The Stonewall Rts, also lled the Stonewall Uprisg, took place on June 28, 1969, New York Cy, after police raid the Stonewall Inn, a lol gay club. The raid sparked a rt among bar patrons and neighborhood rints as police hled employe and patrons out of the bar, leadg to six days of protts and vlent clash. The Stonewall Rts served as a talyst for the gay rights movement.
Contents:
- GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT
- GAY RIGHTS
- THE HISTORY OF GAY LIBERATN
- INSI THE FIRST PRI PARA—A R PROTT FOR GAY LIBERATN
- 4 FACTS ABOUT GAY LIBERATN FRONT
- THE GAY LIBERATN MOVEMENT
- HISTORY HAS OVERLOOKED THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT’S ROLE STONEWALL … UNTIL NOW
- GAY LIBERATN FRONT
- PARTY AND PROTT: THE RADIL HISTORY OF GAY LIBERATN, STONEWALL AND PRI
- SYLVIA {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}SYLVIA RIVERA WAS A LATA-AMERIN DRAG QUEEN WHO WAS A GAY AND TRANSGENR ACTIVIST THE 1960S AND 70S. SHE'S KNOWN FOR PARTICIPATG THE STONEWALL RTS OF 1969 AND TABLISHG THE POLIL ANIZATN {MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{LE-HEIGHT:1.6;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;LOR:#323232;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: JAN 7, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{LE-HEIGHT:1;MARG-TOP:0.3125REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0;}}{PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}PHOTO: AP PHOTO/JT {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;}(1951-2002){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO WAS SYLVIA RIVERA?SYLVIA RIVERA WAS A LATA-AMERIN DRAG QUEEN WHO BEME ONE OF THE MOST RADIL GAY AND TRANSGENR ACTIVISTS OF THE 1960S AND 70S. AS -FOUNR OF THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT, RIVERA WAS KNOWN FOR PARTICIPATG THE {-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:#A00000;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;}{LOR:#595959;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}STONEWALL RTS OF 1969 AND TABLISHG THE POLIL ANIZATN STAR (STREET TRANSVTE ACTN REVOLUTNARI) WH FELLOW IEND AND DRAG QUEEN, MARSHA P. JOHNSON. THE SYLVIA RIVERA LAW PROJECTIN HONOR OF RIVERA'S ACTIVISM THE GAY AND TRANS MUNY, THE SYLVIA RIVERA LAW PROJECT (SRLP) WAS FOUND 2002 — THE SAME YEAR OF HER ATH. AS A LEGAL AID ANIZATN, SRLP “WORKS TO GUARANTEE ALL PEOPLE ARE EE TO SELF-TERME GENR INTY AND EXPRSN, REGARDLS OF E AND RACE, AND WHOUT FACG HARASSMENT, DISCRIMATN OR VLENCE” BY GIVG GAY, TRANS AND GENR-FLUID DIVIDUALS ACCS TO LEGAL SERVIC, AS WELL AS TEACHG LEARSHIP AND ADVOCY SKILLS. CHILDHOODBORN ON JULY 2, 1951, THE BRONX, NEW YORK, RIVERA HAD A TROUBLED CHILDHOOD. HAILG OM PUERTO RIN AND VENEZUELAN SCENT, RIVERA WAS ABANDONED BY HER FATHER SHORTLY AFTER BIRTH AND ORPHANED AS A TODDLER WHEN HER MOTHER MTED SUICI. RAISED BY HER GRANDMOTHER, RIVERA WAS REJECTED AND BEATEN FOR HER EFFEMATE BEHAVR. BY AGE 11, SHE RAN AWAY OM HOME AND BEME A CHILD PROSTUTE, WORKG THE TIM SQUARE AREA. WHILE LIVG ON THE STREETS, RIVERA MET A GROUP OF DRAG QUEENS WHO WELED HER TO THEIR FOLD, AND WAS WH THEIR SUPPORT, SHE BEME "SYLVIA" AND INTIFIED AS A DRAG QUEEN. LATER LIFE, SHE WOULD NSIR HERSELF TRANSGENR, ALTHOUGH SHE DISLIKED LABELS. {--DATA-EMBED-DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;CLEAR:BOTH;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;WIDTH:100%;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 20REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 30REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 40.625REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 75REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}} A SPAN{RIGHT:1REM;} IMG{WIDTH:TO;HEIGHT:85VH;} A{DISPLAY:-WEBK-LE-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-LE-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-LE-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:LE-FLEX;POSN:VAR(--POSN, RELATIVE);} IMG:NOT(.EWCW41W1){DISPLAY:BLOCK;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;-WEBK-ALIGN-SELF:FLEX-START;-MS-FLEX-EM-ALIGN:FLEX-START;ALIGN-SELF:FLEX-START;}{WIDTH:100%;DISPLAY:-WEBK-LE-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-LE-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-LE-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:LE-FLEX;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 20REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 30REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 