SAY NO, BUT I’VE FOUND IF YOU WALK AND ACT LIKE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANT, YOU GET . WE GOT EVERYTHG WE WANTED. THE ONLY THG WE DIDN’T GET WAS THE APPROVED CLOSURE OF STREETS AND REMOVAL OF PARKED RS, SO WAS A LTLE TIGHT ON THE SIWALKS 1971. I’M SO HAPPY CHIGO ELECTED LORI LIGHTFOOT, OUR FIRST AIN-AMERIN LBIAN MAYOR. PETE BUTTIGIEG IS JT DOWN THE ROAD INDIANA. I NEVER THOUGHT I’D SEE THE DAY WHEN A GAY MAN WOULD N FOR PRINT OF THE UNED STAT.WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUNGER ACTIVISTS TODAY?I REALLY APPRECIATE WHEN THE KIDS GO OUT NOW. I THK THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT WHAT THEY HAVE TODAY WASN’T JT HERE FOR THEM. THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE FIGHTG TO GET WHERE WE ARE TODAY, AND A LOT OF FIGHTG TO GO. LEARN YOUR HISTORY, LEARN YOUR HERAGE. IT’S WHERE YOU’LL GET YOUR POWER OM. NEW YORK CITY: MARTHA SHELLEYMARTHA SHELLEY, 76, WAS BORN BROOKLYN. SHE IS ONE OF THE FOUNRS OF THE NEW YORK CY CHAPTER OF THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT, AND THOR OF NUMERO POEMS, SAYS, AND A HISTORIL TRILOGY WHICH TAK PLACE THE ANCIENT MIDDLE EAST. SHE ALSO WR A BLOG.WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER OF THE 1970 NEW YORK MARCH?THAT 1970 MARCH WAS NOT THE FIRST MARCH. I HELPED ANIZE THE ONE WE DID ONE MONTH AFTER STONEWALL. WE LLED A PROTT MARCH. THERE WERE AROUND 400 PEOPLE THERE. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME PEOPLE WERE PREPARED TO STEP OUTSI THE SUNSHE, AND LET THE WORLD KNOW THEY WERE GAY. I WAS SRED BEFORE THE MARCH. I HAD BEEN HARLEM WHEN MART LUTHER KG WAS KILLED. I KNEW THE ERNMENT WOULD HAVE NO HATN KILLG , OR BEATG THE CRAP OUT OF AND THROW VANS.BUT ONCE STARTED, I WASN’T SRED. I WAS ANGRY. WE END UP CHRISTOPHER PARK, OPPOSE STONEWALL. MARTY ROBSON MA A SPEECH. I MA A SPEECH, AND ASKED PEOPLE TO LEAVE PEACEABLY, BEE THIS WASN’T AN END, BUT A BEGNG AND WE WOULD BE BACK. AND WE WERE: AS THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT. MARTHA SHELLEY, CIR 1970.COURTY MARTHA SHELLEY ONE OF MY MEMORI OF THE 1970 MARCH IS THAT I WAS TOTALLY BLOWN AWAY BY NUMBERS. WHATEVER SEXUALY YOU WERE, YOU WERE PART OF . WE END UP CENTRAL PARK. IT WAS A LOVELY, LOVELY AFTERNOON.DID THAT ERA FEEL LIKE A TURNG POT?I KNEW WAS A HISTORIL MOMENT, BUT I DIDN’T KNOW HOW FAST WOULD SPREAD.I HAD PASSED BY THE STONEWALL RT ON THE SATURDAY NIGHT, AND THOUGHT WAS AN ANTI-WAR MONSTRATN. I KNEW WE HAD TO SEIZE THE DAY. I LLED THE HEAD OF (LBIAN ACTIVIST GROUP) THE DGHTERS OF BILIS AND SAID WE SHOULD HAVE A PROTT MARCH. I HAD JOED AS 1967, AND SERVED BRIEFLY AS TREASURER AND PRINT. I DIDN’T HAVE SKILLS TO DO THAT JOB, BUT I WAS ARTICULATE, SO BEME S SPEAKER BEE I WAS UNAAID OF SPEAKG PUBLIC. “I ALWAYS ASKED MYSELF WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE GERMANY OR POLAND—IF I HAD BEEN A NON-JEWISH GERMAN OR POLE— THAT MOMENT OF HISTORY. WOULD I HAVE HAD THE URAGE TO STAND UP FOR WHAT I KNEW WAS RIGHT?”— MARTHA SHELLEY WHERE DID THAT FEARLSNS E OM?I WASN’T BROUGHT UP TO BE FEARLS. SOME OF MY FAY WERE HOLOT SURVIVORS, SOME HAD EMIGRATED BEFORE THE HOLOT. I ALWAYS ASKED MYSELF WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE GERMANY OR POLAND—IF I HAD BEEN A NON-JEWISH GERMAN OR POLE— THAT MOMENT OF HISTORY. WOULD I HAVE HAD THE URAGE TO OPPOSE TO THE REGIME, TO FIGHT BACK, TO STAND UP FOR WHAT I KNEW WAS RIGHT? THAT TROUBLED ME. YOU N’T GO BACK HISTORY, SO I KNEW AT THIS MOMENT THIS WAS SOMETHG I HAD TO DO. I HAD BEEN ON ANTI-WAR PROTTS AND WAS VERY MUCH AWARE OF SEGREGATN. I WAS TOO YOUNG TO HAVE GONE ON THE EEDOM MARCH THE SOUTH, BUT MY MOTHER HAD BEEN SYMPATHETIC TO ALL THOSE MOVEMENTS.WAS SHE OK ABOUT YOU BEG GAY?NO, SHE WANTED ME TO BE STRAIGHT. IT WAS THE SAME WH ALL THE OTHER STUFF I DID. SHE WANTED ME TO BE SAFE AND PROTECTED—THE IA OF FDG A MAN WHO MAK A FORTABLE LIVG, TO BE MARRIED. SHE WAS NEVER FORTABLE WH WHO I WAS, BUT SHE LOVED ME. SHE HAD GONE THROUGH POVERTY, THE DEPRSN, SHE NEVER CROSSED A PICKET LE. SHE HAD SOCIALIST PRCIPL. I LEARNED EARLY WHICH SI I WAS ON.WHAT IS THE LEGACY OF GLF? DID LBIANS FACE SEXISM ?VERY POWERFUL. I DON’T THK THE GLF WAS SO SEXIST. I THK THERE WERE AN AWFUL LOT OF MEN WHO WERE ANTI-SEXIST. THE PROBLEM ME UP WH DANC. THERE WOULD BE MIXED GLF DANC, WHERE SOMETIM STRAIGHT MEN ME AND HARASSED AND GROPED THE WOMEN. THE GAY GUYS WERE TOO BY LOOKG TO EACH OTHER’S EY TO DO ANYTHG. WE REALIZED WE NEED ALL-WOMEN DANC. PERSONALLY, I THK WAS A MISTAKE TO SPL TO SO MANY DIFFERENT GROUPS. GLF END 1972. IF WE ULD HAVE MATAED AN UMBRELLA ANIZATN, MIGHT HAVE LASTED LONGER, BUT MAYBE WOULDN’T BEE HOW POLICS CHANGED. “OUR RIGHTS—AS LGBTQ PEOPLE, AS WOMEN, AS BLACK PEOPLE, AS TRANS PEOPLE—DON’T MEAN ANYTHG IF WE CEASE TO EXIST AS A SPECI, OR IF WE HAVE TO WORK THREE JOBS TO MAKE OUR RENT.”— MARTHA SHELLEY HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT PRI’S GROWTH OVER THE YEARS?FOR A WHILE I WAS REALLY IMPRSED WH THE PARTICIPATN. THEN I GOT KD OF DISGTED WH ALL THE RPORATNS WHO E PRI FOR ADVERTISG. LAST YEAR, I ADDRSED BOTH AN EVENT HELD BY THE ANIZERS OF THE BIG MARCH, THEN WENT ON THE FIRST QUEER LIBERATN MARCH ON SUNDAY. THE PRSG ISSU FOR ME NOW ARE CLIMATE CHANGE, AND THE NCENTRATN OF WEALTH AMONG THE VERY FEW. OUR RIGHTS—AS LGBTQ PEOPLE, AS WOMEN, AS BLACK PEOPLE, AS TRANS PEOPLE—DON’T MEAN ANYTHG IF WE CEASE TO EXIST AS A SPECI, OR IF WE HAVE TO WORK THREE JOBS TO MAKE OUR RENT.WHERE DO YOU THK LGBTQ RIGHTS ARE NOW? I THK WE’VE MA SOME PROGRS, BUT MOSTLY WTERN UNTRI. WE’RE NOT SAFE EVERYWHERE. THERE IS AN AWFUL LOT OF RIGHTS PEOPLE WANT TO TALE AWAY, SPECIFILLY TMP, PENCE, AND ALL THEIR FOLLOWERS, AND EVANGELILS. I HAVE MIXED FEELGS ABOUT THE RECENT SUPREME COURT VICTORY; ON THE ONE HAND WE N WIPE THE SWEAT OFF OUR BROWS, BUT ON THE OTHER WE DON’T KNOW LONG THIS WILL LAST, PECIALLY IS TMP IS RE-ELECTED. OR IF HE GETS ANOTHER CHANCE TO PICK ANOTHER SUPREME COURT JTICE. WE N’T RELY ON THE URTS. WE NEED TO BE NTUALLY ON OUR GUARD AND READY TO FIGHT FOR OUR EEDOMS. THERE ARE ALWAYS PEOPLE WHO WANT TO TAKE AWAY. INTERSECTNALY IS NOT NEW. IT STARTED BACK 1969/1970, WHEN GAY LIBERATN FRONT MEMBERS ATTEND THE BLACK PANTHER NFERENCE PHILALPHIA AND MA ALLIANC. I’M GLAD ’S NTUG NOW. “DON’T GIVE UP, AND DON’T EXPECT THAT EVERYTHG IS GOG TO BE WON YOUR LIFETIME.”— MARTHA SHELLEY WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE FOR THE NEXT GENERATN?DON’T GIVE UP, AND DON’T EXPECT THAT EVERYTHG IS GOG TO BE WON YOUR LIFETIME. THERE IS SOMETHG THAT WE SAY AT PASSOVER: “IN EVERY GENERATN, THERE WILL BE A PHARAOH THAT ARIS TO OPPRS .” THE ROLLARY IS THAT EVERY GENERATN WE HAVE TO FIGHT BACK. IT’S NOT WON, ONCE AND FOR ALL. I’M ASTONISHED AT THE PROGRS WE DID MAKE. I HAVE BENEFED OM MARRIAGE EQUALY, BUT I AM NOT TERRIBLY IMPRSED BY GAYS--THE-ARY. I WAS NEVER TERTED GOG TO VIETNAM AND KILLG ASIAN PEOPLE TO BENEF OUR RPORATNS. I DON’T WANT MY ADOPTED CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN TO BE MA TO GO TO IRAQ AND KILL MORE PEOPLE TO BENEF MORE RPORATNS. I WANT TO GET RID OF THE ARY, NOT SERVE .RIGHT NOW, BEE OF MY AGE AND MEDIL NDN AND MY WIFE SYLVIA’S AGE AND HER MEDIL NDNS WE NNOT GO OUT, SO I WRE MY BLOG AND DO TERVIEWS LIKE THIS. SO, MY OTHER ADVICE IS TO MAKE NNECTNS WH OTHER OPPRSED PEOPLE ALL AROUND THE WORLD. NEW YORK CITY: JOE NEGRELLIJOE NEGRELLI IS A FORMER APPLITNS PROGRAMMER, AND LONGTIME ACTIVIST. HE WAS PRENT AT THE STONEWALL RTS, AND THE FIRST NEW YORK CY MARCH 1970. HE IS A CLIENT OF SAGE, THE ADVOCY ANIZATN FOR LGBTQ ELRS.YOU WERE AT STONEWALL, AND ALSO THE FIRST MARCH?Y, I WAS 18 YEARS OF AGE 1970. I HAD BEEN AT THE STONEWALL RTS THE YEAR BEFORE. I WAS 17 AT THE TIME OF THE STONEWALL RTS. I HAD LIVED NEW YORK SCE 1957. I WAS VERY HAPPY. IT WAS A RT, TREMENDO CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE. I WAS VERY IMPRSED, VERY HAPPY, AND A LOT OF THE RTG WAS DONE BY NON-HOMOSEXUALS WHO JT UNRSTOOD THAT GAY PEOPLE HAD HAD ENOUGH. AND WAS THAT TIME THE HISTORY OF NEW YORK WHEN LOTS OF GROUPS—WOMEN’S LIBERATN, BLACK LIBERATN, ANTI-WAR ANARCHISTS—WERE ALL THE WT VILLAGE AREA. THEY WERE VERY SYMPATHETIC AND VERY KD TO HELP GAY PEOPLE.WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER OF THE RTS?I REMEMBER SEEG THE SMASHG OF THE PLATE GLASS WDOW AT THE STONEWALL, THE GARBAGE NS SET ON FIRE. ALL TRASH NS AND BOTTL WERE MA OF GLASS THEN. POLICE BARRID THEMSELV THE BAR. SOMEONE STARTED A FIRE. BELIEVE ME, WAS A SMALL FIRE BUT SRED THE POLICE AND I’M VERY HAPPY SRED THE POLICE.WHAT WAS YOUR MOOD LIKE?I WAS REALLY ENRAGED, VERY ANGRY. I REMEMBER THAT THERE WERE ABOUT 50 TO 75 PEOPLE THERE AT THE BEGNG, AND THEN BY 4 A.M. THERE WERE AT LEAST A THOAND PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE VILLAGE G ANARCHY. PLAC THAT SPECIFILLY DISCRIMATED AGAST GAY CLIENTELE WERE PARTICULARLY TARGETED FOR VANDALISM. IN THE 51 YEARS SCE, THE POLICE HAVEN’T FIGURED OUT HOW TO BE NICER TO PEOPLE WHO THEY IATE HOSTILY WH. AND THAT NIGHT THE HOSTILY ME OM POLICE, NOT GAY PEOPLE. IF WASN’T FOR THE POLICE THERE WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN A RT. IF THEY HAD JT ARRTED PEOPLE THERE WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN A RT, BUT THEY HAD TO TRY AND HUIATE GAY PEOPLEHOW WAS THE FIRST MARCH A YEAR LATER?I WAS STUNNED. THERE HAD BEEN HOMOSEXUALS WHO HAD HIDN OUT ON THE FIRST THREE DAYS OF STONEWALL. NO ONE KNEW WHAT WOULD E OM THIS THG. ONE YEAR LATER HOMOSEXUALS DID GET THE MSAGE. I WAS EPLY MOVED BY ALL THE PEOPLE WHO SHOWED UP. THE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO HID THE YEAR BEFORE, AAID TO LOSE THEIR JOBS, THEIR APARTMENTS, THEIR STANDG THE MUNY. NOW THEY WERE G FORWARD. I FELT GREAT AL OF PRI, AND A GREAT AL OF LIBERATN. AT LEAST, IF NOTHG MORE, ONE YEAR LATER PEOPLE UNRSTOOD WHAT WE WERE TALKG ABOUT. “I AM A HUMAN BEG AND A CIZEN OF THIS UNTRY. I’M NOT GOG TO BEG FOR THAT OR BEG TO GET MARRIED, OR HAVE HEALTH SURANCE, OR HAVE EQUALY THE PLACE I WAS BORN AND RAISED.”— JOE NEGRELLI HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT ACTIVISM NOW?LAST SUNDAY I MARCHED AT THE RECLAIM PRI/QUEER LIBERATN MARCH, AND I WAS EXCEEDGLY PROUD AND HAPPY, AND PROUD OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE. THERE WERE VERY FEW PEOPLE MY AGE THERE! I WAS REALLY HAPPY, AND HAPPY THEY WERE FIANT. I DON’T AGREE WH ALL THEY SAY. I AGREE WH THEM ABOUT THE RPORATNS WHO MAKE MONEY OFF GAY PEOPLE AND GIVE VERY LTLE. I’M UNHAPPY ABOUT THE EXCLN OF LGBTQ POLICE OFFICERS. BUT I KNOW THAT ’S PLITED, AND I’M PROUD OF YOUNG PEOPLE TAKG THE IATIVE TO GET THEIR VOIC HEARD. I WAS HAPPY ABOUT THE RECENT SUPREME COURT LG, BUT THERE ARE STILL SOME STAT WHERE LGBTQ PEOPLE ARE NOT SO EE AND SAFE. WE’RE GETTG THERE. I STILL WEAR PK AND YELLOW, AND THAT’S HOW I WANT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER ME—AS BRIGHT AND SUNNY, AND NOT SOME BTER OLD QUEEN LIKE I ED TO MEET 50 YEARS AGO. WHAT ADVICE FOR YOUNG ACTIVISTS DO YOU HAVE?I WOULD LIKE THEM TO RRY ON THE BANNER OF WHAT HAPPENED A FEW DAYS AGO. I WOULD ASK OTHER GAY PEOPLE OTHER CI TO BE CIVILLY DISOBEDIENT TOWARDS THE ERNMENT. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BEG FOR THE RIGHT TO LIVE. I DON’T NOT NEED YOUR PERMISSN TO BREATHE. I AM A HUMAN BEG AND A CIZEN OF THIS UNTRY. I’M NOT GOG TO BEG FOR THAT, OR BEG TO GET MARRIED, OR HAVE HEALTH SURANCE, OR BEG TO HAVE EQUALY THE PLACE I WAS BORN AND RAISED. I’VE BEEN NEW YORK FOR 63 YEARS. I HAVE NO REASON TO BEG TO BE TREATED NORMALLY, LIKE ANY OTHER CIZEN. TIM TEEMAN
