Why are the Stonewall Riots Important for Pride Month?

The Stonewall riots, which are also known as the Stonewall Uprising, Stonewall Rebellion or simply Stonewall, were a series of spontaneous protests that began with the members of the gay community in response to a police raid.

The police started to harass and arrest the patrons in 1969, at the Stonewall Inn which is in the Greenwich Village neighbourhood of Lower Manhattan, New York. The riots are widely considered to be the beginning of the modern gay rights movement in the United States.

The Stonewall Inn was a popular gay bar in the 1960s and homosexuality was an offence which resulted in continuous raids at these types of places followed by police brutality almost every day. In June 1969, the patrons decided to fight back. They showed that the gay community was not going to take the oppression of the police and society lying down.

#StonewallDay2023 would be not possible without the support of our community, including the organizations who continue to show up for us. Thank you, @Google, for partnering with us for the SECOND year in a row and providing us with the opportunity to celebrate our community! pic.twitter.com/d0eEAFpMLJ

— Pride Live (@REALPRIDELIVE) June 27, 2023

What is the Date of the Stonewall Riots? 

These riots began in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, when the bar was attacked by the police and they decided to harm the people of the LGBTQ+ community without any reason. 

The riots lasted for 6 days and this wasn’t the first time that people in the community had to fight back. But, these 6 days shaped the future of gay rights and helped them to establish a strong foundation so that people of the community don’t have to suffer for basic human rights.

The Library of Congress states “June 28, 1969 marks the beginning of the Stonewall Uprising, a series of events between police and LGBTQ+ protesters which stretched over six days. It was not the first time police raided a gay bar, and it was not the first time LGBTQ+ people fought back, but the events that would unfold over the next six days would fundamentally change the discourse surrounding LGBTQ+ activism in the United States.”

Who were the leaders of the Stonewall Riots? 

There were many leaders of the Stonewall Riots, but some of the most notable include:

Marsha P. Johnson: Johnson was a transgender woman and drag queen who was considered to be one of the first people to fight back against the police during the riots. Johnson is considered to be one of the most important figures in the gay rights movement.

Sylvia Rivera: Rivera was a transgender woman and activist who was also a leader in the Stonewall Riots. Sylvia also co-founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), an organisation that helped homeless transgender youth.

Stormé DeLarverie: DeLarverie was a butch lesbian and drag king who was also a leader in the Stonewall Riots. She is known for her fierceness and her willingness to fight back against discrimination. She has been known as “the gay community's Rosa Parks.”

Why are Stonewall Riots Important for Pride Month? 

The Stonewall riots were important because of the increasing police brutality against the LGBTQ+ community in the US. According to the Library of Congress, there were many events that took place between 1950-1970. 

These are some events that took place according to the Library of Congress: 

• “Police Brutality

• Demonstrations-1960-1980

• Gay Rights

• Police 1960-1980

• Pickets- 1960-1980”

Apart from the raids, and arrests, there was a lot of violence as well. People who escaped the raids or fought back usually had to seek medical care due to severe injuries and an uncounted number of them died as well. 

Due to continuous torture, people decided to fight back and these riots became an important segment of LGBTQ+ rights. 

Here are some of the reasons why the Stonewall Riots became important for Pride Month:

• They mark the beginning of the modern gay rights movement.
• They inspired other gay rights protests and helped to galvanize the gay rights movement.
• They are a reminder of the progress that has been made in the fight for equality.
• They continue to inspire people around the world to fight for their rights.

The Stonewall Veterans’ Association states that “STONEWALL, as it has condensedly come to be known, was ultimately a catalytic event for the G.L.B.T. community and eventually the World!  This was the historical turning point for ALL of us who were leading suppressed lives (to one degree or another) in 1969 and for future generations of Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals and Transgenders ("G.L.B.T.").”  

“We were tired of and angry at being 'victims' and no one was going to succeed in abusing US as a group or a people ever again!  At last, we demanded our independence and freedom!  As of June 27th, 1969, our G.L.B.T. independence ignited and after the last night of the Stonewall Rebellion,” it added. 

To conclude, Pride Month is a time to celebrate the progress that has been made in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights and to remember the Stonewall Riots and the activists who fought for those rights. The riots were a turning point in LGBTQ+ history, and they continue to inspire people around the world to fight for equality.