40.625REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}{WIDTH:0;M-WIDTH:100%;PADDG-TOP:0.625REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;MARG-BOTTOM:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.4;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTERITALIC,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;}SYLVIA RIVERA LEADG AN ACT-UP MARCH NEW YORK CY’S ON JUNE 26, {PADDG-LEFT:0REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;}PHOTO: AP PHOTO/JT SUTCLIFFEACTIVISM & THE STONEWALL RTSWH THE SURGE OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, THE WOMEN'S RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND THE VIETNAM WAR PROTTS OF THE 1960S, RIVERA'S ACTIVISM BEGAN TO TAKE SHAPE. IN 1969, AT AGE 17, SHE TOOK PART THE FAMO STONEWALL RTS BY ALLEGEDLY THROWG THE SEND MOLOTOV CKTAIL PROTT TO A POLICE RAID OF THE GAY BAR THE STONEWALL INN MANHATTAN. THE EVENT WAS ONE OF THE MAJOR TALYSTS OF THE GAY LIBERATN MOVEMENT AND TO FURTHER PH THE AGENDA FORWARD, RIVERA -FOUND THE GROUP, THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT.IN LATER TERVIEWS, SHE REMISCED ABOUT HER SPECIAL PLACE HISTORY. “WE WERE THE ONTLERS. WE DIDN’T TAKE NO S**T OM NOBODY... WE HAD NOTHG TO LOSE.”CO-FOUNR OF STAR WH MARSHA P. JOHNSONALONG WH THE TABLISHMENT OF THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT, RIVERA TEAMED UP WH IEND MARSHA P. JOHNSON TO -FOUND STAR (STREET TRANSVTE ACTN REVOLUTNARI), A GROUP THAT HELPED SUPPORT AND EMPOWER GAY, TRANS, AND GENR-FLUID YOUTH, 1970.DEFIANT OF LABELS, RIVERA NFOUND MANY THE MASTREAM GAY LIBERATN MOVEMENT BEE OF HER OWN DIVERSE AND PLEX BACKGROUND: SHE WAS POOR, TRANS, A DRAG QUEEN, A PERSON OF LOR, A FORMER SEX WORKER, AND SOMEONE WHO ALSO EXPERIENCED DG ADDICTN, RCERATN AND HOMELSNS. FOR ALL OF THE REASONS, RIVERA FOUGHT FOR NOT ONLY GAY AND TRANS RIGHTS BUT ALSO RACIAL, ENOMIC AND CRIMAL JTICE ISSU. INIALLY PUBLIC SUPPORT OF THE GAY RIGHTS BILL, RIVERA FELT BETRAYED WHEN THE BILL — WHICH TOOK 17 YEARS TO BEE NEW YORK LAW 1986 — ULTIMATELY EXCLUD THE RIGHTS OF THE TRANSGENR MUNY."THEY HAVE A LTLE BACKROOM AL WHOUT VG MISS SYLVIA AND SOME OF THE OTHER TRANS ACTIVISTS TO THIS BACKROOM AL WH THE POLICIANS. THE AL WAS, 'YOU TAKE THEM OUT, WE’LL PASS THE BILL,'" RIVERA EXPLAED AT AN LGBT TALK 2001.'YA'LL BETTER QUIET DOWN' SPEECHTHE "BACKROOM ALS" RIVERA WAS REFERENCG WERE BEG LED BY GAY MIDDLE-CLASS WHE MEN AS WELL AS LBIAN FEMISTS WHO DIDN'T UNRSTAND NOR SHARED HER PASSN FOR MARGALIZED GROUPS WH THE GAY MUNY. ANGERED BY THEIR LACK OF CLN, RIVERA LIVERED HER FIERY "YA'LL BETTER QUIET DOWN" SPEECH NEW YORK CY AT THE CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATN DAY RALLY WASHGTON SQUARE PARK 1973 AMID BOOS OM THE CROWD: “YOU ALL TELL ME, GO AND HI MY TAIL BETWEEN MY LEGS.I WILL NO LONGER PUT UP WH THIS SH.I HAVE BEEN BEATEN.I HAVE HAD MY NOSE BROKEN.I HAVE BEEN THROWN JAIL.I HAVE LOST MY JOB.I HAVE LOST MY APARTMENT.FOR GAY LIBERATN, AND YOU ALL TREAT ME THIS WAY?WHAT THE F**K’S WRONG WH YOU ALL?THK ABOUT THAT!”FEELG BETRAYED BY THE MOVEMENT SHE HAD FOUGHT SO LONG AND HARD FOR, RIVERA LEFT STAR AND DISAPPEARED OM ACTIVISM FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS. SHE RETURNED TO FIGHT FOR TRANS ISSU STARTG THE MID-1990S AMID CULTURAL NVERSATNS AROUND ISSU LIKE GAY MARRIAGE AND THE LGBTQ MUNY SERVG THE ARY.ON THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE STONEWALL RTS, RIVERA PARTICIPATED NEW YORK CY'S PRI PARA AND SHARED A FEW THOUGHTS. “THE MOVEMENT HAD PUT ME ON THE SHELF, BUT THEY TOOK ME DOWN AND DTED ME OFF," SHE SAID. “STILL, WAS BETIFUL. I WALKED DOWN 58TH STREET AND THE YOUNG ON WERE LLG OM THE SIWALK, 'SYLVIA, SYLVIA, THANK YOU, WE KNOW WHAT YOU DID.' AFTER THAT, I WENT BACK ON THE SHELF. IT WOULD BE WONRFUL IF THE MOVEMENT TOOK RE OF S OWN.”DEATHON FEBARY 19, 2002, RIVERA DIED OM LIVER NCER AT SAT VCENT'S CATHOLIC MEDIL CENTER NEW YORK, NY.SHE IS NSIRED ONE OF THE PIVOTAL FIGUR WHO ENSURED THE "T" LGBTQ AND THE ONLY TRANSGENR PERSON CLUD THE NATNAL PORTRA GALLERY AT THE SMHSONIAN. {BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;MARG:0.9375REM 0 0 0.625REM;PADDG:0 0 0 1.25REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:0.9375REM 0;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} LI{PADDG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} LI::MARKER{LOR:#323232;}BIRTH YEAR: 1951BIRTH DATE: JULY 2, 1951BIRTH STATE: NEW YORKBIRTH CY: BRONXBIRTH COUNTRY: UNED STATBT KNOWN FOR: SYLVIA RIVERA WAS A LATA-AMERIN DRAG QUEEN WHO WAS A GAY AND TRANSGENR ACTIVIST THE 1960S AND 70S. SHE'S KNOWN FOR PARTICIPATG THE STONEWALL RTS OF 1969 AND TABLISHG THE POLIL ANIZATN STAR.ASTROLOGIL SIGN: CANCERDEATH YEAR: 2002DEATH DATE: FEBARY 19, 2002DEATH STATE: NEW YORKDEATH CY: NEW YORKDEATH COUNTRY: UNED STATFACT CHECK
GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT
Gay rights movement, civil rights movement that advot equal rights for LGBTQ persons—that is, for lbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenr persons, and queer persons—and lls for an end to discrimatn agast LGBTQ persons employment, cred, hog, public acmodatns, and other areas of life. * gay liberation front facts *
In the Uned Stat this greater visibily brought some backlash, particularly om the ernment and the police: the ernment often fired gay civil servants, the ary attempted to purge s ranks of gay soldiers (a policy enacted durg World War II), and police vice squads equently raid gay bars and arrted their patrons. In the Uned Stat the first major male anizatn, found 1950–51 by Harry Hay Los Angel, was the Mattache Society (s name reputedly rived om a medieval French society of masked players, the Société Mattache, to reprent the public “maskg” of homosexualy), while the Dghters of Bilis (named after the Sapphic love poems of Pierre Louÿs, Chansons Bilis), found 1955 by Phyllis Lyon and Del Mart San Francis, was a leadg group for women. In Bra 1957 a missn chaired by Sir John Wolfenn issued a groundbreakg report (see Wolfenn Report) remendg that private homosexual liaisons between nsentg adults be removed om the doma of crimal law; a later the remendatn was implemented by Parliament the Sexual Offenc Act.
This support, along wh mpaigns by gay activists urgg gay men and women to “e out of the closet” (ed, the late 1980s, Natnal Comg Out Day was tablished, and is now celebrated on October 11 most untri), enuraged gay men and women to enter the polil arena as ndidat.
Other issu of primary importance for the gay rights movement sce the 1970s clud batg the HIV/AIDS epimic and promotg disease preventn and fundg for rearch; lobbyg ernment for nondiscrimatory polici employment, hog, and other aspects of civil society; endg the ban on ary service for gay and lbian dividuals; expandg hate crim legislatn to clu protectns for gays, cludg transgenr dividuals; and securg marriage rights for same-sex upl (see same-sex marriage). McDarrah/Getty ImagAfter pourg their drks, a bartenr Juli's Bar ref to serve John Timms, Dick Lesch, Craig Rodwell, and Randy Wicker, members of the Mattache Society who were prottg New York liquor laws that prevented servg gay ctomers, 1966, three members of the Mattache Society, an early anizatn dited to fightg for gay rights, staged a “sip-”—a twist on the “s-” protts of the 1960s.
GAY RIGHTS
The gay rights movement the Uned Stat began the 1920s and saw huge progrs the 2000s, wh laws prohibg homosexual activy stck down and a Supreme Court lg legalizg same-sex marriage. * gay liberation front facts *
But between New York’s LGBTQ muny the 1960s beg forced to live on the outskirts of society and the Mafia’s disregard for the law, the two beme a profable, if uneasy, State Liquor Authory and the New York Police Department regularly raid bars that tered to gay patrons. Army service World War I, Gerber was spired to create his anizatn by the Scientific-Humanarian Commtee, a “homosexual emancipatn” group ’s small group published a few issu of s newsletter “Friendship and Freedom, ” the untry’s first gay-tert newsletter. Ernment signated Gerber’s Chigo hoe a Natnal Historic Pk TriangleCorbis/Getty ImagHomosexual prisoners at the ncentratn mp at Sachsenhsen, Germany, wearg pk triangl on their uniforms on December 19, gay rights movement stagnated for the next few s, though LGBT dividuals around the world did e to the spotlight a few example, English poet and thor Radclyffe Hall stirred up ntroversy 1928 when she published her lbian-themed novel, The Well of Lonels.
Addnally, 1948, his book Sexual Behavr the Human Male, Aled Ksey proposed that male sexual orientatn li on a ntuum between exclively homosexual to exclively Homophile Years In 1950, Harry Hay found the Mattache Foundatn, one of the natn’s first gay rights group. ”Though started off small, the foundatn, which sought to improve the liv of gay men through discsn groups and related activi, expand after foundg member Dale Jenngs was arrted 1952 for solicatn and then later set ee due to a adlocked the end of the year, Jenngs formed another anizatn lled One, Inc., which weled women and published ONE, the untry’s first pro-gay magaze.