• INSI THE FIRST PRI PARA—A R PROTT FOR GAY LIBERATN
• 1970: A FIRST-PERSON ACUNT OF THE FIRST GAY PRI MARCH
• GAY PRI

THEY MARCHED AMERI’S FIRST PRI DEMONSTRATNS 1970. THEY’RE STILL OUT, LOUD, AND PROUD.INTO THE STREETSAMERI’S FIRST PRI MARCH WERE HELD 1970 NEW YORK, L.A, SAN FRANCIS, AND CHIGO. ORGANIZERS AND PARTICIPANTS RELL THE POST-STONEWALL POWER OF BEG SEEN AND HEARD.TIM TEEMANSENR EDOR AND WRERUPDATED JUL. 13, 2020 5:25AM EDT / PUBLISHED JUL. 05, 2020 5:14AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEAST / PHOTOS VIA NEW YORT PUBLIC LIBRARYTHE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE STONEWALL RTS NEW YORK CY WAS MARKED JUNE 2019. THIS YEAR SAW THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CY’S FIRST PRI MARCH, KNOWN AS THE CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATN DAY MARCH. BUT ON JUNE 27 AND 28, 1970, ONE YEAR AFTER THE RTS, NEW YORK CY WASN’T MAKG HISTORY ALONE. THAT WEEKEND THERE WERE ALSO THE FIRST PRI MARCH LOS ANGEL, CHIGO, AND SAN FRANCIS—ALTHOUGH THEIR FIRST ERATN “PRI” WAS NOT THEIR NAM.TO ANIZE AND ATTEND THOSE MARCH WAS BRAVE; THIS WAS AN ERA WHICH BEG LGBTQ AND BEG OUT BROUGHT NSIRABLE PERSONAL RISK. BUT THE STONEWALL GENIE WAS OUT OF THE BOTTLE; BEG OUT AND VISIBLE AT MARCH AND MONSTRATNS WAS THE LGBTQ RIGHTS MOVEMENT’S MOST PUBLIC STATEMENT.BELOW, PARTICIPANTS AND ANIZERS OF AMERI’S FIRST EVER DITED LGBTQ MARCH 1970 TALK TO THE DAILY BEAST ABOUT THE ERA, WHY THEY MARCHED, THE DRAMA AND LOR OF THE DAY, HOW THEY FEEL THE MOVEMENT HAS EVOLVED SCE, WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE FUTURE—AND WHAT ADVICE THEY HAVE FOR THE NEXT GENERATN OF ACTIVISTS. NEW YORK CITY: VICTORIA CZ VICTORIA CZ IS A LONGTIME TRANS ACTIVIST AND LGBTQ MPAIGNER, AND A SENR DOMTIC VLENCE UNSELOR AND ADVOTE FOR THE ANTI-VLENCE PROJECT (AVP). SHE WAS PRENT AT THE STONEWALL RTS 1969, THE 1970 CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATN DAY MARCH, AND WAS A CLOSE IEND OF SYLVIA RIVERA. CZ IS 73, AND LIV EAST FLATBH, BROOKLYN, AND APPEARED DAVID FRANCE’S 2017 DOCUMENTARY, THE DEATH AND LIFE OF MARSHA P. JOHNSON, TRYG TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY OF JOHNSON’S 1992 ATH. IN 2012, CZ RECEIVED THE NATNAL CRIME VICTIM SERVICE AWARD OM THEN-ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLR.WHAT WAS LIKE BEG AT STONEWALL?I WAS 22, AND INTIFYG AS BUTCH/FEMME DRAG QUEEN BACK THEN. AS A BAR, STONEWALL WAS A RELEASE. YOU ULD GO THERE AND BE YOURSELF AND DANCE WH WHOEVER YOU WANTED. THE MIC WAS FANTASTIC. THERE WERE VERY FEW CLUBS AROUND AND MOST OF THEM ED TO GET RAID. THE NIGHT OF THE STONEWALL RTS, PEOPLE WERE FED UP: THE ABE, THE VERBAL ABE, THE PHYSIL ABE, THE PHG, THE SHOVG, THE NAME LLG. PEOPLE ULDN’T TAKE ANY MORE, SO THEY FOUGHT BACK.WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER FEELG AND SEEG?IT WAS A VERY WARM, HUMID NIGHT. THERE WAS A STILLNS THE AIR. JUDY GARLAND HAD JT BEEN BURIED. THERE WAS A FULL MOON. IT WAS THE LM BEFORE THE STORM. I SAW THE PADDY WAGONS PULL UP AT THE STONEWALL AND THOUGHT WAS ANOTHER RAID. BUT I ULD SEE THE PS WERE OM ANOTHER PRECCT. I WAS OUT ONT. WE HEARD BOTTL BREAKG AND MIRRORS SMASHG. PEOPLE STARTG G OUT, THE PS WERE BEATG UP A LBIAN (SOME SAY THIS WAS STORMé DELARVERIE, BUT ACUNTS VARY). THE CROWD THREW PENNI AT THEM AND LLED THEM “PIGS.” THEN ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE. SOMEONE THREW A BRICK, AND CRACKED THE WDOWS. PEOPLE ED PARKG METERS TO BANG ON THE DOORS. THE CROWD GREW. MORE PS ME. THEY WEREN’T ED TO FIGHTG BACK. I THK THEY WERE MORE ASTONISHED THAN WE WERE.WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU NEXT?WHEN MORE PS ME, THEY STARTED CHASG PROTTERS. WE WENT NORTH ON SEVENTH AVENUE, THEN ON TO 10TH STREET, THEN BACK TO WAVERLY PLACE, THEN BACK TO THE STONEWALL AGA. THE PS WERE CHASG , THEN WE WERE CHASG THE PS. IT END UP LIKE A KEYSTONE EDY. THEN WE SAW PEOPLE WH MOLOTOV CKTAILS SETTG RS ON FIRE AND I THOUGHT, “THIS IS GETTG TOO MUCH.” MY THEN-BOYIEND FRANKIE WAS ILLEGAL HERE, OM CANADA. HE WAS A BOUNCER AT THE STONEWALL. HE DIDN’T WANT TO GET ARRTED, AND GET SENT BACK TO CANADA. IT GOT MORE AND MORE ROWDY. THERE WERE MORE BRICKS, PS, AND BATONS. WE GOT THE TRA HOME. WHEN WE GOT THERE, WAS ALREADY ON TV.DID YOU GO BACK THE NEXT TWO NIGHTS?THE BAR LLED FRANKIE TO GO THE NEXT DAY. THE PLACE WAS STROYED. HE BROUGHT BACK A STONEWALL BAR SIGN WH THE PRIC OF DRKS. I STILL HAVE . PEOPLE REANIZED, AND WE WENT BACK ON THE SEND NIGHT AND WAS MORE VLENT. THE THIRD NIGHT I DIDN’T GO. I THOUGHT, “I DON’T NEED ANY OF THIS.” “AS WE WERE MARCHG, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE JOED THE PARA. WE GOT TO CENTRAL PARK. IT WAS LIKE A SPECTACLE. WE WERE SO HAPPY, EE, AND LIBERATED.”— VICTORIA CZ YOU WENT TO THE FIRST PRI MARCH THE FOLLOWG YEAR 1970?Y, WAS SO TERTG. I REMEMBER AT FIRST AROUND 50 PEOPLE GATHERG AT BLEECKER AND CHRISTOPHER STREETS. THEN WE MARCHED UP SIXTH AVENUE. THEY GAVE HALF THE STREET, AND WE MARCHED ALL THE WAY UP TO CENTRAL PARK. AS WE WERE MARCHG, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE JOED THE PARA. WE GOT TO CENTRAL PARK. IT WAS LIKE A SPECTACLE. WE WERE SO HAPPY, EE, AND LIBERATED. IT WAS A DIFFERENT FEELG. NOBODY WAS ASHAMED TO BE OUT AND BE THEMSELV. IT WAS JT AN UPLIFTG FEELG OF EEDOM. FRANKIE AND I STAYED TOGETHER ANOTHER SIX MONTHS. HE DIDN’T WANT ME TO BE DRAG, HE WANTED ME REGULAR-GUY CLOTH. I SAID, “NO, THIS IS NOT ME.” HE MET ME A MI-SKIRT, AND TRIED TO CHANGE ME. I WOULDN’T GO FOR THAT. I HAD ALREADY LET MY HAIR LOOSE, AND TAKEN HORMON AND SAID, “THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO BE.” I TRANSNED BEFORE STONEWALL DURG HIGH SCHOOL. I HAD FOUND OUT THERE WERE DOCTORS EXPERIMENTG WH BLACK MARKET HORMON. MY DOCTOR WAS A REAL PNEER.HOW WAS YOUR FAY ABOUT YOU BEG TRANS?I WAS ONE OF 11 CHILDREN, AND THIRD OM THE ELST. (CZ WAS BORN GUáNI, PUERTO RI, AND MOVED AS A YOUNG CHILD WH HER FAY TO RED HOOK, BROOKLYN.) MY PARENTS BOTH WORKED, SO I HAD TO TAKE RE OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. THEY ALWAYS KNEW. I NEVER HID MYSELF, NEVER HID THE CLOSET. THEY WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE. I WAS ONE OF THE FAY, ONE OF THEM. I WAS MY MOTHER’S CHILD. MY MOTHER WAS MY DRSMAKER, MY FATHER WAS MY IEND. I ULD S ON THE BENCH AND TALK THE BREEZE WH MY FATHER ABOUT ANYTHG. IT’S VERY IMPORTANT WHEN YOU’RE ACCEPTED.THAT SOUNDS A VERY POSIVE EXPERIENCE.MOST OF THE TIME TRANS PEOPLE WEREN’T THAT VISIBLE. I TOLD MY MOTHER, “THIS IS THE WAY I FEEL.” SHE DIDN’T FIGHT ME. ONCE I STARTED MY TRANSN SHE SAW THE DIFFERENCE. I WENT TO SCHOOL, AND HAD A JOB. I PASSED. IT WAS ALWAYS DIFFICULT AT WORK BEE WHEN THEY FOUND OUT EMPLOYERS WOULD FIRE ME, OR MAKE MY LIFE SO MISERABLE I DIDN’T WANT TO GO BACK TO WORK. BEG TRANS WAS TABOO BACK THEN. I MOLED. ONCE THEY FOUND OUT, I LOST THOSE JOBS.I TOOK UP HAIRDRSG AND SMETOLOGY, THKG WOULD MAKE LIFE EASIER. IN SOME WAYS WAS MORE ACCEPTG AND TOLERANT. BUT THOSE DAYS TRANS PEOPLE WERE NOT VISIBLE. MANY PEOPLE HADN’T MET A TRANS PERSON. THEY HAD PERHAPS HEARD OF CHRISTE JENSEN (WHOSE TRANSN 1952 HAD MA HEADL).  “YOU GET ALL THE RPORATNS AND BANKS WH THEIR BOY-TOYS AND FANCY FLOATS. HOW MANY OF THOSE RPORATNS EVER HIRE TRANS WOMEN? HOW MANY OFFER MEDIL VERAGE?”— VICTORIA CZ HOW ACCEPTG THOSE DAYS WAS THE MASTREAM GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT TO TRANS PEOPLE?I FELT THE FIRST MARCH THEY WANTED TO GO TO BACK OF THE PARA, AND WE SAID, “HELL NO.” WE WERE UP ONT REBELLG. WE MIXED THROUGH THE WHOLE CROWD. THAT’S WHY YOU DON’T SEE A SEPARATE TRANS NTGENT. WE WOULDN’T GO TO THE BACK. IT HASN’T CHANGED MUCH. WE HAVEN’T BEEN FULLY ACCEPTED, PERD. YOU GET ALL THE RPORATNS AND BANKS WH THEIR BOY-TOYS AND FANCY FLOATS. HOW MANY OF THOSE RPORATNS EVER HIRE TRANS WOMEN? HOW MANY BANKS HIRE TRANS WOMEN AS TELLERS? HOW MANY OFFER MEDIL VERAGE? WE HAVE TO PEND ON ERNMENT HANDOUTS. WE ARE STILL THIRD-CLASS CIZENS. THEN THERE ARE THE MURRS OF TRANS WOMEN OF LOR. PEOPLE LOOK AROUND AND FD SOMEONE WHO IS VULNERABLE TO BULLY.HAVE YOU HAD EXPERIENCE OF THIS YOURSELF?I STARTED AT AVP AS A SURVIVOR OF SEXUAL ASSLT AND RAPE. I HAD BEEN RAPED BEFORE BY MEN. I WAS WORKG AT A NURSG HOME 1996 AND WAS ASSLTED BY FEMALE NURS. IT WAS MORE PHYSIL AND HATEFUL. I GOT THROUGH WH THE HELP OF AVP. THEY WERE ARRTED. I WAS NEVER ALONE URT FOR THE WHOLE YEAR THE SE WENT ON (TWO OF THE ACCED WERE FOUND GUILTY OF HARASSMENT, THE OTHERS WERE ACQUTED). SOMEONE OM AVP WAS ALWAYS WH ME. I WANTED TO GIVE SOMETHG BACK TO THEM, AND I HAVE BEEN THERE FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS. HOW IMPACTFUL WAS STAR (STREET TRANSVTE ACTN REVOLUTNARI), WHICH WAS SET UP 1970 TO FEED AND HOE HOMELS QUEER YOUTH?SYLVIA AND MARSHA (P. JOHNSON) FOUND STAR HOE. IT WAS A YOUTH CENTER THE EAST VILLAGE FOR TWO YEARS. THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH FUNDS G , AND BROKE APART. THE GIRLS TOOK THE PPER PIPG PLUMBG, SOLD , AND BOUGHT FOOD FOR THE STREET KIDS. SYLVIA HAD THAT ON HER MD ALL THE TIME, TO HELP PEOPLE. MARSHA WOULD SAY, “WE HAVE TO BE GOOD TO ONE OTHER.” THOSE WERE HER FAVORE WORDS. I ED TO LL SYLVIA, RTY (MAE MOORE) AND CHELSEA (GOODW, WHO RAN TRANSY HOE BROOKLYN OM 1995 TO 2008) TO HELP GIRLS WHO ULDN’T FD SHELTERS. THEY DID NOT ONCE SAY NO. THEY WELED THEM WH OPEN ARMS.IN 1973, SYLVIA GAVE HER FAMO SPEECH WASHGTON SQUARE PARK TO PRI PROTTERS, TALKG ABOUT TRANS PEOPLE BEG RAPED AND BEATEN, AND BEG IGNORED BY THE GAY MUNY. “I WILL NO LONGER PUT UP WH THIS SH.”SYLVIA WENT HOME SLASHED HERSELF AFTER THAT. MARSHA FOUND HER, AND TOOK HER TO THE HOSPAL. OTHERWISE SHE’D HAVE BEEN AD. SYLVIA FELT THE MOVEMENT HAD ABANDONED HER, AND OTHER TRANS PEOPLE. SHE LEFT THE MOVEMENT, AND SHE MOVED TO WTCHTER. THE CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATN DAY MARCH, NEW YORK, 1970COURTY MARK SEGAL HOW WERE THE RT OF THE MARCH THAT ?THE MARCH DURG THAT TIME FEATURED GAY BARS AND CLUBS WHO RENTED OUT FLOATS AND BUGGI AND HORS. THE SEND AND THIRD MARCH WERE MORE ANIZED. GAY BARS, WH MALY MEN, AT THAT TIME SOMETIM WOULDN’T LET YOU IF YOU DIDN’T KNOW SOMEONE, SO WE WENT TO TRANS BARS.DID THE MASTREAM MOVEMENT BEE MORE TRANS-CLIVE?IT GOT MORE SPIRATNAL, BUT TRANS PEOPLE WERE STILL AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL. UNLS YOU DO SOMETHG OUT OF THE ORDARY ’S STILL NOT AS ACCEPTED THAT MUCH. THE MASTREAM MOVEMENT SILED . I ALWAYS SPEAK MY MD. DON’T TOLERATE . ACCEPT . I SAY THAT TO HETEROSEXUAL PEOPLE TOO. ACCEPT ME JT AS I ACCEPT YOU. IT’S ACCEPTANCE, NOT TOLERATN.WHAT DO YOU THK OF THE TMP ADMISTRATN?THAT DRAFT DODGER WHO THE EXCE OF HEEL SPURS? IF MARSHA AND SYLVIA WERE AROUND TODAY, MARSHA WOULD ASK WHAT KD OF HEELS HE HAD BEEN WEARG. HE’S A LIAR. THE RSIANS HAVE GOT SOMETHG ON HIM.TODAY, THEY WOULD BE UPONT MARCHG WH THE RT OF THE CROWD. MARSHA SEEMED GULLIBLE, BUT SHE ALWAYS KNEW WHAT THE PRIZE WAS. SHE WOULD GIVE YOU THAT NAIVETé BUT ALWAYS KNOWG WHAT SHE WANTED AND HOW TO GET . SYLVIA WAS YOUR FACE AND AGGRSIVE, WHERE MARSHA WASN’T. THEY MA A GOOD PAIR. “SHE SAID, ‘YOU HAVE TO KEEP THE MUNY TOGETHER BEE WE N BE OUR WORST OWN ENEMY, AND THERE’S POWER NUMBERS, AND WE DO HAVE THE NUMBERS WH OUR ALLI.’ AND I SAID, ‘I’LL TRY.’”— VICTORIA CZ TELL ME ABOUT YOUR IENDSHIP WH SYLVIA.MYSELF AND SYLVIA, WE WERE ENEMI. YOU KNOW HOW GIRLS ARE! A IEND OF HERS WAS SEEG FRANKIE, SO I WAS ALL PISSED OFF ABOUT THAT. IT WAS A RIVALRY. AFTER I STARTED WH AVP, SYLVIA AND I BEME IENDS. WHEN WE FIRST MET AFTER 25 YEARS, WAS AT A MEETG. SHE SAID, “I KNOW YOU.” I SAID, “I KNOW YOU TOO.” JT THEN A MARSHA BUTTON POPPED OFF HER BLOE, AND ROLLED OVER TO MY FEET. A SISTER ME AND PICKED UP. SYLVIA SAID, “GIVE TO HER, SHE’S ONE OF .” EVER SCE THEN, WE STARTED WORKG TOGETHER FOR THE MUNY.SHE BEME MY BT IEND. I WAS WH HER AT ST. VCENT’S (THE FORMER NEW YORK HOSPAL) THE DAY BEFORE SHE DIED ( FEBARY 2002). I ED TO GO AT LUNCHTIME. I WAS FEEDG HER. SHE TOLD ME, “VICTORIA, S DOWN. I HAVE TO SPEAK TO YOU.” SHE LLED ME “VICTORIA,” SO I KNEW WAS SER. SHE SAID, “YOU HAVE TO KEEP THE MUNY TOGETHER BEE WE N BE OUR WORST OWN ENEMY, AND THERE’S POWER NUMBERS, AND WE DO HAVE THE NUMBERS WH OUR ALLI.” AND I SAID, “I’LL TRY.” THE NEXT DAY I FOUND OUT THAT SYLVIA WAS AD. I REALLY MISS HER. THERE WAS SOMETHG SUPERNATURAL THAT MARSHA BUTTON POPPG OFF, AND SYLVIA AND I MAKG AMENDS AND WORKG TOGETHER.WHAT ARE YOU PROUST OF?I AM MOST PROUD OF MY UNSELG WORK AT AVP, AROUND DOMTIC VLENCE, HATE CRIME, RAPE, POLICE MISNDUCT, BIAS ASSLTS, WHOUT AND WH THE MUNY. ALSO, THE GRATU I GET OM OLD CLIENTS. WHEN I SEE THEM THEY TELL ME, “YOU SAVED MY LIFE,” OR “YOU GAVE ME A ROOF OVER MY HEAD,” OR “YOU GAVE ME MY SELF-TEEM BACK.” TO ME, THAT’S REWARD ENOUGH. I FOUND THAT MY LIFE ME TO A STANDSTILL WHEN I WAS RELATNSHIPS. WHEN I WOULD BREAK UP I WOULD MOVE FORWARD. RELATNSHIPS GOT THE WAY OF WHAT I WANTED TO DO, WHICH WAS TO BE EE AND BE AN ACTIVIST. WHEN I WAS ON MY OWN, I WENT TO LLEGE. WHEN I WAS ON MY OWN, I WORKED. ONE RELATNSHIP ED ME TO BE A CRACK ADDICT. THEN I WORKED FOR AVP, AND I PROGRSED. AGG IS A PROCS. YOU AGE GRACEFULLY. I’M STILL GROWG UP. I HOPE WHAT I AM DOG NOW WILL BE MY LEGACY AS AN ACTIVIST AND A PERSON, WORKG TO ENSURE ALL MARGALIZED PERSONS ARE ACCEPTED AS HUMAN BEGS. TRANS RIGHTS ARE ALWAYS HUMAN RIGHTS.DO YOU THK THE TRANS MOVEMENT HAS REACHED A POSIVE TURNG POT?I THK THE TRANS MOVEMENT HAS MOVED A LTLE FURTHER FORWARD, PECIALLY WH SHOWS LIKE POSE. I N’T INTIFY CALYN JENNER. SHE HAS NEVER WALKED MY SHO, AND I NEVER WALKED HERS. I N’T INTIFY WH HER BEE SHE’S ALWAYS HAD WHAT SHE WANTED, WHEREAS I HAD TO HTLE AND STGGLE TO GET WHAT I WANTED—AND WORK FOR . IT JT DIDN’T E ON A SILVER PLATTER. MOST OF THE GIRLS HAVE TO WORK HARD FOR . POSE IS BRILLIANT, AND REFLECTS THE LIV OF REAL TRANS WOMEN. WILL & GRACE AND OTHER SHOWS ARE EDI. POSE IS REAL LIFE. ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE?I AM OPTIMISTIC BEE I FEEL THE MOVEMENT G NOW WILL BE ABOUT CHANGE. NOW ’S THE YOUTH AND ALL RAC FIGHTG THE JTIC. GEE FLOYD’S KILLG WAS A 21ST-CENTURY LYNCHG. AS LONG AS THERE’S JTICE, BROWN CHILDREN BEG PUT G, PEOPLE HAVE TO STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT. AND THIS IS ALL WRONG.HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT BLACK LIV MATTER, AND BLACK TRANS LIV MATTER?FANTASTIC. IT’S TIME WE BRG THE THGS OUT THE OPEN, BEE THE WIR WORLD DON’T HEAR MUCH ABOUT . WE ONLY HEAR ABOUT OUR MUNY. I KNOW “ALL LIV MATTER,” BUT PICKG ON MARGALIZED GROUPS IS A SYSTEMIC THG THIS UNTRY, AND THAT SYSTEM HAS TO BREAK DOWN. WE NEED TO BREAK DOWN.YOU HAVE DONE SO MUCH WORK AND ACTIVISM OVER THE YEARS.IN A WAY I AM HONORED, AND A WAY I AM HUMBLED. WE HAVE WON MANY BATTL, BUT THE WAR KEEPS ON WH THIS ADMISTRATN. WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO YOUNGER ACTIVISTS?GET TED—BEE ONCE YOU’RE TED, NOBODY N TAKE THAT OM YOU. LOS ANGELES: KARLA JAYKARLA JAY, THOR OF TAL OF THE LAVENR MENACE: A MEMOIR OF LIBERATN, WAS AN EARLY MEMBER OF THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT AND A FOUNDG MEMBER OF RADILBIANS. SHE HELPED ANIZE THE FIRST LOS ANGEL PRI MARCH—KNOWN AS THE CHRISTOPHER STREET WT PARA—ON JUNE 28, 1970.HOW DO THIS 50-YEAR SPAN OF LGBTQ HISTORY FEEL?IT IS KD OF FUNNY TO THK WAS A MID-CENTURY AGO. SOMETIM FEELS LIKE THAT, SOMETIM DO SEEM LIKE YTERDAY. IT IS QUE STRANGE. I THK TERMS OF SOCIAL HISTORY THE PROGRS GENERAL WE HAVE MA IS EXTRAORDARY. THERE WERE FOUR OF THOSE FIRST PRI MARCH NEW YORK CY, LOS ANGEL, CHIGO, AND SAN FRANCIS, WH FEWER THAN 10,000 PEOPLE. LAST YEAR, THERE WAS AN TIMATED 5 LN PEOPLE NEW YORK CY, ATTENDG OR THE MARCH. NOW THERE ARE PRIS MANY UNTRI AROUND THE WORLD. THAT IS AN EXTRAORDARY VELOPMENT THE LAST 50 YEARS. KARLA JAY, CIR 1970.DIANA DAVI/COLLECTN OF KARLA JAY YOU HELPED ANIZE THE LA MARCH?I HELPED PLAN SOME OF THE NEW YORK MARCH, THEN WENT OUT TO LOS ANGEL AT THE END OF MAY TO HELP THEM GET READY TOO. THE MAJOR OBSTACL TO THE MARCH WERE THE POLICE PARTMENTS, WHICH REMAS VERY RELEVANT TODAY. THE POLICE WOULDN’T GIVE PERMS TO MARCH BEE THEY SAW AS FELONS, WHO REALLY SHOULDN’T BE OUT ON THE STREET, LET ALONE MARCHG BROAD DAYLIGHT.IT WAS REALLY VERY DIFFICULT FOR TO PULL OFF THE MARCH BEE POLICE PARTMENTS WOULD THROW UP THGS LIKE OVERTIME, BAIL BONDS, AND HUGE SANATN BILLS WHICH WE ULDN’T AFFORD. IN LOS ANGEL WE RAISED $1,000 FOR BAIL MONEY, WHICH WOULD HAVE BAILED OUT 10 PEOPLE BACK THEN FOR “DISTURBG THE PEACE.”THE THEN-POLICE CHIEF LOS ANGEL, EDWARD M. DAVIS, TRIED TO STOP THE MARCH. HE HAD REFED TO GIVE A PERM, SAYG THAT IF HE DID HE WOULD HAVE TO ALLOW THIEV AND BURGLARS TO MARCH THE FOLLOWG WEEK. HE SAID WE WOULD “DISMO” THE PUBLIC IF WE MARCHED. (IN A FORTHG TERVIEW, THE REVEREND TROY PERRY, ONE OF THE KEY L.A. MARCH ANIZERS AND FOUNR OF THE METROPOLAN COMMUNY CHURCH, TALKS ABOUT HAVG TO TAKE THE POLICE TO URT TO GET THE MARCH GREENL.) “IT WAS HOT DURG THE DAY, SO WE SET OFF AT 7 P.M. MOST PEOPLE LA ARE NOT ED TO WALKG, LET ALONE MARCHG LONG DISTANC, SO WE KEPT SHORT.”— KARLA JAY THE MARCH WAS EVENTUALLY ALLOWED TO GO AHEAD. WHAT WAS THE DAY SELF LIKE?WE STARTED OUT AT MCCADN PLACE, RIGHT OFF HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD, AND MARCHED ONE E TO HOLLYWOOD AND VE. IT WAS HOT DURG THE DAY, SO WE SET OFF AT 7 P.M. MOST PEOPLE LA ARE NOT ED TO WALKG, LET ALONE MARCHG LONG DISTANC, SO WE KEPT SHORT. HOW WAS THE ATMOSPHERE?REALLY KD OF AMAZG. WE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. WE ENURAGED PEOPLE TO E FTIVE CLOTHG. A NUMBER OF PEOPLE ME HALLOWEEN STUM. IT WAS REALLY QUE ENTERTAG, AND ALSO SERVED AS A WAY TO DISGUISE THE MARCHERS. THEY WERE KD OF TENTATIVE.I WALKED WH THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT BANNER, AND I LIKED TO WALK THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET SE PEOPLE THREW THGS. PEOPLE ED TO THROW BOTTL OM THE SIL. BUT NONE OF THAT HAPPENED THIS PARTICULAR MARCH. THERE WERE PEOPLE LED UP, 10-EP, WATCHG TO THE SI. THE ATMOSPHERE WAS EXTREMELY FTIVE.WE WERE SHOUTG, “OUT OF THE CLOSETS, TO THE STREETS,” “2-4-6-8, HOW DO YOU KNOW YOUR GRANDMOTHER’S REALLY STRAIGHT?”—THGS LIKE THAT. WE ED TO SG A SONG, “IF WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR SAPPHO WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME,” ALTHOUGH YOU ULD TAKE SAPPHO’S NAME OUT AND ADD WHATEVER NAME YOU LIKED TO THE CHOS.WAS WELL ATTEND?A GUY UNTED 1,169 PEOPLE G ONE OF THOSE LTLE UNTERS. IT PROBABLY WASN’T EXACTLY ACCURATE, BUT FAIRLY ACCURATE. WE DIDN’T KNOW WE WERE MAKG HISTORY. WE WERE WALKG THE SUNSHE, SHOWG OUR FAC. AND, THOSE DAYS, WE WERE RISKG LOSG A LOT TO DO THAT: RISKG LOSG OUR APARTMENTS, HOM, REERS, YOU ULD BE THROWN OUT OF SCHOOL. WE KNEW THAT ONCE WE TOOK THAT STEP OVER THE STARTG LE THAT WE ULDN’T GO BACK. NOT MANY PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN A STEP LIKE THAT. FOR SO MANY PEOPLE TO SAY, “HERE I AM, LOOK AT ME.” THAT WAS MAKG HISTORY—TO BE VISIBLE. THAT’S THE BIGGT CHALLENGE STILL. EVERY DAY THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE OUR MUNY WHO STILL VISIBLE VAR WAYS. IF EVERYONE ME OUT, THEY (ANTI-LGBTQ POLICIANS) WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO DO TO WHAT THEY’RE DOG TODAY. “SUDNLY I HEARD PEOPLE CHEERG. I DIDN’T KNOW IF I WAS GOG TO CRY, I WAS SO EXCED AND BREATHLS THAT PEOPLE WERE CHEERG FOR , FOR SOMETHG THAT WE HAD BEEN HATED FOR FOR OUR ENTIRE LIV.”