Stonewall Uprising: How Transgender Resistance Ignited the Fight for LGBTQ+ Liberation

Summary

Stonewall: How Transgender Resistance Ignited the Fight for LGBTQLGBTQ LGBTQIA+ is an inclusive term that includes people of all genders and sexualities, such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer, intersex, asexual, pansexual, and allies. While each letter in LGBTQIA+ stands for a specific group of people, the term encompasses the entire spectrum of gender fluidity and sexual identities. https://abbreviations.yourdictionary.com/what-does-lgbtqia-stand-for-full-acronym-explained.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT+ Liberation details the June 28 1969 Uprising against a police raid at the Stonewall Inn which marked a radical shift in LGBTQ+ activism led by trans women and sparked the modern liberation movement and Pride celebrations.

Stonewall Uprising: How Transgender Resistance Ignited the Fight for LGBTQ+ Liberation

The Stonewall Uprising, a testament to the courage and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community, began in the early hours of 28 June 1969 in New York City’s Greenwich Village. It was a series of spontaneous demonstrations against a police raid on the Stonewall Inn. This multi-night event marked a radical shift in LGBTQ+ activism, moving from a more subdued approach to a confrontational, organised, and politically active movement. Variously known as the Stonewall uprising, rebellion, or revolution, these terms emphasise its nature as civil disobedience and a fight for fundamental rights.

Decades of systemic discrimination, pervasive police brutality, and the criminalisation of homosexuality created the conditions ripe for resistance. In the 1960s, in New York, simply being gay was illegal across the state.

Bars like the Stonewall Inn served as vital, though unsafe, ‘havens’ where LGBTQ+ people could gather. These spaces were frequent targets for police raids, often resulting in beatings and arrests.

The Stonewall Inn held a unique position, being the only bar where patrons could dance. It served a diverse and marginalised clientele, including gay men, drag queens, trans people, hustlers, and homeless youths, many of whom could not afford more expensive venues.

Owned by the Mafia, it operated without a proper licence and was raided frequently. The Inn’s clientele, described as the most marginalised with “nothing to lose,” were deeply invested in it as a ‘home’.

On the night of the raid, eight police officers entered the packed bar. Unlike typical raids, the management had no warning, suggesting a punitive intent from the NYPD to shut the bar down. Initial cooperation from patrons quickly turned to agitation as police aggressively handled patrons, particularly singling out drag queens and cross-dressers for arrest.

Female officers subjected cross-dressing individuals to humiliating verification of their sex in restrooms. Aggressive frisking also occurred, further escalating discomfort and resentment. This deviation from routine, involving heightened aggression and public humiliation, acted as a direct accelerant to the uprising.

As arrests were made, a crowd gathered outside. The delay in police vans allowed the crowd to swell to 500-600 people. A pivotal moment occurred when a woman, widely believed to be lesbian activist Stormé DeLarverie, was beaten by police. Her reported cry, “Why don’t you guys do something?” resonated deeply, and the crowd erupted, throwing objects at the police and the Inn. Outnumbered, the police retreated inside and barricaded themselves.

The resistance continued for six nights, evolving tactics like public displays of affection and mocking songs. Police used force, including tear gas, but the community showed remarkable resilience. Graffiti appeared with slogans like “Drag power” and “Support gay power,” reflecting immediate demands and a political awakening. Leaflets called for boycotts and organised action.

Crucially, trans women played indispensable roles at the forefront of the resistance and subsequent organising efforts.

The riots were notably ‘led by trans women of colour and Black lesbians,’ underscoring the intersectional leadership at its core. The explicit targeting of visibly gender non-conforming individuals highlighted that this was a rebellion driven by those most vulnerable to police harassment. This intersectional leadership ensures that the diverse voices and experiences within the LGBTQ+ community are represented and valued.

Three figures stand out for their leadership and enduring impact:

Marsha P. Johnson: A Black trans woman, drag performer, and sex worker, identified as a leader in the riots and noted as being in the “vanguard” of the pushback. A year after Stonewall, she co-founded STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries) with Sylvia Rivera. STAR created the first LGBTQ+ youth shelter in North America and was the first US organisation led by trans women of colour, funded by their work as sex workers. Johnson dedicated her activism to the most marginalised, including homeless youth and sex workers.

Sylvia Rivera: A Latina trans woman and lifelong trans rights activist, she was only 17 when she helped lead the riots, famously declaring, “I’m not missing a minute of this—it’s the revolution!“. She co-founded STAR with Johnson. Rivera was a fierce critic of the mainstream gay liberation movement for its focus on white, middle-class individuals, advocating tirelessly for the inclusion of trans people of colour, the poor, and the homeless. Her advocacy often met resistance, notably during her powerful “Y’all Better Quiet Down” speech at a 1973 rally.

Miss Major Griffin-Gracy: A Black trans woman who participated in the riots, experiencing police brutality on the first night. After incarceration, she continued activism, eventually becoming Executive Director of the Transgender, Gender Variant and Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP), championing incarcerated trans women of colour facing multiple oppressions. Her experiences deeply informed her commitment to supporting vulnerable trans individuals. In 2015, she founded the House of GG, a retreat for the transgender community.

The prominent roles of these trans women of colour fundamentally shaped the early movement, pushing for a radical, intersectional ethos that centred the rights of the most marginalised. Their work ensured the movement addressed the multifaceted oppressions faced by the entire community.

Stonewall was a powerful catalyst, igniting an “explosion” of LGBTQ+ organising. New groups rapidly formed, including the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) and the Gay Activists Alliance (GAA). Crucially, due to perceived marginalisation within these groups, trans people, people of colour, and women formed their own organisations like STAR and the Queens Liberation Front (QLF), specifically addressing their needs and advocating for visibility. This contrasted sharply with the earlier, more assimilationist homophile movement.

The first anniversary of the raid, 28 June 1970, saw the first Pride marches in New York and other US cities. These events, which quickly spread globally, solidified Stonewall’s symbolic power and created a visible platform for LGBTQ+ identity and advocacy, marking a shift from clandestine gatherings to open celebration and protest. This global resonance of the Stonewall Uprising unites LGBTQ+ communities worldwide in a shared history of resistance and activism.

Stonewall transformed LGBTQ+ people from an “invisible” group into a visible, politically active force. It continues to be recognised globally, with the Stonewall Inn and surrounding area designated as national landmarks in the US.

The Stonewall Uprising stands as a watershed moment. Fuelled by collective courage against oppression, particularly from the most vulnerable, it transformed a local incident into a global symbol of defiance. The foundational leadership of trans women like Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and Miss Major Griffin-Gracy ensured the fight for rights was intersectional.

Their legacy, marked by enduring recognition and global celebrations, is a powerful call to action for justice and equality for all, reminding us that liberation emerges from the collective will to resist.

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