THE HISTORY OF GAY LIBERATN
* gay liberation front facts *
Post Office, which 1954 clared the magaze “obscene” and refed to liver Mattache Society Mattache Foundatn members rtctured the anizatn to form the Mattache Society, which had lol chapters other parts of the untry and 1955 began publishg the untry’s send gay publitn, The Mattache Review. That same year, four lbian upl San Francis found an anizatn lled the Dghters of Bilis, which soon began publishg a newsletter lled The Ladr, the first lbian publitn of any early years of the movement also faced some notable setbacks: the Amerin Psychiatric Associatn listed homosexualy as a form of mental disorr followg year, Print Dwight D.
”In fear of beg shut down by thori, bartenrs would ny drks to patrons spected of beg gay or kick them out altogether; others would serve them drks but force them to s facg away om other ctomers to prevent them om 1966, members of the Mattache Society New York Cy staged a “sip-”—a twist on the “s-” protts of the 1960s— which they vised taverns, clared themselv gay, and waed to be turned away so they uld sue.
INSI THE FIRST PRI PARA—A R PROTT FOR GAY LIBERATN
A short acunt of the Gay Liberatn Front the UK, wrten by Stuart Feather. * gay liberation front facts *
They were nied service at the Greenwich Village tavern Juli, rultg much publicy and the quick reversal of the anti-gay liquor Stonewall Inn A few years later, 1969, a now-famo event talyzed the gay rights movement: The Stonewall clanste gay club Stonewall Inn was an stutn Greenwich Village bee was large, cheap, allowed dancg and weled drag queens and homels the early hours of June 28, 1969, New York Cy police raid the Stonewall Inn.
1 / 12: NY Daily News Archive/Getty ImagChristopher Street Liberatn Day Shortly after the Stonewall uprisg, members of the Mattache Society spl off to form the Gay Liberatn Front, a radil group that lnched public monstratns, protts and nontatns wh polil officials. Addnally, several openly LGBTQ dividuals secured public office posns: Kathy Kozachenko won a seat to the Ann Harbor, Michigan, Cy Council 1974, beg the first out Amerin to be elected to public Milk, who mpaigned on a pro-gay rights platform, beme the San Francis cy supervisor 1978, beg the first openly gay man elected to a polil office asked Gilbert Baker, an artist and gay rights activist, to create an emblem that reprents the movement and would be seen as a symbol of pri. In 1981, the Centers for Disease Control and Preventn published a report about five prevly healthy homosexual men beg fected wh a rare type of 1984, rearchers had intified the e of AIDS—the human immunoficiency vis, or HIV—and the Food and Dg Admistratn licensed the first mercial blood tt for HIV 1985.
But after failg to garner enough support for such an open policy, Print Clton 1993 passed the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy, which allowed gay men and women to serve the ary as long as they kept their sexualy a rights advot cried the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, as did ltle to stop people om beg discharged on the grounds of their 2011, Print Obama fulfilled a mpaign promise to repeal DADT; by that time, more than 12, 000 officers had been discharged om the ary unr DADT for refg to hi their sexualy.
4 FACTS ABOUT GAY LIBERATN FRONT
Wh June clared Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgenr Pri Month and Calyn Jenner’s recent first public appearance, the history of Gay Liberatn is quickly rehed the public’s md. * gay liberation front facts *
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was officially repealed on September 20, Marriage and Beyond In 1992, the District of Columbia passed a law that allowed gay and lbian upl to register as domtic partners, grantg them some of the rights of marriage (the cy of San Francis passed a siar ordance three years prr and California would later extend those rights to the entire state 1999) 1993, the hight urt Hawaii led that a ban on gay marriage may go agast the state’s nstutn. In 1994, a new anti-hate-crime law allowed judg to impose harsher sentenc if a crime was motivated by a victim’s sexual Matthew Shepard ActCourty of the Matthew Shepard FoundatnMatthew Shepard, who was btally killed a hate crime 2003, gay rights proponents had another b of happy news: the U.
Gay rights proponents mt also ntent wh an creasg number of “relig liberty” state laws, which allow bs to ny service to LGBTQ dividuals due to relig beliefs, as well as “bathroom laws” that prevent transgenr dividuals om g public bathrooms that don’t rrpond to their sex at birth.
But engagg gay behavr public (holdg hands, kissg or dancg wh someone of the same sex) was still illegal, so police harassment of gay bars ntued and many bars still operated whout liquor licens— part bee they were owned by the Rights Before StonewallThe first documented U. When The Commissn on Human Rights led that gay dividuals had the right to be served bars, police raids were temporarily Stonewall Inn The crime syndite saw prof terg to shunned gay clientele, and by the mid-1960s, the Genove crime fay ntrolled most Greenwich Village gay bars.