— KARLA JAY WHAT ARE YOUR STRONGT MEMORI OF THE DAY SELF?I REMEMBER HOLDG MY BREATH, JT AS WE STEPPED OFF ON THE MARCH I DIDN’T KNOW IF PEOPLE WOULD CHEER OR BOO. SUDNLY I HEARD PEOPLE CHEERG. I DIDN’T KNOW IF I WAS GOG TO CRY, I WAS SO EXCED AND BREATHLS THAT PEOPLE WERE CHEERG FOR , FOR SOMETHG THAT WE HAD BEEN HATED FOR FOR OUR ENTIRE LIV. AT THAT MOMENT WE KNEW WE HAD MA HISTORY. WE DIDN’T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD SHOW UP, CERTALY MORE THAN WE EXPECTED. AFTERWARDS WE WENT TO BAR LLED SATAN’S AND HEARD OM THE ACTIVIST MORRIS KIGHT THAT ACTIVISTS CLUDG TROY PERRY, WHO FOUND THE METROPOLAN COMMUNY CHURCH, HAD GOTTEN ARRTED. (PERRY WILL SPEAK ABOUT HIS ARRT, HIS NIGHT JAIL, AND MUCH MORE HIS FORTHG TERVIEW WH THE DAILY BEAST.) AN ARGUMENT ENSUED ABOUT WHETHER WE SHOULD GO TO THE POLICE STATN OR WA TO GET THEM OUT THE MORNG AS WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET THEM OUT AT THAT HOUR. FALLY, TURNED TO NOT QUE A FIGHT, BUT SOME PEOPLE WANTED MORRIS TO SHUT UP AND POURED BEER OVER HIM. IT WAS KD OF LIKE THE WILD WT. ONE GUY SAID TO MORRIS, VERED BEER, “MORRIS YOU’RE ALL WASHED UP.” THAT WAS OUR GAY LIBERATN NIGHT.WHAT HAPPENED THE MORNG? THEY GOT OUT. THEN WE DID A S- FOR 10 DAYS AT THE FERAL BUILDG. DAVIS WAS LOOKG FOR AN EXCE TO ARRT , BUT THE PS ULDN’T ARRT BEE WAS A FERAL PLAZA. WE SAT THERE FOR 10 GELG DAYS TRYG TO GET CIVIL RIGHTS AND MARRIAGE EQUALY. SOME PEOPLE WERE FASTG. SOME PROTTERS SAID THEY HAD MET WH POLICE AND GOTTEN NCSNS. I DON’T THK THEY DID, BUT SOMETIM PEOPLE SAID THAT TO STOP SOMETHG THAT HAD BEE ULS WH NO WNER. WE GOT PUBLICY AND NOW WAS THE JULY 4TH WEEKEND, EVERYONE WAS GONE, AND REALLY WAS TIME TO GO HOME.THIS WAS 50 YEARS AGO. HAS THE LGBTQ MOVEMENT LIVERED WHAT YOU EXPECTED?IN SOME WAYS I NEVER THOUGHT BACK THEN THAT WE WOULD HAVE MARRIAGE EQUALY. L REMEMBER ONE OF THE EARLY GAY LIBERATN FRONT MEETGS NEW YORK, WHERE WE SAT A CIRCLE AND TALKED ABOUT WHAT WE WANTED. ONE WOMAN SAID SHE WANTED TO GET MARRIED. WE ALL LGHED AT HER. WE THOUGHT SHE WAS CRAZY. BACK THEN WE ULDN’T EVEN HOLD HANDS PUBLIC WHOUT GETTG BEATEN UP. WE THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY “FAR OUT,” AS WE LLED BACK THEN. WE WEREN’T TERTED MARRIAGE, IMATG WHAT WE SAW AS HETEROSEXUAL FAILED RELATNSHIPS. WE REALLY THOUGHT WE AS OUTLAWS ULD CHANGE STRAIGHT SOCIETY. WE ED TO SAY, “WE’LL NEVER GO STRAIGHT UNTIL YOU GO GAY.”  “THE MARRIAGE EQUALY MOVEMENT THREW GENR NON-NFORMG AND TRANS PEOPLE UNR THE B, AND DIDN’T CHERISH PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO LIVE A DIFFERENT KD OF LIFE.”— KARLA JAY WE HAD A MORE AMB IMAGE OF TRANSFORMG HETEROSEXUAL CULTURE TO BE MORE ANDROGYNO AND BE ABLE TO GIVE UP ON THE IA OF MONOGAMY AND THE PATRIARCHAL SYSTEM. MARRIAGE HADN’T WORKED OUT SO WELL FOR HETEROSEXUAL PEOPLE. WE HAD A VERY DIFFERENT IA. IT MAK ME VERY SAD THAT WE LEFT OUT NON-NFORMG PEOPLE OF ALL SORTS.THE MARRIAGE EQUALY MOVEMENT THREW GENR NON-NFORMG AND TRANS PEOPLE UNR THE B, AND DIDN’T CHERISH PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO LIVE A DIFFERENT KD OF LIFE—PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO LIVE AS SGLE PEOPLE OR SLEEP WH EVERYONE TOWN OR LIVE AS A “THROUPLE.” WE WANTED TO SEE WHAT ULD BE DONE, NOT TO HAVE WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE. THAT WAS OUR AMBN THEN AS RADILS. I WAS A FEMIST, I CERTALY DIDN’T WANT A TRADNAL UPLEDOM.WHAT DID YOU WANT, OR STILL WANT?I’D ALSO LIKE TO SEE MORE PROTECTNS FOR LGBTQ FAI, AND PARTICULAR AN END TO VLENCE AGAST TRANSGENR WOMEN OF LOR. IT’S AN EPIMIC. THERE WERE A LOT OF TRANSGENR WOMEN THE MOVEMENT BACK THEN, AND EXCEPT FOR SYLVIA (RIVERA) AND MARSHA (P. JOHNSON) THE WOMEN HAVE BEEN FOTTEN. THAT’S SAD. IT’S DISGRACEFUL NOW TO SEE SOME FEMISTS ATTACKG TRANS WOMEN, AT A TIME WHEN THE RIGHT WG ARE ATTACKG . WE SHOULD EMBRACE ONE ANOTHER. I FULLY SUPPORT MY TRANS BROTHERS AND SISTERS. I THK TO NY TRANS PEOPLE THEIR FULL HUMANY AND RIGHT TO EXIST IS AWFUL. I JT DON’T HAVE STRONG ENOUGH WORDS FOR LGB PEOPLE AND FEMISTS SPENDG THEIR TIME ATTACKG TRANS PEOPLE THIS POLIL ENVIRONMENT. “WE N’T BEG TO FATHOM THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE WE’RE FACG GOG FORWARD. IF WE DON’T GET TMP OUT OF THERE AND DON’T FLIP THE SENATE, WE ARE FOR TREMENDO TROUBLE THE FUTURE.”— KARLA JAY WHAT SHOULD THE LGBTQ MOVEMENT DO NOW?ONE OF THE THGS WE WERE ADAMANT ABOUT BACK THEN WAS BEG TERSECTNAL, ALTHOUGH WE DIDN’T HAVE THAT WORD. IN 1969 AND 1970, WE FORMED ALLIANC WH THE BLACK PANTHERS AND OTHER LEFT-WG GROUPS. TODAY, I WOULD LIKE FOR THE ANIZATNS THAT ARE MOSTLY FOCED ON JT THE LGB MUNY—AND TOO LTLE ON THE T—TO THK MORE BROADLY ABOUT REALLY ALIGNG MORE MEANGFUL WAYS WH OTHER ANIZATNS; REALLY TO MEAN WHEN THEY SAY THAT BLACK LIV MATTER. IT’S EASY TO TALK THE TALK BUT THOSE ANIZATNS THAT DON’T WALK THE WALK NEED TO STEP ASI AND LET THOSE OM THE POC AND BIPOC MUNI TO LEAD . THIS IS THE NEXT STEP.HOW DO YOU SEE THE TMP ADMISTRATN’S LGBTQ ANIM, AND IMPORTANCE OF THE NOVEMBER ELECTN? I THK THIS ELECTN IS THE MOST CRIL ELECTN WE’VE EVER FACED. TMP HAS DONE CREDIBLE DAMAGE BY APPOTG 200 FERAL JUDG TO THE URTS. WE N’T BEG TO FATHOM THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE WE’RE FACG GOG FORWARD. IF WE DON’T GET TMP OUT OF THERE AND DON’T FLIP THE SENATE, WE ARE FOR TREMENDO TROUBLE THE FUTURE. I WOULD HAVE HOPED FOR A BETTER, STRONGER, MORE FORWARD-THKG DEMOCRAT NDIDATE, BUT I WOULD BE WILLG TO VOTE FOR A BBAGE OVER TMP IF WERE NNG. NEW YORK CITY: MARK SEGALMARK SEGAL, THEN 18, PARTICIPATED THE STONEWALL RTS NEW YORK CY, AND WAS ONE OF THE ORIGAL FOUNRS OF THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT. HE WAS A MARSHAL AT THE FIRST NEW YORK PRI MARCH—THE CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATN DAY MARCH— 1970. HE IS THE FOUNR AND PUBLISHER OF PHILALPHIA GAY NEWS, AND THOR OF AND THEN I DANCED: TRAVELG THE ROAD TO LGBT EQUALY.WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THAT DAY 1970? FOR ME, ’S ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE DAYS OF MY LIFE. THERE ARE FEW DAYS YOU REMEMBER—MY WEDDG FIRST, OF URSE, BUT THIS IS UP THERE BEE THAT DAY I KNEW WOULD BE THE START OF A SUBSTANTIAL MOVEMENT FOR EQUALY. WE HAD CREATED SOMETHG. FIRST HAD E STONEWALL. FROM THE ASH OF STONEWALL HAD E THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT. THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT CHANGED EVERYTHG FOR THE LGBT MUNY, OR AT THAT TIME THE GAY MUNY, TERMS OF WHAT EVER THOUGHT OF SELF AND WHAT WE WILL BE. WHAT WAS THAT ERA LIKE?THERE WAS NO LGBT MUNY BEFORE THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT. THE ONLY PLAC WHERE LGBT PEOPLE ULD GO WERE PRIVATE PARTI, OR WHERE THEY MET PARKS, OR THE FEW ILLEGAL GAY BARS THERE WERE AND THEY WERE ONLY THE MAJOR CI. AND THERE WERE SOME SMALL GAY ANIZATNS LIKE THE MATTACHE SOCIETY AND DGHTERS OF BILIS, WHICH DID SMALL MONSTRATNS. THEY MIGHT HAVE HAD MEETGS, BUT VERY FEW PEOPLE SHOWED UP BEE THEY WERE SRED THE POLICE WOULD RAID THEM.AT STONEWALL, WAS A RT. NO ONE WAS EXPECTG ANYTHG TO E OM , WH THE EXCEPTN OF (ACTIVIST) MARTY ROBSON. THREE THGS ABOUT STONEWALL STAND OUT. FIRST OF URSE THERE WAS THE VLENCE OF POLICE. PERSONALLY I HAD NEVER WNSED THIS BEFORE, AND THE POLICE, AND THEIR BEHAVR, REPRENTED THE OPPRSN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF HAD BEEN GOG THROUGH OUR ENTIRE LIV.I REMEMBER STANDG ACROSS THE STREET OM THE STONEWALL AND SAYG TO MYSELF, “THIS IS 1969. WOMEN, BLACK PEOPLE AND LATO PEOPLE ARE FIGHTG FOR THEIR RIGHTS. WHAT ABOUT ?” THAT MOMENT WAS WHEN I CID TO VOTE MY ENTIRE LIFE TO THIS MOVEMENT. “IT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST JOYO RT YOU HAVE EVER SEEN, BEE THE HEAVY WEIGHT OF OPPRSN LIFTED THAT NIGHT.”— MARK SEGAL YOU DON’T THK THE MIDDLE OF A RT WHETHER WILL BE HISTORIC. YOU THK, “WILL I BE SAFE?” AND THERE WAS ALSO A LOT OF JOY. SOME OF THE PICTNS OF STONEWALL ARE FALSE. WHILE THERE WERE PEOPLE THROWG THGS AT THE BAR AND CHAOS, THERE WAS A SENSE OF JOY. WE WERE FIGHTG BACK FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, FIGHTG AS A UN, AND THERE WAS POWER NUMBERS. THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE NNG AROUND HAVG FUN. IT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST JOYO RT YOU HAVE EVER SEEN, BEE THE HEAVY WEIGHT OF OPPRSN LIFTED THAT NIGHT. WE FELT THAT THAT OPPRSN WAS BEG LIFTED BY OUR VERY ACTNS.WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE FIRST NIGHT OF RTG?SOMEWHERE DURG ALL THIS MARTY ROBSON (A NOTED GAY ACTIVIST, WHO DIED 1992) ME UP AND GAVE ME A PIECE OF CHALK TO WRE ON THE STREETS AND WALLS UP AND DOWN CHRISTOPHER STREET: “CHRISTOPHER STREET, TOMORROW NIGHT.” THAT CREATED THE SEND NIGHT OF STONEWALL. ON THE THIRD NIGHT, THE PEOPLE WHO LATER BEME THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT WERE LEAFLETG ON THE STREETS. THAT ACT OF LEAFLETG WAS AN ACT OF FIANCE BEE WAS ILLEGAL FOR TO BE DOG . WE WERE LERALLY SAYG TO THE POLICE, “SCREW YOU, YOU NNOT STOP ANY MORE.”THREE WEEKS AFTER THE RTS ME THE FIRST MARCH THAT MARTHA SHELLEY AND MARTY ROBSON ANIZED. IT WAS NOT A PRI MARCH. IT WAS OM WASHGTON SQUARE PARK TO CHRISTOPHER STREET. THIS WAS AGAST THE POLICE. WE WERE SAYG, “TAKE BACK THE STREETS.”REMEMBER, AT THIS TIME THERE WAS NO “GAY MUNY.” THE ONLY THG WE HAD WAS TAKG BACK OUR STREETS AND CREATG PRI. LATER THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT CREATED MUNY. WE CREATED EVERYTHG WE ULD TO HELP BUILD AN CLIVE AND DIVERSE MUNY. WE CREATED THE FIRST TRANS YOUTH ANIZATNS, MEDIL ALERTS, LEGAL ALERTS; WE CREATED THE FIRST GAY MUNY CENTER. WE DISTRIBUTED NEWSPAPERS ON THE STREETS.AND THEN THE FIRST MARCH WAS CREATED, A YEAR TO THE DAY OF THE RTS.THE FIRST MARCH WAS TO CELEBRATE THREE THGS—TO MARK THE OCSN OF STONEWALL OBVLY; TO CELEBRATE THE FACT OF OUR PRI WHAT WE HAD CREATED AND PRI OURSELV; AND THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THAT PRI: THAT WE WERE OUT, LOUD, PROUD, AND YOUR FACE. THAT’S LLED VISIBILY. THAT’S WHAT THE MARCH WAS ALL ABOUT.HOW EASY WAS TO ANIZE THE FIRST MARCH?IT WAS ANIZED BY THE CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATN DAY COMMTEE. WE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT WAS GOG TO HAPPEN. WE NGREGATED AT SEVENTH AVENUE AND CHRISTOPHER STREET. WE MARCHED DOWN CHRISTOPHER STREET, THEN UP SIXTH AVENUE TO SHEEP MEADOW CENTRAL PARK. WE WERE LEAVG WHAT WAS OUR GHETTO TO WALK ACROSS TOWN PUBLIC. THOANDS OF LGBT PEOPLE HAD NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE. WE WERE FYG THE WORLD TO E AFTER . WE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT WAS GOG TO HAPPEN. WE GAVE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE CLASS. I WAS A MARSHAL. I DIDN’T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO E WH . I DIDN’T KNOW THE MAGNU OF MUNY WE’D CREATED THAT FIRST YEAR. ON THE MORNG-OF, WE THOUGHT A FEW HUNDRED PEOPLE MIGHT SHOW UP.  “I HADN’T REALIZED HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE THERE UNTIL I CLIMBED A POLE AT 17TH STREET AND LOOKED BACK... I FELT A CHILL AT THAT MOMENT I DON’T THK I WOULD EVER HAVE AGA MY LIFE.”