Gay Rights
Ashleigh Chávez Mr. Metro U.S. History H
June 4, 2012
Gay Liberation
Strongly influenced by occurring civil right movements gays began their own movement. The Stonewall Riot was the first major revolt in which gays fought back against those who oppressed them and it helped push forward the Gay liberation movement. There had previously been many violent events previous to stonewall that involve gay bashing and cruel treatment of gays. One night at the Stonewall Inn, what seemed to be normal night, turned out to be a major event in Gay Liberation history. The next couple weeks after the Stonewall incident, gays began to move forward and push for equal treatment. The Stonewall raid is a turning point in gay liberation history in which gays made their first move.
The sixties were a different times for gays. The law was regularly against them. Due to the law being against them, the police were constantly bashing gays in legal ways (Gay Liberation). Constantly being ridiculed and offended by the cruel remarks like "faggot", "queer", "homosexual", "sexual deviate" just because they were homosexual. Since this was a communal way of treating gays, Mike Wallace said, “Two out of three Americans look at homosexuals with disgust, discomfort, or fear.” (Gay Pride) Gays couldn’t find safe places to meet without fear of being arrested and when in public they had to hide who they were. Because they couldn’t meet in public places without being arrested, they often met in secret clubs or underground bars. However since the bars couldn’t get a liquor license, they were often forced to sell it illegally (Gay Liberation). Consequently the police would do violent raids of gay bars and they would arrest everyone on site. The violent raids were frequently done on a weekly basis and the customers and bar owners seldom resisted (Gay Liberation).
However, on June 27, 1969 during a routine raid of the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar some of the gays, lesbians, transsexuals and other people around
June 4, 2012
Gay Liberation
Strongly influenced by occurring civil right movements gays began their own movement. The Stonewall Riot was the first major revolt in which gays fought back against those who oppressed them and it helped push forward the Gay liberation movement. There had previously been many violent events previous to stonewall that involve gay bashing and cruel treatment of gays. One night at the Stonewall Inn, what seemed to be normal night, turned out to be a major event in Gay Liberation history. The next couple weeks after the Stonewall incident, gays began to move forward and push for equal treatment. The Stonewall raid is a turning point in gay liberation history in which gays made their first move.
The sixties were a different times for gays. The law was regularly against them. Due to the law being against them, the police were constantly bashing gays in legal ways (Gay Liberation). Constantly being ridiculed and offended by the cruel remarks like "faggot", "queer", "homosexual", "sexual deviate" just because they were homosexual. Since this was a communal way of treating gays, Mike Wallace said, “Two out of three Americans look at homosexuals with disgust, discomfort, or fear.” (Gay Pride) Gays couldn’t find safe places to meet without fear of being arrested and when in public they had to hide who they were. Because they couldn’t meet in public places without being arrested, they often met in secret clubs or underground bars. However since the bars couldn’t get a liquor license, they were often forced to sell it illegally (Gay Liberation). Consequently the police would do violent raids of gay bars and they would arrest everyone on site. The violent raids were frequently done on a weekly basis and the customers and bar owners seldom resisted (Gay Liberation).
However, on June 27, 1969 during a routine raid of the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar some of the gays, lesbians, transsexuals and other people around