THE GAY LIBERATN MOVEMENT
Other articl where Gay Liberatn Front is discsed: Stonewall rts: The legacy of Stonewall: …radil groups such as the Gay Liberatn Front (GLF) and the Gay Activists Alliance (GAA). In addn to lnchg numero public monstratns to prott the lack of civil rights for gay dividuals, the anizatns often rorted to such tactics as public nontatns wh polil officials and the disptn of public… * gay liberation front facts *
And was one of the few—if not the only—gay bar left that allowed were still a fact of life, but ually rpt ps would tip off Mafia-n bars before they occurred, allowg owners to stash the alhol (sold whout a liquor license) and hi other illegal activi. Stonewall's LegacyThough the Stonewall uprisg didn’t start the gay rights movement, was a galvanizg force for LGBT polil activism, leadg to numero gay rights anizatns, cludg the Gay Liberatn Front, Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD (formerly Gay and Lbian Alliance Agast Defamatn), and PFLAG (formerly Parents, Fai and Friends of Lbians and Gays) the one-year anniversary of the rts on June 28, 1970, thoands of people marched the streets of Manhattan om the Stonewall Inn to Central Park what was then lled “Christopher Street Liberatn Day, ” Ameri’s first gay pri para.
”In 2016, then-Print Barack Obama signated the se of the rts—Stonewall Inn, Christopher Park, and the surroundg streets and siwalks—a natnal monument regnn of the area’s ntributn to gay Gallery The Stonewall Inn is a bar loted New York Cy’s Greenwich Village that served as a haven the 1960s for the cy’s gay, lbian and transgenr muny. Leonard Fk Photographs, The LGBT Communy Center Natnal History ArchiveMark SegalEarly member of the Gay Liberatn Front and marshal of the first Pri marchThe Christopher Street Gay Liberatn Day March was as revolutnary and chaotic as everythg we did that first year after the Stonewall rts.
” Today, my origal marshal’s badge is on display the JayEarly member of the Gay Liberatn Front and Radilbians and -anizer of the first march New York and Los AngelIt was a near miracle that the first Christopher Street Wt Para Los Angel kicked off at all on June 28, 1970. For one day, we were victor agast the Ed Davis of the world, and no one seemed “dismod” the FkelsteJohn KyperEarly member of Boston’s Gay Liberatn Front and an anizer of Boston’s first Pri ParaWe held our first march Boston 1971 — a year after New York. Groups hosted the 17th ternatnal nference of ILGA (The Internatnal Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Associatn), and the energy of the ternatnal legat who attend and the excement of hostg the gatherg only add to the drama of the untry’s first actual succsful para.
HISTORY HAS OVERLOOKED THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT’S ROLE STONEWALL … UNTIL NOW
<strong>The long read</strong>: A police raid on a gay bar New York led to the birth of the Pri movement half a century ago – but the fight for LGBTQ+ rights go back much further than that * gay liberation front facts *
“Not only did liberatnists go to Philalphia to show solidary wh the black movement, but was there that Huey Newton as lear of the Panthers, first gave clear support of the Gay Cse, sayg that homosexuals were maybe the most opprsed people of Amerin society, and uld well be the most revolutnary. On 13th November, GLF ma the first ever, public monstratn the UK by lbians and gay men at Highbury Fields, Islgton, to prott the e of “pretty policemen” agent provotrs ed by the police to entrap gay men to attemptg acts of gross cency, a standard police practice and an easy way for them to crease the figur for crime tectn and prosecutn. An Anti-Psychiatry Group foced on analysg and attackg the Psychiatric Establishments wholale acceptance of Juo Christian prejudice, Biblil thory, and the e of electric shock/emetic dg programm on gays and lbians who did not f , or who were found guilty of breakg the law.
But gay men don’t need to opprs women orr to fulfil their own psycho-sexual needs, and gay women don’t have to relate sexually to the male opprsor, so that at this moment time, the et and most equal relatnships are most likely to be between homosexuals. In all about a hundred gay men and lbians were active the var GLF Groups, while by mid-January, ’71 there were up to five hundred people a week attendg the General Meetg, which suggts that many thoands of gay men and lbians passed through the doors.
David Rben’s book, “Everythg you wanted to know about sex – but were aaid to ask”, which claimed to tell ndid facts whilst avoidg moral judgement and the sectns on gays and lbians ntaed referenc to light bulbs, cucumbers, and the e of wire at hangers for abortns. At the end of ’71 ser spls were occurrg between the men who saw ‘g out’ as only the first step the transformatn of gay men and the send the nontatn wh the social ials of masculy, and sexism, whilst followg the Manifto aim of movg toward munal livg. Opposg them were the men who ignored the Manifto, refed to acknowledge their heterosexist quali, were learng to mpaign on sgle issu, but need, as straight men do, an anised stcture which to operate, one that gay lib was liberately signed not to provi.
GAY LIBERATN FRONT
” The same day, a small group of San Francisns marched down Polk Street, then had a “gay-” piic that was broken up by equtrian and other New York groups had spent months planng the Manhattan event wh the help of anizers like Brenda Howard, a bisexual activist who had cut her anizg teeth durg the anti-Vietnam movement of the late 1960s. The founrs of the London Gay Liberatn Front, Aubrey Walter and Bob Mellor, met New York at the “Revolutnary Peopl Constutnal Conventn” anized by the Black Panthers, acrdg to Panthers Lear Huey Newton there said “homosexuals were maybe the most opprsed people of Amerin society, and uld well be the most revolutnary, ” Walter was quoted sayg on. There were people at Stonewall who passed by, people who crang their necks om around the rner watchg, people who tossed a stone and ran sce the police chased people up and down the street, but the spir of ristance that gave birth to the new movement was all the Gay Liberatn ont.