— MARK SEGAL WHAT’S YOUR OUTSTANDG MEMORY OF THAT FIRST NEW YORK MARCH?THE AREA OF SEVENTH AND CHRISTOPHER WAS SO CROWD MA LG PEOPLE UP VERY DIFFICULT. IT WAS CHAOTIC. IT WAS AN OCSN OVERFLOWG WH JOY, SEEG HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE THERE. I HADN’T REALIZED HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE THERE UNTIL I CLIMBED A POLE AT 17TH STREET AND LOOKED BACK AND ULD STILL SEE PEOPLE G OUT OF CHRISTOPHER STREET. I FELT A CHILL AT THAT MOMENT I DON’T THK I WOULD EVER HAVE AGA MY LIFE. AT THAT MOMENT I KNEW WE HAD CREATED A MOVEMENT FOR EQUALY THAT WOULD EXIST FOR A LONG TIME. THE LGBTQ RIGHTS MOVEMENT IS ONE THE BT EXPORT GIFTS AMERI HAS GIVEN TO THE WORLD. HOW DO YOU SEE THE 50-YEAR SPAN OF LGBTQ HISTORY SCE THEN?IF YOU LOOK AT JT THE UNED STAT WE’VE E AN CREDIBLE WAY. REMEMBER, 1969 I WAS AN OUTLAW JT BEE OF WHO I WAS. WHO WOULD EVER HAVE THOUGHT THAT THAT KID STANDG OUTSI THE STONEWALL AT 18 YEARS OLD WOULD BE VED BY PRINT OBAMA TO DANCE WH HIS HBAND AT THE WHE HOE ( 2014, AT A WHE HOE PRI RECEPTN)? THAT’S HUGE. MARK SEGAL, 2ND LEFT, WH HBAND JASON VILLEMEZ, WH THE OBAMAS.COURTY MARK SEGAL WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WE WOULD HAVE HAD A VIABLE OUT PRINTIAL NDIDATE, GAYS THE ARY, MARRIAGE EQUALY, THE RECENT NON-DISCRIMATN--EMPLOYMENT CISN BY THE SUPREME COURT? THE ARE ALL THGS WE THE GLF LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR. EVERYTHG WE HAVE THE LGBT MUNY TODAY IS FOUND ON THE SHOULRS OF THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT. BEFORE THE GLF, THOSE ACTIVISTS HAD BEEN VERY BRAVE, BUT NOT BEEN ABLE TO FORM A MASSIVE MOVEMENT AS WE DID. I BLAME THE LGBT ANIZATNS THAT ME AFTER FOR IGNORG THE TRANS MUNY. IF THEY HAD EMBRACED TRANS PEOPLE, WE WOULD BE FURTHER DOWN THE LE ON TRANS ISSU. THEY ARE EMBRACG TRANSGENR PEOPLE AND ISSU NOW, BUT ’S RELATIVELY RECENT AND THEY HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO THAT AREA.WHAT DO THE TMP ADMISTRATN’S ATTACKS, PARTICULARLY ON TRANS PEOPLE, MEAN?THERE WILL ALWAYS BE CYCL CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENTS. I THK WE WILL SURVIVE TMP I DON’T KNOW IF HE WILL SURVIVE . WHAT I MEAN IS HISTORY WILL RERD HIM AS WRONG. AS FAR AS TRANS RIGHTS GO HE WILL BE NSIRED THE GEE WALLACE STANDG THE DOORWAY. EVERY SGLE PUBLIC OPN POLL SHOWS THAT THE AMERIN PUBLIC IS FAR AHEAD OF TMP AND HIS ADMISTRATN. TMP IS AN OUTLIER. “WHEN THERE IS AN ISSUE, DO OUTRAGEO ACTS, BUT MAKE SURE THEY ARE NON-VLENT. TRY AND KEEP A LTLE JOY YOUR LIFE. JOY IS VERY IMPORTANT WHEN ALG WH A TOUGH SUBJECT.”— MARK SEGAL WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR THE NEXT GENERATN OF ACTIVISTS?WHEN THERE IS AN ISSUE GO TO THE STREETS. WHEN THERE IS AN ISSUE DON’T BE AAID OF GETTG ARRTED. WHEN THERE IS AN ISSUE, DO OUTRAGEO ACTS, BUT MAKE SURE THEY ARE NON-VLENT. AND DURG ALL OF , TRY AND KEEP A LTLE JOY YOUR LIFE.YOU TALK ABOUT JOY A LOT.JOY IS VERY IMPORTANT WHEN ALG WH A TOUGH SUBJECT. DURG MY 51 YEARS OF WORKG ON THIS, I ALWAYS TOLD THOSE I HAVE WORKED WH THE ALLIED MUNY, OR THOSE I WAS TRYG TO MAKE ALLI, “THIS IS GOG TO BE DIFFICULT FOR YOU. THE ONLY WAY TO GET THROUGH IS IF WE HAVE SOME FUN DOG .” I HAVE WORKED WH ERNORS, PRINTS, MAYORS, YOU NAME . SOME WEREN’T ALWAYS IENDLY. YOU N ONLY DO THAT IF YOU’RE WILLG TO TALK AND HAVE MUNITNS AND DIALOG. I DON’T THK SOMEONE WILL REMA AN ENEMY FOREVER. I NNOT EXPRS HOW MANY POLICIANS WERE OPPOSED TO MARRIAGE EQUALY WHO NOW EMBRACE FULLY. NEW YORK CITY: ALSTON GREENALSTON GREEN, 69, IS A CLIENT OF SAGE, THE ADVOCY ANIZATN FOR LGBTQ ELRS. A CREATIVE NSULTANT AND FABRIC AND GRAPHIC SIGNER (CLUDG LEADG THE SIGN IATIVE FOR “MAHOGANY,” HALLMARK’S AIN-AMERIN RD BRAND), HE LIV NEW YORK CY, AND ATTEND THE CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATN DAY MARCH 1970.WHAT WAS THE 1970 NEW YORK MARCH LIKE?IT WAS RATHER QUIET. IT DIDN’T HAVE A PARA PERM. IT WASN’T REALLY HUGE. BUT THE NGREGATN THAT HAPPENED AT SHEEP MEADOW CENTRAL PARK AFTERWARDS ATTRACTED A LARGE CROWD. I WAS 19 YEARS OLD, AND WAS ALL KD OF NEW TO ME, BEE I HAD ONLY RECENTLY E OUT. I DIDN’T REALIZE THE FULL IMPACT OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED AT STONEWALL. I GREW UP PHILALPHIA, I HAD MOVED TO NEW YORK CY TO GO TO SCHOOL (PARSONS SCHOOL OF DIGN) TWO MONTHS AFTER THE RTS.HOW DID THE MARCH FEEL?A BATN OF THE CELEBRATORY AND THE POLIL. THERE WERE A LOT OF HIPPI, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE STONED. I WAS PRETTY POLIL. THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND THE VIETNAM SUATN WERE AT THE TOP OF MY LIST. AT THE TIME I ULD HAVE BEEN DRAFTED. THERE WAS A LOTTERY BACK THEN, BUT I WASN’T LLED TO GO. I KNEW PEOPLE WHO HAD MOVED TO CANADA TO AVOID . WE HAD NO BS BEG THAT WAR. IT STROYED A LOT OF MEN, WHO EHER DIED OR ME BACK WH PTSD, OR DG ADDICTN. IT WAS A REALLY AWFUL, PAFUL TIME, AND WE DIDN’T TREAT THEM RIGHT. “I’M AIN AMERIN. IN THAT ERA THE BAR SCENE WAS VERY SEGREGATED. SEVERAL BARS WE ULD NOT GET TO—ALTHOUGH THE STONEWALL SELF ACCEPTED EVERYBODY.”— ALSTON GREEN THE FIRST MARCH WAS TYPIL OF THAT THG THAT HAPPENS WH WHE GAY MEN WHO WANTED TO EXCLU TRANS PEOPLE—AND THEY WERE THE ON WHO HELPED START THE RTS! I THK ’S WONRFUL THEY’RE ERECTG THOSE MONUMENTS TO SYLVIA (RIVERA) AND MARSHA (P. JOHNSON). I’M NOT SURPRISED SYLVIA WENT OFF AT THE PROTTERS 1973. I DON’T BLAME HER.I’M AIN-AMERIN. IN THAT ERA THE BAR SCENE WAS VERY SEGREGATED. SEVERAL BARS WE ULD NOT GET TO—ALTHOUGH THE STONEWALL SELF ACCEPTED EVERYBODY. MY FIRST EXPERIENC OF GOG OUT HERE WERE AT PARTI ATTEND BY A NSISTENT GROUP OF GAY MEN—AND A FEW LBIANS, BUT NOT THAT MANY— HARLEM, THE BRONX, AND BROOKLYN. WE HAVE ALL THIS TECHNOLOGY NOW. WHO KNOWS HOW WE DID BACK THEN, BUT WE DID . WE HAD OUR OWN LTLE FAY.THE FIRST BAR THAT OPENED MANHATTAN THAT WELED PEOPLE OF LOR WAS A BLOCK AWAY OM THE U.N. ON THE EAST SI. AT THAT TIME WAS NOT REALLY A MIXED NEIGHBORHOOD. THEN EVERYTHG CHANGED THE MID-’70S, THE VILLAGE BEME VERY POPULAR. THE WORLD WAS YOUR OYSTER, REALLY WAS. YOU ULD REALLY BE, SAY, AND DO WHATEVER YOU WANTED. I WAS YOUNG, I DIDN’T GO CRAZY, BUT I CERTALY ENJOYED MYSELF. I WASN’T OUT MY JOB AT THE TIME. ALSTON GREEN, 1992, AND 1985COURTY ALSTON GREEN HOW HAS GEE FLOYD’S KILLG, AND EVERYTHG THAT HAS E OM , AFFECTED YOU?I WAS VASTATED WHEN I SAW THE VIO. THAT IS WHAT WE LL A TELEVISED LYNCHG. LISTEN TO THE LAST LE OF GIL STT HERON’S 1971 SONG “THE REVOLUTN WILL NOT BE TELEVISED”: “THE REVOLUTN WILL BE LIVE.” WHAT HAPPENED WAS AWFUL, BUT I’M GLAD SPIRED YOUNG PEOPLE TO GET OFF THEIR ASS. I HAVE BEEN CYNIL ABOUT LENNIALS, BUT ’S GREAT TO SEE THEM SO VOLVED. WHAT DO YOU THK WHEN YOU NSIR THAT 50-YEAR SPAN OF HISTORY?IT FEELS GOOD TO HAVE HELPED GET TO WHERE WE ARE NOW. WE STILL HAVE PROBLEMS, BUT ’S GOOD THE MOVEMENT IS MORE DIVERSE NOW. WHERE WE ARE NOW IS TWO STEPS FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK. I WAS SAD TO HEAR ABOUT THE ALTERTN AT THE QUEER LIBERATN MARCH AT THE WEEKEND. I TELL YOUNG PEOPLE: ’S YOUR TURN NOW. “WHE AMERI IS NOW BEG FORCED TO LOOK AT THE UGLS THAT BUILT THIS UNTRY. THIS UNTRY WAS BUILT ON SYSTEMIC RACISM. WE HAVE LIVED EVERY DAY OF OUR LIV AS BLACK PEOPLE. WE KNOW .”— ALSTON GREEN I ALSO WANT YOUNG PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT GAY HISTORY. WHAT WE ARE SEEG THIS UNTRY IS VERY DISTURBG AND IGHTENG. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO REALIZE HOW THE UNTRY IS BUILT. AS PEOPLE OF LOR WE KNOW. WE SEE EVERY DAY. WHE AMERI IS NOW BEG FORCED TO LOOK AT THE UGLS THAT BUILT THIS UNTRY. THIS UNTRY WAS BUILT ON SYSTEMIC RACISM. WE HAVE LIVED EVERY DAY OF OUR LIV AS BLACK PEOPLE. WE KNOW . SLAVERY END, AND THEN THE PENAL SYSTEM WAS BUILT FOR EE LABOR.WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNGER ACTIVISTS?TO KNOW HISTORY. YOU NEED TO UNRSTAND HISTORY ORR TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD. I’M NOT KNOCKG YOUNG PEOPLE. I 100 PER CENT DIDN’T FEEL WAS IMPORTANT TO ME UNTIL I WAS 25/26. THAT’S WHEN STARTED I READG ABOUT THE MATTACHE SOCIETY. IT’S IMPORTANT FOR ALL LGBTQ PEOPLE TO KNOW THEIR HISTORY. ALSTON GREEN, 1984, AND 1995COURTY ALSTON GREEN HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE FUTURE?MY BIGGT DISAPPOTMENT RIGHT NOW IS HOW IMPATIENT PEOPLE ARE, AND HOW MANY ARE NOT PAYG ATTENTN. I N’T BELIEVE SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE A PROBLEM WEARG MASKS, WHEN THEY HELP SAVE OTHER PEOPLE’S LIV. MY GENERATN WENT THROUGH THE AIDS CRISIS. WE KNEW THE IMPORTANCE OF SAFER SEX. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD DIFFICULTI WH THAT. I WENT TO THREE OR FOUR FUNERALS A WEEK, WHICH WAS TOO MUCH FOR ME TO AL WH. WE WERE FORCED TO LEARN HOW TO TAKE RE OF EACH OTHER. WE LOST SO MANY MALE LEARS, LBIANS STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE. IN THE EARLY 1980S EVERYONE WAS BURNT OUT OM PEOPLE DYG. DRAG BEME VERY POPULAR. WE BEME MORE FORTABLE WH GENR FLEXIBILY.I’M OPTIMISTIC. I HOPE THE YOUNGER GENERATN ARE LEARNG OM WHAT IS HAPPENG NOW. I N’T BELIEVE THERE ARE SHOWS LIKE POSE, FEATURG TRANS AND NON-BARY PEOPLE ON TV. IT’S PRETTY AWOME TO SEE. I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD GET TO THIS POT. I DON’T WATCH RUPL’S DRAG RACE, BUT SO MANY STRAIGHT PEOPLE DO! SAN FRANCISCO: PETER FISKEPETER FISKE IS A STONEWALL VETERAN, AND HAS BEEN AN ACTIVIST FOR OVER 50 YEARS. HE WAS AT THE FIRST GAY FREEDOM DAY MARCH SAN FRANCIS ON JUNE 27, 1970, AND AT THE FOLLOWG DAY’S “GAY-IN” PIIC GOLN GATE PARK. HE IS A LEATHER PERSON, AND “A PROUD ALLY FOR PEOPLE OF LOR, TRANS PEOPLE, AND BLACK LIV MATTER.”WHAT HAPPENED ON JUNE 27 AND 28, 1970, SAN FRANCIS?THERE WAS A PARA ON SATURDAY, AND A PIIC WHICH WE LLED A “GAY-” GOLN GATE PARK ON THE SUNDAY. WE LLED GAY FREEDOM DAY. IT HADN’T REALLY FOUND THE NAME “PRI” YET. I’M A STONEWALL VETERAN, BUT I’M A VETERAN OF THE BAR, NOT THE RTS. IT WAS MY HANGOUT 1968 AND 1969. I HAD E TO NEW YORK FOR SEVEN-AND-A-HALF MONTHS. I HAD TAKEN A LOT OF DGS SAN FRANCIS AND WANTED TO CLEAN MYSELF UP. I WENT TO THE STONEWALL 50, 60 TIM, AND I WAS THERE THREE TIM WHEN THE POLICE RAID 1969. WHAT I SAW TURNED ME TO A LIFELONG ACTIVIST.  “YOU’D GET NO NOTICE OF A RAID. THE FIRST EVINCE WAS THE MIC BEG TURNED OFF, AND THE LIGHTS TURNED ON. IT WAS ABOUT 1 THE MORNG WHEN HAPPENED THAT FAL TIME BEFORE STONEWALL SELF.”