Take a trip down Queer memory lane: The Stonewall Riots and the origin of pride
Written by: Ana Clara Alves
Many people recognize the importance of the LQBTQIA+ struggle, and that June is the month named Pride Month for the queer community. And even though there are other dates as important as this in other months of the year, June 28 is marked as a symbol of the fight for the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community around the world.
This date has the main purpose of raising awareness of the importance of combating homophobia for the construction of a society free of prejudice and egalitarian, regardless of sexual gender. But the choice of June for the event is not random. The date originated through a revolt that took place in 1969 in New York, and which gained strength and visibility not only in the North American region but throughout the world, being remembered and celebrated to this day.
In New York in 1969, the Stonewall Inn bar, in the East Village, was a meeting point for populations marginalized by society, including members of the LQBTIA+ community. At that time, not being heterosexual was a crime in the United States and on the streets of New York, anyone who did not wear at least three pieces of clothing “appropriate for their gender” could be arrested. For this reason, the bar was frequently prosecuted, and police attacks were common in actions of a lot of truculence and violence. However, on June 28, 1969, the scenario would change, starting with the Stonewall Uprising.
At dawn on June 28, 1969, the police decided to raid the bar again. Nine police officers entered the place and, alleging that the sale of alcoholic beverages was prohibited there, they arrested employees and began to assault and take into custody some transvestite patrons and drag queens who were not wearing at least three pieces of clothing “suited” to their gender, as required by law.
That night, the violent police repression was answered by the people present at the bar, who revolted against the authorities. From that moment, part of the gay community in New York, which until then was hiding, took to the streets to protest in the surroundings of the Stonewall Inn, the conflicts continued for about six days and became a milestone in the fight for equal rights for LGBT+. The Stonewall Uprising was a crucial moment for the gay liberation movement.
In 1970, 1 year after the uprising, 10,000 people gathered to commemorate this historic milestone and the turning point in the fight against discrimination and violence against the queer community. This celebration started what we now know as the famous LGBTQIA+ Parades that take place all over the world. The LGBTQIA+ community marched through the streets of the city, demonstrating that it would no longer be willing to accept this oppression and that it would demand the same rights from the entire population. Since then, this date has been celebrated through parades and other cultural events, as an expression of pride in publicly assuming sexual orientation and gender identity.