Soon they were advotg nothg ls than “gay liberatn” nscns-raisg groups to fundraisg danc, protts outsi hostile newspapers to refug for homels trans and queer people, this surge LGBTQ+ anisg took many forms, and as the first anniversary of the rts me to view, some the muny began discsg how bt to mark what was beg regard as the “Bastille day” of gay rights.
The roots of that bate go back to s earlit days, and suggt that Pri and the Stonewall rts have always been part of a ntent battle for inty and ownership – a battle that has helped produce the very ia of what beg a lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr or queer person might Stonewall rts were not the birth of the gay rights movement. Seven years before that, when police had raid Coopers, a donut shop the cy ntled between two gay bars, LGBTQ+ patrons had attacked officers after the arrt of a number of drag queens, sex workers and gay had been a gay rights movement the US among people scribg themselv as “homophil” sce the late 40s. Hirschfeld’s scientific approach, bed wh his sympathetic treatment of LGBTQ+ people – he was himself homosexual – had been key velopg the ia that their shared experienc uld be unrstood not jt as discrete sexual (and crimal) acts, nor as psychiatric illns, but as a legible sexual and genr inty, which uld be afford civil rights.
PARTY AND PROTT: THE RADIL HISTORY OF GAY LIBERATN, STONEWALL AND PRI
) The Mattache Society had radil roots activism, takg on the anisatnal stcture of cells and central anisatn favoured by the Communist well as publishg magaz for gay men, and supportg victims of police entrapment, the society had wir polil aims, cludg to “unify homosexuals isolated om their own kd” and to “te homosexuals and heterosexuals toward an ethil homosexual culture parallelg the cultur of the Negro, Mexin and Jewish peopl”.
Such aims would bee key to the ncept of “gay pri” some two s two s, however, would be among the harst for LGBTQ+ people US history, as the greater visibily of the homosexual inty led to a nservative backlash, and a moral panic the media that was palised upon by policians. After he was forced to appear before the Hoe Un-Amerin Activi Commtee, Hay was expelled om the Mattache Society, now a growg anisatn of a few thoand men, and he wasn’t the last radil to be thrown homophile movement began to tackle “subversive elements” and orient self around rpectabily. In 1966, the Mattache Society challenged this policy wh a “sip-” at Juli’, a Greenwich Village bar that was popular wh gay men, but was attemptg to shake off s homosexual bars equently flouted this law, explog legal loophol and payg off the NYPD while chargg their LGBTQ+ ctomers high pric for watered-down drks.
SYLVIA {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}SYLVIA RIVERA WAS A LATA-AMERIN DRAG QUEEN WHO WAS A GAY AND TRANSGENR ACTIVIST THE 1960S AND 70S. SHE'S KNOWN FOR PARTICIPATG THE STONEWALL RTS OF 1969 AND TABLISHG THE POLIL ANIZATN {MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{LE-HEIGHT:1.6;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;LOR:#323232;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: JAN 7, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{LE-HEIGHT:1;MARG-TOP:0.3125REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0;}}{PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}PHOTO: AP PHOTO/JT {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;}(1951-2002){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO WAS SYLVIA RIVERA?SYLVIA RIVERA WAS A LATA-AMERIN DRAG QUEEN WHO BEME ONE OF THE MOST RADIL GAY AND TRANSGENR ACTIVISTS OF THE 1960S AND 70S. AS -FOUNR OF THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT, RIVERA WAS KNOWN FOR PARTICIPATG THE {-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:#A00000;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;}{LOR:#595959;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}STONEWALL RTS OF 1969 AND TABLISHG THE POLIL ANIZATN STAR (STREET TRANSVTE ACTN REVOLUTNARI) WH FELLOW IEND AND DRAG QUEEN, MARSHA P. JOHNSON. THE SYLVIA RIVERA LAW PROJECTIN HONOR OF RIVERA'S ACTIVISM THE GAY AND TRANS MUNY, THE SYLVIA RIVERA LAW PROJECT (SRLP) WAS FOUND 2002 — THE SAME YEAR OF HER ATH. AS A LEGAL AID ANIZATN, SRLP “WORKS TO GUARANTEE ALL PEOPLE ARE EE TO SELF-TERME GENR INTY AND EXPRSN, REGARDLS OF E AND RACE, AND WHOUT FACG HARASSMENT, DISCRIMATN OR VLENCE” BY GIVG GAY, TRANS AND GENR-FLUID DIVIDUALS ACCS TO LEGAL SERVIC, AS WELL AS TEACHG LEARSHIP AND ADVOCY SKILLS. CHILDHOODBORN ON JULY 2, 1951, THE BRONX, NEW YORK, RIVERA HAD A TROUBLED CHILDHOOD. HAILG OM PUERTO RIN AND