— PETER FISKE WHAT WAS LIKE BEG THE STONEWALL WHEN A POLICE RAID HAPPENED?I WAS THERE THE LAST TIME THE PS RAID BEFORE JUNE 28, 1969. YOU’D GET NO NOTICE OF A RAID. THE FIRST EVINCE WAS THE MIC BEG TURNED OFF, AND THE LIGHTS TURNED ON. IT WAS ABOUT 1 THE MORNG WHEN HAPPENED THAT FAL TIME BEFORE STONEWALL SELF. THE PS WOULD E , AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO LE UP AND SHOW THEM YOUR ID. IF YOU WERE NOT WEARG THREE EMS OF CLOTHG THAT MATCHED WHAT THEY EMED TO BE YOUR GENR, OR IF YOU WERE UNRAGE, YOU WERE ARRTED. THEY LLED “QUEERS” AND “FAGS.” THEY WERE MEAN AND BULLYG. IF YOUR ID WAS OK, THEY LET YOU LEAVE, AND THE BAR REOPENED AFTERWARDS. THAT LAST RAID BEFORE THE ONE THE NIGHT OF THE RTS, PEOPLE WERE ANGRY AND MUTTERG. STONEWALL WAS A STREET BAR. THERE WERE HTLERS, STREET PEOPLE, HOMELS PEOPLE, POOR PEOPLE, AND ALSO SUBURBAN PEOPLE, PEOPLE OF LOR, LEATHER FOLKS. I WAS ONE OF THEM. I ED TO GO THERE AFTER GOG TO THE TWO LEATHER BARS NEW YORK HAD THOSE DAYS. PETER FISKE AT ROCKAWAY BEACH, QUEENS, JUNE 1969, THE SAME MONTH AS STONEWALL.COURTY PETER FISKE YOU WEREN’T THERE FOR THE RTS THEMSELV?I LEFT NEW YORK THE TUDAY BEFORE THE RTS. I WAS NOT A VERY POLIL GAY PERSON BEFORE WHAT I SAW AT THE STONEWALL. I HAD DRAG QUEEN IENDS, AND WAS AT THE COMPTON’S CAFETERIA RT SAN FRANCIS 1966. THERE WAS A LOT OF POLICE BTALY SAN FRANCIS. IT WAS NOT A TOLERANT CY UNTIL THE 1970S. THAT NIGHT AT COMPTON’S, THE PS BEAT EVERYBODY, THE QUEENS FOUGHT BACK, AND A BUNCH WERE TAKEN TO JAIL. IN THOSE DAYS, PEOPLE’S NAM GOT PRTED THE NEWSPAPER. IT WAS AWFUL FOR THEM. THAT WAS PART OF THE OPPRSN.WHEN I ME BACK TO SAN FRANCIS AFTER STONEWALL, I WENT TO GLF MEETGS. I DIDN’T GET EXTREMELY POLILLY ACTIVE IMMEDIATELY. THAT ME DURG THE AIDS CRISIS. AFTER STONEWALL, GLF EXPAND WILDLY SAN FRANCIS. GAY PEOPLE WERE MOVG TO THE POLK STREET NEIGHBORHOOD, THE FIRST “GAYBORHOOD” SAN FRANCIS; THE CASTRO WAS STILL MIXED BACK THEN. NEW BARS WERE OPENG ALL THE TIME.HOW WAS THE MARCH? A LOT OF PEOPLE AT THE TIME WERE AAID TO BE A GAY MARCH. I WOULD SAY THE CROWD HAD AROUND 800 TO 1200 PEOPLE ON , WHICH WAS A LOT. I WAS HAPPILY SURPRISED WHEN I GOT THERE. PEOPLE HAD E OUT, DRSED MOSTLY HIPPIE-ISHLY. IT WAS VERY LORFUL. THERE WERE A LOT OF DRAG QUEENS. PEOPLE DIDN’T DO DRAG THE STREETS NORMALLY. I WORE A LEATHER VT AND LEATHER CHAPS.  “WE WALKED DOWN POLK STREET, AND AS THE STREET GOT UN-GAYER AND UN-GAYER, I THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE TLLS, BUT PEOPLE WAVED.”— PETER FISKE THERE WERE SPEAKERS AT THE MARCH. THE ROUTE STARTED AT POLK AND SUTTER, NEAR TO ONE OF THE BIGGT GAY BS OF THAT TIME, THE TOWN SQUIRE, KNOWN AS THE SQUIRE. WE WALKED DOWN POLK STREET, AND AS THE STREET GOT UN-GAYER AND UN-GAYER, I THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE TLLS, BUT PEOPLE WAVED. WE WALKED ALL THE WAY TO NORTH BEACH, AND HAD A PIIC AT AQUATIC PARK. EVERYONE SMOKED MARIJUANA. THE NEXT DAY, GOLN GATE PARK, THERE WERE A LOT OF DGS BEG DONE. I BELIEVE I TOOK A SMALL DOSE OF LSD FOR THAT ONE. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT THE CY?SUDNLY THE CY SEEMED FULL OF ACTIVISTS, AND WE WERE STARTG TO FD OUR WAY. I REMEMBER PICKETG PACIFIC BELL WHO WOULDN’T HIRE HOMOSEXUALS. EVENTUALLY, THE THEY GAVE . THE CY CHANGED THROUGHOUT THE 1970S. BY 1978, THIS LTLE PARA HAD BEE ONE WH 3-400,000 PEOPLE, MARCHG AGAST THE BRIGGS INIATIVE, WHICH WAS AIMED AT STOPPG LGBTQ PEOPLE OM TEACHG CALIFORNIAN SCHOOLS. HARVEY MILK MA HIS REER FIGHTG . I KNEW HIM TO SAY HELLO TO. I ED TO SEE HIM AND HIS THEN-PARTNER STT SMH AT THE BATH-HOE. I REMEMBER HIM BEG ASSASSATED AND THE WHE NIGHT RTS THAT FOLLOWED (WHEN HIS ASSASS, DAN WHE WAS GIVEN A LENIENT SENTENCE). THERE WAS A LOT OF ANGER THAT DAY. OUR MARCH THAT AFTERNOON SNAKED THROUGH THE STREETS. WE CHANTED, “HE GOT AWAY WH MURR. HE GOT AWAY WH MURR.” THE MONSTRATORS BURNED AROUND 6 POLICE RS; AND THE PS BEAT UP PATRONS AT SOME CASTRO GAY BARS RETALIATN.YOU ALSO LIVED THROUGH THE AIDS ERA SAN FRANCIS.AIDS BROUGHT ME MY PARTNER AND LOVE OF MY LIFE, COULTER THOMAS. HE WAS INTERNATNAL MR. LEATHER 1983. WE MET 1983 AT AN AIDS BENEF. HE WAS WH SOMEONE ELSE, AND WHEN THAT PERSON DIED HE MOVED TO SAN FRANCIS, WE GOT TOGETHER. WE HAD A WONRFUL TIME TOGETHER FOR FOUR AND A HALF YEARS, UNTIL, SEPTEMBER 1992, AIDS ALSO TOOK HIM AWAY. HE WAS THE MOST BETIFUL MAN I EVER SAW MY LIFE, AND HE WAS ALSO A REALLY KD AND SWEET MAN.HE TRODUCED ME TO A GROUP OF IENDS WHO WERE TRANSNG OM FEMALE TO MALE, AND I GOT TO KNOW THEM AND THEY ARE STILL VERY CLOSE TO ME NOW. BEE OF THAT, LATER ON, I MPAIGNED TO GET THE LEATHER MUNY AND LEATHER EVENTS TO ACCEPT TRANSGENR MEN AND WOMEN. IT TOOK A LONG TIME, BUT WE DID . “THERE WAS A S-DOWN PROTT. BEE OF MY AGE I WAS TOLD I WOULD BE ARRTED WH THE CLERGY. WHEN I WAS ARRTED AND THEY PULLED OUT PLASTIC HANDCUFFS, I JOKED I WOULD PREFER METAL ON.”— PETER FISKE DO YOU THK MASTREAM GAY ACTIVISM HAS DONE ENOUGH FOR TRANS PEOPLE?I DON’T THK WE HAVE DONE ENOUGH. THAT’S WHY I AM SO GLAD TO SEE SO MUCH GOG ON WH BLACK LIV MATTER, AND TRANS LIV MATTER AND BLACK TRANS LIV MATTER. I’M STILL AN ACTIVIST. I WAS GLAD ABOUT THE SUPREME COURT LG. THE FIRST AND ONLY TIME I WAS ARRTED WAS 2009, WHEN PROPOSN 8 (BANNG SAME-SEX MARRIAGE CALIFORNIA) WAS LED NSTUTNAL. (IT WAS FALLY OVERTURNED 2013.) THERE WAS A S-DOWN PROTT. BEE OF MY AGE I WAS TOLD I WOULD BE ARRTED WH THE CLERGY. WHEN I WAS ARRTED AND THEY PULLED OUT PLASTIC HANDCUFFS, I JOKED I WOULD PREFER METAL ON. MY P IENDS FOUND THAT VERY FUNNY. THE CHARG WERE DROPPED THE NEXT DAY.WHAT DO LGBTQ ACTIVISM MEAN TO YOU TODAY?I DIDN’T DREAM OF MARRIAGE EQUALY. IN 1969, WE WERE FIGHTG NOT TO BE OPPRSED. THAT WAS WHAT STONEWALL WAS ABOUT. I THK WE HAVE E FURTHER THAN I ULD HAVE EVER DREAMED. THERE IS STILL SOME WAY TO GO, OF URSE. WE’RE NOT DONE YET. THEY ULD TAKE ALL WAY AWAY AGA IF THE UNTRY NTU TO GO DOWN THE DARK ROAD ’S BEEN ON FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNG ACTIVISTS?SOMETIM YOU HAVE TO GET ANGRY TO GET ACTN. SOMETIM YOU HAVE TO MAND RATHER THAN ASK. AND KEEP GOG. IF YOU’RE ANGRY ENOUGH ABOUT , CHANNEL THAT ANGER TO CREATIVE ACTN. I’M PROUD TO BE PART OF THE STONEWALL GENERATN OF ACTIVISTS. I DID BEE WE WANTED THE WORLD TO BE BETTER FOR THE ON G AFTER ME. I ALSO DID BEE I WAS DAMN ANGRY, PECIALLY THE 1980S DURG THE HEIGHT OF AIDS WHEN THE ERNMENT DIDN’T JT NOT RE BUT ACTIVELY WANTED AD. WE WERE IGHTENED FOR A TIME THEY WOULD PUT MPS.  “I’M SO PROUD OF THE YOUNG RIGHT NOW. THEY HAVE REALLY DONE SOMETHG THAT REMDS ME OF THE TIME AROUND STONEWALL AND THE TIME AROUND THE START OF AIDS.”— PETER FISKE IT’S BEEN A LONG, WONRFUL ROAD AND I’M NOT GOG TO STOP. I N’T PHYSILLY GO TO MONSTRATNS FOR BLACK LIV MATTER, BUT I WOULD BE THERE IF I WASN’T AT HIGH RISK FOR COVID. I HAVE EMPHYSEMA, I’M 75, AND I HAVE LUNG PROBLEMS—CHRONIC PULMONARY DISEASE. I N BE THERE SPIR. I’M SO PROUD OF THE YOUNG RIGHT NOW. THEY HAVE REALLY DONE SOMETHG THAT REMDS ME OF THE TIME AROUND STONEWALL AND THE TIME AROUND THE START OF AIDS, AND THEY’RE DOG FOR LGBTQ PEOPLE, WOMEN, PEOPLE OF LOR, TRANS PEOPLE. AND THEY’RE NONTG AND EXPOSG OUR OWN RACIST HISTORY.YOU LEFT SAN FRANCIS TO MOVE TO PALM SPRGS?Y, 2011. PALM SPRGS IS GAY LEATHER HEAVEN! HALF THE LEATHER MUNY SAN FRANCIS HAS MOVED HERE. THERE ARE 3 BARS, SEVERAL CLUBS, AND A UPLE OF LEATHER RORTS. 40-50 PER CENT OF THE TOWN IS GAY. IT ED TO BE REPUBLIN AND RACIST UNTIL THE 1990S, BUT THAT CHANGED WHEN THE QUEERS MOVED . NEW YORK CITY: ELLEN BROIDYELLEN BROIDY WAS AN EARLY MEMBER OF THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT. SHE WAS PRINT OF THE NYU STUNT HOMOPHILE LEAGUE, A FOUNR OF RADILBIANS, AND, FALL 1969, PRENTED THE ROLUTN CREATG THE CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATN DAY MARCH AT THE EASTERN REGNAL CONFERENCE OF HOMOPHILE ORGANIZATNS. A CALIFORNIAN SCE 1971, SHE PLETED HER DOCTORATE U.S. HISTORY AT UC IRVE. SHE HAS WORKED AS A LIBRARIAN, FACULTY MEMBER, AND WRG SPECIALIST AT UCI, UCLA, AND UCSB. ELLEN AND HER PARTNER OF 41 YEARS LIVE SANTA BARBARA WHERE SHE REMAS ACTIVE PROGRSIVE , WH A PARTICULAR FOC ON RACIAL AND IMMIGRATN JTICE.WHAT DID YOU DO TO HELP MAKE THE MARCH HAPPEN?I WAS ONE OF FOUR PEOPLE WHO WROTE ONE OF THE IAL STATEMENTS SAYG WE SHOULD HAVE THIS KD OF MARCH. I MA THE PROPOSAL AT THE EASTERN REGNAL CONFERENCE OF HOMOPHILE ORGANIZATNS ON NOV. 2, 1969. (THE STATEMENT, WRTEN BY BROIDY, CRAIG RODWELL, FRED SERGEANT, LDA RHOS, PROPOSED THERE SHOULD BE AN ANNUAL MARCH, THE LAST SATURDAY JUNE, TO MARK THE 1969 RTS, AND NOT JT NEW YORK CY BUT ACROSS AMERI.) WE WANTED TO BE ON THE SATURDAY, BUT END UP BEG SUNDAY. CHIGO HAD THEIRS ON THE SATURDAY AND BEAT NEW YORK. I WAS 23 WHEN I MA THE PROPOSAL, 24 AT THE TIME OF THE MARCH, AND 74 NOW.HOW WAS G OUT FOR YOU?ALL THE STGGL WERE MY HEAD. THEY DID NOT EXIST WH FAY AT ALL, WHICH WAS QUE UNUAL AT THAT TIME. I WAS 23 WHEN I FALLY TOLD MY MOTHER THAT I WAS A LBIAN. SHE LOOKED ACROSS THE TABLE AT ME AND SAID, “I’VE KNOWN SCE YOU WERE 6.” I SAID, “WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME?” SHE SAID, “I DIDN’T THK WAS ANY OF MY BS AND YOU’D E TO ON YOUR OWN.” SHE’D BEEN AN ACTIVIST ALL HER LIFE CIVIL RIGHTS, AND WORKED AT THE NATNAL URBAN LEAGUE. “WHAT STONEWALL WAS WAS A MOMENT. WHAT GLF NEED TO DO WAS TURN THAT MOMENT TO A MOVEMENT, AND THE JUNE 1970 MARCH WAS A PIVOTAL TURNG POT THAT MOVEMENT.”— ELLEN BROIDY HOW WAS THE MARCH SELF?THERE WAS A GREAT APPETE TO HAVE ONE, AND A HIVE GROUP OF ACTIVISTS LOOKG TO ANIZE . IT TOOK ON A LIFE OF S OWN. DEMONSTRATNS NEW YORK CY ARE NOT EASY TO MOUNT BEE OF POLICE AND PERMS AND ALL OF THAT. THERE WERE THOANDS OF PEOPLE AT THE MARCH, SO CLEARLY H A NERVE. WHAT STONEWALL WAS WAS A MOMENT. WHAT GLF NEED TO DO WAS TURN THAT MOMENT TO A MOVEMENT, AND THE JUNE 1970 MARCH WAS A PIVOTAL TURNG POT THAT MOVEMENT.WE DID NOT LL THE MARCH “STONEWALL.” WE LLED THE CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATN DAY MARCH. TALKG ABOUT NOT WHAT HAPPENED THE BAR BUT ON THE STREET MAY BE A DIFFERENCE WHOUT A DISTCTN, BUT I THK ’S IMPORTANT. ALL THOSE BAT AROUND WHO THREW THE FIRST STONE AND PENNI HAS TAKEN ON AN TERTG MYTHOLOGY OF S OWN. BUT WHAT HAPPENED THE STREET WASN’T MYTHOLOGY. AND WHAT HAPPENED WH THE MARCH WASN’T EHER. IT WAS TANGIBLE AND REAL.DID FEEL LIKE A MOMENT HISTORY?THROUGH MY 24-YEAR-OLD EY SURE FELT LIKE A TURNG POT, LIKE WE HAD JOED THE REVOLUTN, AND NOT ONLY JOED THE REVOLUTN BUT JOED OUR OWN NAM WHICH WAS SIGNIFINT. I’VE BEEN DISAPPOTED UNTIL NOW THE LAST 50 YEARS BEE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A REVOLUTN. I WAS GRATIFIED TO SEE THIS YEAR’S DYKE MARCH NEW YORK ALONGSI BLACK LIV MATTER. THE REVOLUTNARY FORC ARE G TOGETHER A WAY THAT PROBABLY ULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED 50 YEARS AGO.VISUALLY, WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER OM THE 1970 MARCH NEW YORK?ONE REALLY STRONG PICTURE MY MD WERE THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE LOOKG OUT OM THEIR WDOWS AND FIRE P. WE WERE LLG OUT, “OFF THE SIWALKS, TO THE STREETS.” AND DAMN , PEOPLE DID THAT.WHAT WAS YOUR EMOTNAL TRAJECTORY THAT DAY?