Stonewall – 40 for Equality

Stonewall refers to the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. A series of violent demonstrations took place after a police raid of a gay bar on the morning of June 28, 1969.

Up until that day, raids on gay bars by the police were commonplace, and before this event there was little public expression and awareness of the lives and experiences of gays and lesbians.

The Stonewall Riots marked the beginning of the gay liberation movement that has transformed the oppression of gays and lesbians into calls for pride and action.

After the Stonewall riots, two gay activist organizations were formed in New York and three newspapers were established to promote rights for gays and lesbians. Within a few years, gay rights organizations were founded across the U.S. and the world.

The first Pride marches took place a year later on the anniversary of the riots, and June has since become Pride month as a result.

Stonewall was also notable in the presence and participation of the most marginalized segments of the gay community, including youth (many homeless) and transgender folks. It marks a point of unity for the entire gay community.

In honor of Stonewall, here are some things you can do to continue to advance the movement for equality:

• Support Equality NC – The simplest and most obvious way to work for civil equality is to support us, North Carolina’s statewide gay advocacy nonprofit. You can:
  

• Make a single donation
• Become a monthly sustainer, increasing our long-term capacity.
• Volunteer your time, coming to our various volunteer nights or helping out at a Pride festival or other community meeting.

• Work towards national equality – there are many great organizations working at the federal level to gain LGBT-equality. Some of them include:
  

• The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)
• HRC (Human Rights Campaign)
• The National Center for Transgender Equality
• National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
• The Victory Fund

• Come out – Coming out is a very personal process, and everyone does it in their own way and time. Still, secrecy and invisibility are the tools of oppression, while openness and visibility are the tools of fairness. Take this opportunity to come out to someone in your life, whether it be friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, or whatever.
  
  If you are already out, you can help increase awareness of the broader community and its issues, i.e., in conversation casually mention the recent trans model, Isis, from America’s Next Top Model, talk about an HIV+ sports star such as former NFL superbowl player Roy Simmons, or refer to how Charlize Theron and Stuart Townsend refuse to get married until gay couples have marriage equality.
  

• Embrace Diversity – Within our own community, there can be a tendency to stick to a certain subgroup. Take this opportunity to learn and share more about other portions of our LGBT family. Check out organizations dealing with groups that have been traditionally marginalized within our already fringe community: people with AIDS/HIV, bisexual folks, transgender people, the queer elderly, gay youth, LGBT parents, and even our straight allies:

• AIDS Action
• The American Institute Of Bisexuality
• amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research
• Family Equality Council
• Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
• National Black Justice Coalition
  
• National Youth Advocacy Coalition
• Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians & Gays (PFLAG)
• Senior Action in a Gay Environment (SAGE)

• Learn your history – There is a ton of information available online dealing with the history of the gay civil rights movement. Be learning how we came to be where we are, we can more effectively chart our future path. Take a look at:

• AARP’s information on Stonewall and gay history
• Equality Forum’s Gay History Month site
• Newsweek’s Stonewall feature and timeline of the gay civil rights movement
• PBS’ Out of the Past: 400 Years of Gay History in America
  
• Popular films inspired by historical gay figures or events, like Stonewall and Milk
  

Today, Stonewall is on the National Register of Historic Places maintained by the National Park Service, which is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

We honor and celebrate those that blazed the trail for fairness and justice before us, as we continue the struggle for equality.