VENEZUELAN SCENT, RIVERA WAS ABANDONED BY HER FATHER SHORTLY AFTER BIRTH AND ORPHANED AS A TODDLER WHEN HER MOTHER MTED SUICI. RAISED BY HER GRANDMOTHER, RIVERA WAS REJECTED AND BEATEN FOR HER EFFEMATE BEHAVR. BY AGE 11, SHE RAN AWAY OM HOME AND BEME A CHILD PROSTUTE, WORKG THE TIM SQUARE AREA. WHILE LIVG ON THE STREETS, RIVERA MET A GROUP OF DRAG QUEENS WHO WELED HER TO THEIR FOLD, AND WAS WH THEIR SUPPORT, SHE BEME "SYLVIA" AND INTIFIED AS A DRAG QUEEN. LATER LIFE, SHE WOULD NSIR HERSELF TRANSGENR, ALTHOUGH SHE DISLIKED LABELS. {--DATA-EMBED-DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;CLEAR:BOTH;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;WIDTH:100%;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 20REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 30REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 40.625REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 75REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}} A SPAN{RIGHT:1REM;} IMG{WIDTH:TO;HEIGHT:85VH;} A{DISPLAY:-WEBK-LE-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-LE-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-LE-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:LE-FLEX;POSN:VAR(--POSN, RELATIVE);} IMG:NOT(.EWCW41W1){DISPLAY:BLOCK;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;-WEBK-ALIGN-SELF:FLEX-START;-MS-FLEX-EM-ALIGN:FLEX-START;ALIGN-SELF:FLEX-START;}{WIDTH:100%;DISPLAY:-WEBK-LE-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-LE-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-LE-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:LE-FLEX;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 20REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 30REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 40.625REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}{WIDTH:0;M-WIDTH:100%;PADDG-TOP:0.625REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;MARG-BOTTOM:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.4;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTERITALIC,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;}SYLVIA RIVERA LEADG AN ACT-UP MARCH NEW YORK CY’S ON JUNE 26, {PADDG-LEFT:0REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;}PHOTO: AP PHOTO/JT SUTCLIFFEACTIVISM & THE STONEWALL RTSWH THE SURGE OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, THE WOMEN'S RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND THE VIETNAM WAR PROTTS OF THE 1960S, RIVERA'S ACTIVISM BEGAN TO TAKE SHAPE. IN 1969, AT AGE 17, SHE TOOK PART THE FAMO STONEWALL RTS BY ALLEGEDLY THROWG THE SEND MOLOTOV CKTAIL PROTT TO A POLICE RAID OF THE GAY BAR THE STONEWALL INN MANHATTAN. THE EVENT WAS ONE OF THE MAJOR TALYSTS OF THE GAY LIBERATN MOVEMENT AND TO FURTHER PH THE AGENDA FORWARD, RIVERA -FOUND THE GROUP, THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT.IN LATER TERVIEWS, SHE REMISCED ABOUT HER SPECIAL PLACE HISTORY. “WE WERE THE ONTLERS. WE DIDN’T TAKE NO S**T OM NOBODY... WE HAD NOTHG TO LOSE.”CO-FOUNR OF STAR WH MARSHA P. JOHNSONALONG WH THE TABLISHMENT OF THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT, RIVERA TEAMED UP WH IEND MARSHA P. JOHNSON TO -FOUND STAR (STREET TRANSVTE ACTN REVOLUTNARI), A GROUP THAT HELPED SUPPORT AND EMPOWER GAY, TRANS, AND GENR-FLUID YOUTH, 1970.DEFIANT OF LABELS, RIVERA NFOUND MANY THE MASTREAM GAY LIBERATN MOVEMENT BEE OF HER OWN DIVERSE AND PLEX BACKGROUND: SHE WAS POOR, TRANS, A DRAG QUEEN, A PERSON OF LOR, A FORMER SEX WORKER, AND SOMEONE WHO ALSO EXPERIENCED DG ADDICTN, RCERATN AND HOMELSNS. FOR ALL OF THE REASONS, RIVERA FOUGHT FOR NOT ONLY GAY AND TRANS RIGHTS BUT ALSO RACIAL, ENOMIC AND CRIMAL JTICE ISSU. INIALLY PUBLIC SUPPORT OF THE GAY RIGHTS BILL, RIVERA FELT BETRAYED WHEN THE BILL — WHICH TOOK 17 YEARS TO BEE NEW YORK LAW 1986 — ULTIMATELY EXCLUD THE RIGHTS OF THE TRANSGENR MUNY."THEY HAVE A LTLE BACKROOM AL WHOUT VG MISS SYLVIA AND SOME OF THE OTHER TRANS ACTIVISTS TO THIS BACKROOM AL WH THE POLICIANS. THE AL WAS, 'YOU TAKE THEM OUT, WE’LL PASS THE BILL,'" RIVERA EXPLAED AT AN LGBT TALK 2001.'YA'LL BETTER QUIET DOWN' SPEECHTHE "BACKROOM ALS" RIVERA WAS REFERENCG WERE BEG LED BY GAY MIDDLE-CLASS WHE MEN AS WELL AS LBIAN FEMISTS WHO DIDN'T UNRSTAND NOR SHARED HER PASSN FOR MARGALIZED GROUPS WH THE GAY MUNY. ANGERED BY THEIR LACK OF CLN, RIVERA LIVERED HER FIERY "YA'LL BETTER QUIET DOWN" SPEECH NEW YORK CY AT THE CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATN DAY RALLY WASHGTON SQUARE PARK 1973 AMID BOOS OM THE CROWD: “YOU ALL TELL ME, GO AND HI MY TAIL BETWEEN MY LEGS.I WILL NO LONGER PUT UP WH THIS SH.I HAVE BEEN