“TRAJECTORY” IS A GOOD WORD BEE I PROBABLY STARTED OFF FEELG A GREAT AL OF ANXIETY AND TREPIDATN. WE HAD NO IA WHETHER THE CROWDS WERE THERE TO SUPPORT OR DO HARM. WE HAD NO IA WHAT THE REACTN OF THE POLICE WOULD BE—IF SOMETHG WENT AMISS, WOULD THEY LET HAPPEN, FACILATE , OR TERVENE? WHEN I SAW THE CROWD NUMBERS, THAT TREPIDATN AND FEAR DISSIPATED, AND WAS REPLACED WH A KD OF ELATN. IF SOMEONE WAS ASKED TO SCRIBE ME, “ELATN” WOULD NOT BE A WORD THEY WOULD CHOOSE. I’M SORT OF DOUR. BUT THAT DAY I FELT ELATN, GREAT CHEER AND JOY, JT TO BE THERE.HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE SPAN OF TIME SCE THE FIRST MARCH?IF YOU ASKED ME THIS QUTN LAST YEAR AT STONEWALL 50, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE GIVEN A SOMEWHAT NEGATIVE RPONSE. THIS YEAR, EVERYTHG HAPPENG WH BLACK LIV MATTER FEELS MUCH MORE POSIVE. I HAD FELT PRETTY NEGATIVE FOR THE LAST 49 YEARS. IN OUR YOUTH—I WAS 24 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME OF THE FIRST PRI MARCH—WE REALLY THOUGHT WE WERE ON THE CP OF REVOLUTN. BEFORE WE HAD A WORD FOR , WE THOUGHT WE KNEW SOMETHG ABOUT TERSECTNALY AND CROSSG BORRS. BUT WE ALL ME TOGETHER AND WHAT WE END UP “DOG” WAS DONALD TMP. “WE WEREN’T OUT FOR A PIECE OF THE PIE, WE WERE OUT TO BLOW UP THE BAKERY. WE WERE OUT TO START THE WHOLE THG AGA.”— ELLEN BROIDY HAS THE MOVEMENT ACHIEVED WHAT YOU HOPED?MARRIAGE EQUALY, SERVG THE ARY: AS A MEMBER OF GLF 50 YEARS AGO, THE WEREN’T EVEN ON MY LIST. BUT THGS LIKE THE RECENT ANTI-DISCRIMATN SUPREME COURT CISN, YEAH, THAT’S WONRFUL. I NEVER SERVED THE ARY. I MARRIED, AND I’M VERY GRATEFUL THAT HAPPENED, BUT WAS NOT SOMETHG ON MY MD OR THE MDS OF MY LLEAGU WHEN WE WERE MARCHG 1970.AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE, WE WEREN’T OUT FOR A PIECE OF THE PIE, WE WERE OUT TO BLOW UP THE BAKERY. WE WERE OUT TO START THE WHOLE THG AGA.WHAT DO YOU THK OF THE LGBTQ MOVEMENT NOW?IT HAS GONE THE WAY NEED TO GO WHICH IS NOT TO SAY I NECSARILY REGNIZE . THE ISSU ARE DIFFERENT. IN SOME WAYS ’S FAR MORE DRAMATIC BEE WE’RE ALG WH THE MURRS OF TRANS WOMEN OF LOR. OUR MOMENT IS OVER, ALTHOUGH I DO WISH MY YOUNGER LLEAGU HAVE A STRONGER SENSE OF HISTORY AND THEY DID NOT WAKE UP ONE MORNG AND VENT THE WHOLE THG. THEY ARE STANDG ON OTHER PEOPLE’S SHOULRS. BUT THEN, REFLECTG BACK, I WAS QUE DISMISSIVE OF THE HOMOPHILE MOVEMENT THAT ME BEFORE GAY LIBERATN. THE ONLY THG I REGRET IS THE SENSE THAT LBIANS SOME WAYS HAVE DISAPPEARED OM THE FACE OF THE MOVEMENT AND I MOURN THAT.WHAT HAS THE MOVEMENT ACHIEVED THE LAST 50 YEARS?WHAT ISN’T REVOLUTN IS REFORM. THOSE ARE TWO PRETTY DISTCT NCEPTS. WE HAVE A GREE OF EQUALY, BUT WE STILL DON’T HAVE LIBERATN. WE HAVE EQUALY AS HAS BEEN GIVEN TO BY THE URTS. WE ARE STILL NOT A POSN OF BEG A LIBERATED MUNY THAT N MAND S OWN NAME THIS AND THAT. THIS IS REFORM, NOT REVOLUTN; AND ’S A KD OF EQUALY, NOT LIBERATN. THE FACT THAT THE SUPREME COURT HAD TO MAKE THAT CISN IS CLEAR THAT THIS IS AN EQUALY THAT N BE TAKEN AWAY AND THAT IS TERRIFYG, AS WAS THE FACT THAT THE GOOD CIZENS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA WERE ABLE TO VOTE ON MY RIGHTS WHEN ME TO PROPOSN 8. “KNOW YOUR HISTORY. ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT YOU DID NOT VENT THIS STGGLE. YOU N MOVE FORWARD NEW AND IMPORTANT WAYS, BUT YOU DIDN’T VENT .”— ELLEN BROIDY WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE TO THE NEXT GENERATN OF ACTIVISTS?KEEP DOG , KEEP ON KEEPG ON. DON’T LET THE PRSURE OFF. DON’T NY WHY YOU ARE THIS MOVEMENT. KEEP GOG AND THEN OCSNALLY TURN AROUND AND LOOK OVER YOUR SHOULR AND REMEMBER . KNOW YOUR HISTORY. ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT YOU DID NOT VENT THIS STGGLE. YOU N MOVE FORWARD NEW AND IMPORTANT WAYS, BUT YOU DIDN’T VENT . I SAY THAT WH A GREAT AL OF SELF-CRICISM, GIVEN MY OWN PLETELY DISMISSIVE BEHAVR TOWARDS THE PEOPLE WHO ME BEFORE ME, LIKE THE MATTACHE SOCIETY AND DGHTERS OF BILIS, THE MASTREAM HOMOPHILE ANIZATNS OF THAT TIME. AND REALLY THEY WERE CREDIBLY BRAVE PEOPLE. THEY DIDN’T PARTICIPATE THE STGGLE THE WAY I THOUGHT THEY SHOULD HAVE, BUT AT 23 YOU THK YOU KNOW EVERYTHG.DO YOU THK LGBTQ EQUALY WILL EVER BE SETTLED, OR WILL ALWAYS BE A STGGLE?YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY: EEDOM IS A STGGLE. 50 YEARS AGO WE THOUGHT THIS STGGLE WAS FOR LBIANS AND GAY MEN. NOW ’S LBIANS, GAY MEN, BISEXUALS, TRANSGENR AND TERSEX PEOPLE. I DON’T SEE AN END TO ANY OF THE STGGL, AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN END TO WHE SUPREMACY, HETEROSEXISM, HOMOPHOBIA, AND RACISM. WE HAVE GOT TO KEEP MOVG FORWARD. CHICAGO: GARY CHICHTERGARY CHICHTER, 73, HAS PROVID MORE THAN 50 YEARS OF MMENT AND WORK TO THE LGBTQ MUNI—CLUDG MARCHG THE GURAL GAY LIBERATN MARCH OF JUNE 27, 1970. IN 1971, CHICHTER -FOUND THE CHIGO GAY ALLIANCE, WHICH CREATED CHIGO’S FIRST GAY AND LBIAN MUNY CENTER. HE HAS SERVED ON THE CHIGO COMMISSN ON HUMAN RELATNS’ ADVISORY COUNCIL ON LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENR ISSU, AND SAT ON THE CHIGO LGBT HALL OF FAME COMMTEE OM S CEPTN 1991 (-CHAIRG SCE 1992).WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THE PLANNG OF THE MARCH?IT WAS ANIZED BY GAY LIBERATN FRONT STUNT GROUP AT THE UNIVERSY OF CHIGO. A MONTH OR SO PRR TO , WE CREATED A SYMBOL OF TWO SETS OF MALE AND FEMALE SYMBOLS UNR A PROUD FIST. AROUND 200 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED. WE WANTED TO MARCH OVER TO MICHIGAN AVENUE TO SHOW PEOPLE THERE WERE ANGRY QUEERS AROUND. WE MARCHED TO DALEY PLAZA FOR A RALLY. THE ATMOSPHERE WAS NOISY, AND JUBILANT FOR THE MOST PART. WE SHOUTED FOR PEOPLE TO E OUT OF THEIR CLOSETS AND JO . THEN WE DANCED AROUND AS HIPPI DID THE DAY.I REMEMBER PEOPLE’S JAWS DROPPG. THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHG LIKE THAT. PEOPLE THE MARCH FELT THE SAME: A LOT OF THEM HAD NEVER MARCHED BEFORE. THE 1970 CHIGO MARCH KICKS OFF AT WASHGTON PARK (BUGHOE SQUARE).COURTY GARY CHICHTER WERE YOU POLIL BEFORE THE MARCH?I HAD E OM A NSERVATIVE SUBURBAN BACKGROUND. TWO YEARS PRR, WE HAD THE 1968 DEMOCRATIC NATNAL CONVENTN HERE. I SPENT WEEKS GOG TO MONSTRATNS, AND SAW THE POLICE BEATG UP PROTTERS. I WAS EVEN H BY A TEARGAS NISTER ON MICHIGAN AVENUE.IN 1969, MY THEN-PARTNER RICHARD AND I WERE AT HOME ONE SATURDAY NIGHT, AND GOT A LL OM A IEND OF RICHARD’S WHO WAS LIVG NEW YORK CY, WHO SAID, “YOU’LL NEVER GUS WHAT’S GOG ON HERE,” AND TOLD ABOUT THE STONEWALL RTS.GROUPS LIKE GLF STARTED FORMG ON CHIGO MP. THERE WERE SOCIAL EVENTS AND DANC. BARS STARTED ALLOWG DANCG. THE VICE PARTMENT DIDN’T RE; THEIR ATTU WAS “GET THEM OFF THE STREETS.” THE RALLY AFTER THE 1970 CHIGO MARCH AT CIVIC CENTER (DALEY CENTER).COURTY GARY CHICHTER WHAT WAS LIKE, BEG LGBTQ CHIGO AT THAT TIME?IF YOU DON’T HAVE SOMETHG, YOU DON’T MISS WHEN DON’T HAVE . I WAS PRETTY OPEN ABOUT MY SEXUALY. IT DIDN’T BOTHER ME TO BE GAY, AND I HAD A PRETTY GOOD RELATNSHIP WH MY FAY. BUT DURG THE 1968 CONVENTN THE PS RAID GAY BARS. THERE WAS A LOT OF STREET CISG. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME A 24-HOUR RTRANT DRKG A LOT OF FFEE. THAT’S HOW YOU MET UP WH PEOPLE. SOME OF THE BIGGER BARS WERE RACIST, AND DIDN’T LET BLACK GAY PEOPLE DRK THEM, BUT WE EVENTUALLY WORKED THROUGH THAT. “YOU THK PEOPLE WILL SAY NO, BUT I’VE FOUND IF YOU WALK AND ACT LIKE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANT, YOU GET . WE GOT EVERYTHG WE WANTED.”— GARY CHICHTER HOW DO YOU SEE THE LAST 50 YEARS OF LGBTQ HISTORY?KNOWG YOUR HISTORY AND HERAGE GIV YOU POWER. I’VE BEEN POSTG ON FACEBOOK THROUGHOUT JUNE ABOUT LGBTQ HISTORY, WHICH PEOPLE LIKED. I WAS MAD BEE I ME TO NEW YORK CY FOR THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF STONEWALL, AND THERE WAS SO MUCH, CELEBRATG SYLVIA (RIVERA) AND MARSHA (P. JOHNSON) AND EVENTS AND EXHIBS. THERE WASN’T ANYTHG LIKE THAT CHIGO, AND UPSET ME. THERE WAS A MEMORIAL AT THE STONEWALL MEMORATG THE PULSE MASSACRE, BUT CHIGO DIDN’T TOUCH ON THAT. AT THE 1974 RALLY: GARY CHICHTER (L), PATRICK JORDAN (R)COURTY GARY CHICHTER WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE 1970 MARCH?I WAS PART OF THE CHIGO GAY ALLIANCE. IN 1971, WE THOUGHT WE SHOULD GET A PERM FOR THE MARCH. MY SIGNATURE IS ON THE FIRST PERM GIVEN TO AN LGBTQ PARA. YOU THK PEOPLE WILL SAY NO, BUT I’VE FOUND IF YOU WALK AND ACT LIKE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANT, YOU GET . WE GOT EVERYTHG WE WANTED. THE ONLY THG WE DIDN’T GET WAS THE APPROVED CLOSURE OF STREETS AND REMOVAL OF PARKED RS, SO WAS A LTLE TIGHT ON THE SIWALKS 1971. I’M SO HAPPY CHIGO ELECTED LORI LIGHTFOOT, OUR FIRST AIN-AMERIN LBIAN MAYOR. PETE BUTTIGIEG IS JT DOWN THE ROAD INDIANA. I NEVER THOUGHT I’D SEE THE DAY WHEN A GAY MAN WOULD N FOR PRINT OF THE UNED STAT.WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUNGER ACTIVISTS TODAY?I REALLY APPRECIATE WHEN THE KIDS GO OUT NOW. I THK THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT WHAT THEY HAVE TODAY WASN’T JT HERE FOR THEM. THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE FIGHTG TO GET WHERE WE ARE TODAY, AND A LOT OF FIGHTG TO GO. LEARN YOUR HISTORY, LEARN YOUR HERAGE. IT’S WHERE YOU’LL GET YOUR POWER OM. NEW YORK CITY: MARTHA SHELLEYMARTHA SHELLEY, 76, WAS BORN BROOKLYN. SHE IS ONE OF THE FOUNRS OF THE NEW YORK CY CHAPTER OF THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT, AND THOR OF NUMERO POEMS, SAYS, AND A HISTORIL TRILOGY WHICH TAK PLACE THE ANCIENT MIDDLE EAST. SHE ALSO WR A BLOG.WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER OF THE 1970 NEW YORK MARCH?THAT 1970 MARCH WAS NOT THE FIRST MARCH. I HELPED ANIZE THE ONE WE DID ONE MONTH AFTER STONEWALL. WE LLED A PROTT MARCH. THERE WERE AROUND 400 PEOPLE THERE. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME PEOPLE WERE PREPARED TO STEP OUTSI THE SUNSHE, AND LET THE WORLD KNOW THEY WERE GAY. I WAS SRED BEFORE THE MARCH. I HAD BEEN HARLEM WHEN MART LUTHER KG WAS KILLED. I KNEW THE ERNMENT WOULD HAVE NO HATN KILLG , OR BEATG THE CRAP OUT OF AND THROW VANS.BUT ONCE STARTED, I WASN’T SRED. I WAS ANGRY. WE END UP CHRISTOPHER PARK, OPPOSE STONEWALL. MARTY ROBSON MA A SPEECH. I MA A SPEECH, AND ASKED PEOPLE TO LEAVE PEACEABLY, BEE THIS WASN’T AN END, BUT A BEGNG AND WE WOULD BE BACK. AND WE WERE: AS THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT. MARTHA SHELLEY, CIR 1970.COURTY MARTHA SHELLEY ONE OF MY MEMORI OF THE 1970 MARCH IS THAT I WAS TOTALLY BLOWN AWAY BY NUMBERS. WHATEVER SEXUALY YOU WERE, YOU WERE PART OF . WE END UP CENTRAL PARK. IT WAS A LOVELY, LOVELY AFTERNOON.DID THAT ERA FEEL LIKE A TURNG POT?I KNEW WAS A HISTORIL MOMENT, BUT I DIDN’T KNOW HOW FAST WOULD SPREAD.I HAD PASSED BY THE STONEWALL RT ON THE SATURDAY NIGHT, AND THOUGHT WAS AN ANTI-WAR MONSTRATN. I KNEW WE HAD TO SEIZE THE DAY. I LLED THE HEAD OF (LBIAN ACTIVIST GROUP) THE DGHTERS OF BILIS AND SAID WE SHOULD HAVE A PROTT MARCH. I HAD JOED AS 1967, AND SERVED BRIEFLY AS TREASURER AND PRINT. I DIDN’T HAVE SKILLS TO DO THAT JOB, BUT I WAS ARTICULATE, SO BEME S SPEAKER BEE I WAS UNAAID OF SPEAKG PUBLIC. “I ALWAYS ASKED MYSELF WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE GERMANY OR POLAND—IF I HAD BEEN A NON-JEWISH GERMAN OR POLE— THAT MOMENT OF HISTORY. WOULD I HAVE HAD THE URAGE TO STAND UP FOR WHAT I KNEW WAS RIGHT?”— MARTHA SHELLEY WHERE DID THAT FEARLSNS E OM?I WASN’T BROUGHT UP TO BE FEARLS. SOME OF MY FAY WERE HOLOT SURVIVORS, SOME HAD EMIGRATED BEFORE THE HOLOT. I ALWAYS ASKED MYSELF WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE GERMANY OR POLAND—IF I HAD BEEN A NON-JEWISH GERMAN OR POLE— THAT MOMENT OF HISTORY. WOULD I HAVE HAD THE URAGE TO OPPOSE TO THE REGIME, TO FIGHT BACK, TO STAND UP FOR WHAT I KNEW WAS RIGHT? THAT TROUBLED ME. YOU N’T GO BACK HISTORY, SO I KNEW AT THIS MOMENT THIS WAS SOMETHG I HAD TO DO. I HAD BEEN ON ANTI-WAR PROTTS AND WAS VERY MUCH AWARE OF SEGREGATN. I WAS TOO YOUNG TO HAVE GONE ON THE EEDOM MARCH THE SOUTH, BUT MY MOTHER HAD BEEN SYMPATHETIC TO ALL THOSE MOVEMENTS.WAS SHE OK ABOUT YOU BEG GAY?NO, SHE WANTED ME TO BE STRAIGHT. IT WAS THE SAME WH ALL THE OTHER STUFF I DID. SHE WANTED ME TO BE SAFE AND PROTECTED—THE IA OF FDG A MAN WHO MAK A FORTABLE LIVG, TO BE MARRIED. SHE WAS NEVER FORTABLE WH WHO I WAS, BUT SHE LOVED ME. SHE HAD GONE THROUGH POVERTY, THE DEPRSN, SHE NEVER CROSSED A PICKET LE. SHE HAD SOCIALIST PRCIPL. I LEARNED EARLY WHICH SI I WAS ON.WHAT IS THE LEGACY OF GLF? DID LBIANS FACE SEXISM ?VERY POWERFUL. I DON’T THK THE GLF WAS SO SEXIST. I THK THERE WERE AN AWFUL LOT OF MEN WHO WERE ANTI-SEXIST. THE PROBLEM ME UP WH DANC. THERE WOULD BE MIXED GLF DANC, WHERE SOMETIM STRAIGHT MEN ME AND HARASSED AND GROPED THE WOMEN. THE GAY GUYS WERE TOO BY LOOKG TO EACH OTHER’S EY TO DO ANYTHG. WE REALIZED WE NEED ALL-WOMEN DANC. PERSONALLY, I THK WAS A MISTAKE TO SPL TO SO MANY DIFFERENT GROUPS. GLF END 1972. IF WE ULD HAVE MATAED AN UMBRELLA ANIZATN, MIGHT HAVE LASTED LONGER, BUT MAYBE WOULDN’T BEE HOW POLICS CHANGED. “OUR RIGHTS—AS LGBTQ PEOPLE, AS WOMEN, AS BLACK PEOPLE, AS TRANS PEOPLE—DON’T MEAN ANYTHG IF WE CEASE TO EXIST AS A SPECI, OR IF WE HAVE TO WORK THREE JOBS TO MAKE OUR RENT.”— MARTHA SHELLEY HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT PRI’S GROWTH OVER THE YEARS?FOR A WHILE I WAS REALLY IMPRSED WH THE PARTICIPATN. THEN I GOT KD OF DISGTED WH ALL THE RPORATNS WHO E PRI FOR ADVERTISG. LAST YEAR, I ADDRSED BOTH AN EVENT HELD BY THE ANIZERS OF THE BIG MARCH, THEN WENT ON THE FIRST QUEER LIBERATN MARCH ON SUNDAY. THE PRSG ISSU FOR ME NOW ARE CLIMATE CHANGE, AND THE NCENTRATN OF WEALTH AMONG THE VERY FEW. OUR RIGHTS—AS LGBTQ PEOPLE, AS WOMEN, AS BLACK PEOPLE, AS TRANS PEOPLE—DON’T MEAN ANYTHG IF WE CEASE TO EXIST AS A SPECI, OR IF WE HAVE TO WORK THREE JOBS TO MAKE OUR RENT.WHERE DO YOU THK LGBTQ RIGHTS ARE NOW? I THK WE’VE MA SOME PROGRS, BUT MOSTLY WTERN UNTRI. WE’RE NOT SAFE EVERYWHERE. THERE IS AN AWFUL LOT OF RIGHTS PEOPLE WANT TO TALE AWAY, SPECIFILLY TMP, PENCE, AND ALL THEIR FOLLOWERS, AND EVANGELILS. I HAVE MIXED FEELGS ABOUT THE RECENT SUPREME COURT VICTORY; ON THE ONE HAND WE N WIPE THE SWEAT OFF OUR BROWS, BUT ON THE OTHER WE DON’T KNOW LONG THIS WILL LAST, PECIALLY IS TMP IS RE-ELECTED. OR IF HE GETS ANOTHER CHANCE TO PICK ANOTHER SUPREME COURT JTICE. WE N’T RELY ON THE URTS. WE NEED TO BE NTUALLY ON OUR GUARD AND READY TO FIGHT FOR OUR EEDOMS. THERE ARE ALWAYS PEOPLE WHO WANT TO TAKE AWAY. INTERSECTNALY IS NOT NEW. IT STARTED BACK 1969/1970, WHEN GAY LIBERATN FRONT MEMBERS ATTEND THE BLACK PANTHER NFERENCE PHILALPHIA AND MA ALLIANC. I’M GLAD ’S NTUG NOW. “DON’T GIVE UP, AND DON’T EXPECT THAT EVERYTHG IS GOG TO BE WON YOUR LIFETIME.”— MARTHA SHELLEY WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE FOR THE NEXT GENERATN?DON’T GIVE UP, AND DON’T EXPECT THAT EVERYTHG IS GOG TO BE WON YOUR LIFETIME. THERE IS SOMETHG THAT WE SAY AT PASSOVER: “IN EVERY GENERATN, THERE WILL BE A PHARAOH THAT ARIS TO OPPRS .” THE ROLLARY IS THAT EVERY GENERATN WE HAVE TO FIGHT BACK. IT’S NOT WON, ONCE AND FOR ALL. I’M ASTONISHED AT THE PROGRS WE DID MAKE. I HAVE BENEFED OM MARRIAGE EQUALY, BUT I AM NOT TERRIBLY IMPRSED BY GAYS--THE-ARY. I WAS NEVER TERTED GOG TO VIETNAM AND KILLG ASIAN PEOPLE TO BENEF OUR RPORATNS. I DON’T WANT MY ADOPTED CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN TO BE MA TO GO TO IRAQ AND KILL MORE PEOPLE TO BENEF MORE RPORATNS. I WANT TO GET RID OF THE ARY, NOT SERVE .RIGHT NOW, BEE OF MY AGE AND MEDIL NDN AND MY WIFE SYLVIA’S AGE AND HER MEDIL NDNS WE NNOT GO OUT, SO I WRE MY BLOG AND DO TERVIEWS LIKE THIS. SO, MY OTHER ADVICE IS TO MAKE NNECTNS WH OTHER OPPRSED PEOPLE ALL AROUND THE WORLD. NEW YORK CITY: JOE NEGRELLIJOE NEGRELLI IS A FORMER APPLITNS PROGRAMMER, AND LONGTIME ACTIVIST. HE WAS PRENT AT THE STONEWALL RTS, AND THE FIRST NEW YORK CY MARCH 1970. HE IS A CLIENT OF SAGE, THE ADVOCY ANIZATN FOR LGBTQ ELRS.YOU WERE AT STONEWALL, AND ALSO THE FIRST MARCH?Y, I WAS 18 YEARS OF AGE 1970. I HAD BEEN AT THE STONEWALL RTS THE YEAR BEFORE. I WAS 17 AT THE TIME OF THE STONEWALL RTS. I HAD LIVED NEW YORK SCE 1957. I WAS VERY HAPPY. IT WAS A RT, TREMENDO CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE. I WAS VERY IMPRSED, VERY HAPPY, AND A LOT OF THE RTG WAS DONE BY NON-HOMOSEXUALS WHO JT UNRSTOOD THAT GAY PEOPLE HAD HAD ENOUGH. AND WAS THAT TIME THE HISTORY OF NEW YORK WHEN LOTS OF GROUPS—WOMEN’S LIBERATN, BLACK LIBERATN, ANTI-WAR ANARCHISTS—WERE ALL THE WT VILLAGE AREA. THEY WERE VERY SYMPATHETIC AND VERY KD TO HELP GAY PEOPLE.WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER OF THE RTS?I REMEMBER SEEG THE SMASHG OF THE PLATE GLASS WDOW AT THE STONEWALL, THE GARBAGE NS SET ON FIRE. ALL TRASH NS AND BOTTL WERE MA OF GLASS THEN. POLICE BARRID THEMSELV THE BAR. SOMEONE STARTED A FIRE. BELIEVE ME, WAS A SMALL FIRE BUT SRED THE POLICE AND I’M VERY HAPPY SRED THE POLICE.WHAT WAS YOUR MOOD LIKE?I WAS REALLY ENRAGED, VERY ANGRY. I REMEMBER THAT THERE WERE ABOUT 50 TO 75 PEOPLE THERE AT THE BEGNG, AND THEN BY 4 A.M. THERE WERE AT LEAST A THOAND PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE VILLAGE G ANARCHY. PLAC THAT SPECIFILLY DISCRIMATED AGAST GAY CLIENTELE WERE PARTICULARLY TARGETED FOR VANDALISM. IN THE 51 YEARS SCE, THE POLICE HAVEN’T FIGURED OUT HOW TO BE NICER TO PEOPLE WHO THEY IATE HOSTILY WH. AND THAT NIGHT THE HOSTILY ME OM POLICE, NOT GAY PEOPLE. IF WASN’T FOR THE POLICE THERE WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN A RT. IF THEY HAD JT ARRTED PEOPLE THERE WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN A RT, BUT THEY HAD TO TRY AND HUIATE GAY PEOPLEHOW WAS THE FIRST MARCH A YEAR LATER?I WAS STUNNED. THERE HAD BEEN HOMOSEXUALS WHO HAD HIDN OUT ON THE FIRST THREE DAYS OF STONEWALL. NO ONE KNEW WHAT WOULD E OM THIS THG. ONE YEAR LATER HOMOSEXUALS DID GET THE MSAGE. I WAS EPLY MOVED BY ALL THE PEOPLE WHO SHOWED UP. THE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO HID THE YEAR BEFORE, AAID TO LOSE THEIR JOBS, THEIR APARTMENTS, THEIR STANDG THE MUNY. NOW THEY WERE G FORWARD. I FELT GREAT AL OF PRI, AND A GREAT AL OF LIBERATN. AT LEAST, IF NOTHG MORE, ONE YEAR LATER PEOPLE UNRSTOOD WHAT WE WERE TALKG ABOUT. “I AM A HUMAN BEG AND A CIZEN OF THIS UNTRY. I’M NOT GOG TO BEG FOR THAT OR BEG TO GET MARRIED, OR HAVE HEALTH SURANCE, OR HAVE EQUALY THE PLACE I WAS BORN AND RAISED.”— JOE NEGRELLI HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT ACTIVISM NOW?LAST SUNDAY I MARCHED AT THE RECLAIM PRI/QUEER LIBERATN MARCH, AND I WAS EXCEEDGLY PROUD AND HAPPY, AND PROUD OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE. THERE WERE VERY FEW PEOPLE MY AGE THERE! I WAS REALLY HAPPY, AND HAPPY THEY WERE FIANT. I DON’T AGREE WH ALL THEY SAY. I AGREE WH THEM ABOUT THE RPORATNS WHO MAKE MONEY OFF GAY PEOPLE AND GIVE VERY LTLE. I’M UNHAPPY ABOUT THE EXCLN OF LGBTQ POLICE OFFICERS. BUT I KNOW THAT ’S PLITED, AND I’M PROUD OF YOUNG PEOPLE TAKG THE IATIVE TO GET THEIR VOIC HEARD. I WAS HAPPY ABOUT THE RECENT SUPREME COURT LG, BUT THERE ARE STILL SOME STAT WHERE LGBTQ PEOPLE ARE NOT SO EE AND SAFE. WE’RE GETTG THERE. I STILL WEAR PK AND YELLOW, AND THAT’S HOW I WANT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER ME—AS BRIGHT AND SUNNY, AND NOT SOME BTER OLD QUEEN LIKE I ED TO MEET 50 YEARS AGO. WHAT ADVICE FOR YOUNG ACTIVISTS DO YOU HAVE?I WOULD LIKE THEM TO RRY ON THE BANNER OF WHAT HAPPENED A FEW DAYS AGO. I WOULD ASK OTHER GAY PEOPLE OTHER CI TO BE CIVILLY DISOBEDIENT TOWARDS THE ERNMENT. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BEG FOR THE RIGHT TO LIVE. I DON’T NOT NEED YOUR PERMISSN TO BREATHE. I AM A HUMAN BEG AND A CIZEN OF THIS UNTRY. I’M NOT GOG TO BEG FOR THAT, OR BEG TO GET MARRIED, OR HAVE HEALTH SURANCE, OR BEG TO HAVE EQUALY THE PLACE I WAS BORN AND RAISED. I’VE BEEN NEW YORK FOR 63 YEARS. I HAVE NO REASON TO BEG TO BE TREATED NORMALLY, LIKE ANY OTHER CIZEN. TIM TEEMAN

They weled them wh open 1973, Sylvia gave her famo speech Washgton Square Park to Pri protters, talkg about trans people beg raped and beaten, and beg ignored by the gay muny.

INSI THE FIRST PRI PARA—A R PROTT FOR GAY LIBERATN

Gay bars, wh maly men, at that time sometim wouldn’t let you if you didn’t know someone, so we went to trans the mastream movement bee more trans-clive? Get ted—bee once you’re ted, nobody n take that om ANGELES: Karla JayKarla Jay, thor of Tal of the Lavenr Menace: A Memoir of Liberatn, was an early member of the Gay Liberatn Front and a foundg member of Radilbians.

I walked wh the Gay Liberatn Front banner, and I liked to walk the middle of the street se people threw thgs.

1970: A FIRST-PERSON ACUNT OF THE FIRST GAY PRI MARCH

L remember one of the early Gay Liberatn Front meetgs New York, where we sat a circle and talked about what we wanted.

I would have hoped for a better, stronger, more forward-thkg Democrat ndidate, but I would be willg to vote for a bbage over Tmp if were YORK CITY: Mark SegalMark Segal, then 18, participated the Stonewall Rts New York Cy, and was one of the origal founrs of the Gay Liberatn Front. He is the founr and publisher of Philalphia Gay News, and thor of And Then I Danced: Travelg the Road to LGBT do you remember about that day 1970?

GAY PRI

The Gay Liberatn Front changed everythg for the LGBT muny, or at that time the gay muny, terms of what ever thought of self and what we will be. The only plac where LGBT people uld go were private parti, or where they met parks, or the few illegal gay bars there were and they were only the major ci.

And there were some small gay anizatns like the Mattache Society and Dghters of Bilis, which did small monstratns.

Somewhere durg all this Marty Robson (a noted gay activist, who died 1992) me up and gave me a piece of chalk to wre on the streets and walls up and down Christopher Street: “Christopher Street, Tomorrow Night. We created the first trans youth anizatns, medil alerts, legal alerts; we created the first gay muny center.