BEATEN.I HAVE HAD MY NOSE BROKEN.I HAVE BEEN THROWN JAIL.I HAVE LOST MY JOB.I HAVE LOST MY APARTMENT.FOR GAY LIBERATN, AND YOU ALL TREAT ME THIS WAY?WHAT THE F**K’S WRONG WH YOU ALL?THK ABOUT THAT!”FEELG BETRAYED BY THE MOVEMENT SHE HAD FOUGHT SO LONG AND HARD FOR, RIVERA LEFT STAR AND DISAPPEARED OM ACTIVISM FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS. SHE RETURNED TO FIGHT FOR TRANS ISSU STARTG THE MID-1990S AMID CULTURAL NVERSATNS AROUND ISSU LIKE GAY MARRIAGE AND THE LGBTQ MUNY SERVG THE ARY.ON THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE STONEWALL RTS, RIVERA PARTICIPATED NEW YORK CY'S PRI PARA AND SHARED A FEW THOUGHTS. “THE MOVEMENT HAD PUT ME ON THE SHELF, BUT THEY TOOK ME DOWN AND DTED ME OFF," SHE SAID. “STILL, WAS BETIFUL. I WALKED DOWN 58TH STREET AND THE YOUNG ON WERE LLG OM THE SIWALK, 'SYLVIA, SYLVIA, THANK YOU, WE KNOW WHAT YOU DID.' AFTER THAT, I WENT BACK ON THE SHELF. IT WOULD BE WONRFUL IF THE MOVEMENT TOOK RE OF S OWN.”DEATHON FEBARY 19, 2002, RIVERA DIED OM LIVER NCER AT SAT VCENT'S CATHOLIC MEDIL CENTER NEW YORK, NY.SHE IS NSIRED ONE OF THE PIVOTAL FIGUR WHO ENSURED THE "T" LGBTQ AND THE ONLY TRANSGENR PERSON CLUD THE NATNAL PORTRA GALLERY AT THE SMHSONIAN. {BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;MARG:0.9375REM 0 0 0.625REM;PADDG:0 0 0 1.25REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:0.9375REM 0;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} LI{PADDG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} LI::MARKER{LOR:#323232;}BIRTH YEAR: 1951BIRTH DATE: JULY 2, 1951BIRTH STATE: NEW YORKBIRTH CY: BRONXBIRTH COUNTRY: UNED STATBT KNOWN FOR: SYLVIA RIVERA WAS A LATA-AMERIN DRAG QUEEN WHO WAS A GAY AND TRANSGENR ACTIVIST THE 1960S AND 70S. SHE'S KNOWN FOR PARTICIPATG THE STONEWALL RTS OF 1969 AND TABLISHG THE POLIL ANIZATN STAR.ASTROLOGIL SIGN: CANCERDEATH YEAR: 2002DEATH DATE: FEBARY 19, 2002DEATH STATE: NEW YORKDEATH CY: NEW YORKDEATH COUNTRY: UNED STATFACT CHECK
When, ncerned by the ongog unrt, members of the society pated on the board-up wdows of the Stonewall “WE HOMOSEXUALS PLEAD WITH OUR PEOPLE TO PLEASE HELP MAINTAIN PEACEFUL AND QUIET CONDUCT ON THE STREETS OF THE VILLAGE – MATTACHINE”, their ll went unheed. As the Eastern Regnal Conference of Homophile Organizatns me together for a meetg November 1969 to discs the followg year’s Annual Remr, Rodwell wonred whether a memoratn of the rts – one whout a drs or other rtrictns, and that uld be mirrored across the natn – might not be more suable.
At the same time, there were tensns around the excln of trans people, many of whom scribed themselv as queens and transvt, the language of the LGBTQ+ scene at the time, even while still intifyg themselv as “gay” umbrella, which brought people together for the e of liberatn, failed to acknowledge the different experienc of those who sheltered unr , or addrs the power imbalanc wh . It wasn’t until the 00s, though, that rporate sponsorship began to overwhelm Pri, as more fundg led to larger and larger events, which LGBTQ+ people are now often charged to the late 90s, some US activists created Gay Shame rponse to Pri’s mercialisatn, an event that foced on anisg around wir issu that affected the whole LGBTQ+ muny. Dpe the radil LGBTQ+ anisg that took place rponse to the Aids crisis – where Pri paras beme a loc for awarens-raisg protts – many more-radil activists felt that, wh creasg rporate volvement, the event was beg taken over by liberal activists wantg to assiate queer liv to beg a “mol mory”, wh marriage and ary service beg a symbol that gay people particular had “ma ”.
Gay assiatnists want to make sure they’re on the wng si the cizenship wars, and see no need to nont the legaci of systemic and systematic US opprsn that prevent most people livg this untry (and everywhere else) om exercisg their supposed ‘rights. This is te, of urse – but then the same uld be said for the US’s close regnal ally, Sdi Rsia, both fascists and relig fundamentalists have found attempts to anise Pri march a potent rallyg ll, mobilisg wispread homophobic feelg by claimg that homosexualy is, sence, a rptg import om the wt. In Poland, natnalist and nservative policians have found electoral benef siar statements; only last year Jarosław Kaczyński, lear of the lg Law and Jtice party, scribed LGBTQ+ activism as a “foreign imported threat to the natn” e of such rhetoric across the world, and the history of European exportatn of homophobic laws, means that attempts by liberal, pro-LGBTQ+ mentators the wt to pict other untri as somehow naturally backwards is often dangeroly unterproductive for LGBTQ+ people those untri.