The Riot That Occurred During The Early Morning Of June

The riot that occurred during the early morning of June 28, 1969, as well as the riots that occurred as a result, dubbed the Stonewall Riots, are the beginning of the gay rights movement. Until the last quarter of the twentieth century, homosexuality, bisexuality, transvestism, and transgender sex changes were considered signs of mental illness. Painful electroshock therapy was often enforced upon those who displayed homosexual behavior. They were the objects of public suspicion, job discrimination, and outright violence. Gays, lesbians, and other sexual minority groups were stigmatized by society and harassed by law enforcement (â€Å"The Stonewall Riots†). The negative perception of homosexuality began to change in the 1940s as it gradually†¦show more content†¦By 1969 there were roughly fifty Homophile organizations in the United States with memberships of a few thousand each. Around this same time, groups of prominent gays and lesbians in the United States began t o advocate openly for equal rights. Among these were the Mattachine Society, an advocacy group for gay men, and the Daughters of Bilitis, which, like its male counterpart, â€Å"served as a support network for homosexuals who felt maltreated by or secluded from mainstream society† (â€Å"Gay Rights Movement†). Both establishments hoped to present a picture of gays and lesbians as no different from heterosexual citizens. However, these organizations were forced to operate largely in secret and under ambiguous names to conceal their purpose. Neither of these groups attracted more than a few hundred members. Therefore, while there was some organized activity for gay rights, the gay community throughout the United States was still essentially underground in the late 1960s. Its bars were only open as long as the police allowed them to stay open and it wasn’t unusual for the police to close down certain gay bars for weeks as a time. In June 1969, the NYPD shut down a number of clubs and bars, but the Stonewall Inn remained open. Located in the heart of Greenwich Village, the Stonewall Inn attracted runaways and drag queens, most of whom were African American or Hispanic. The bar didn’t have a liquor license and was rumored to be tied toShow MoreRelatedThe Stonewall Riots And The Gay Rights Movement1173 Words   |  5 PagesIt was approximately three a.m. on the twenty-eighth of June, 1969 when outside the Stonewall Inn, a monumental riot began. On Christopher Street in New York City, a police raid had just taken place in the gay bar due to the selling of liquor without a license, and arrests were made to anyone without a minimum of three articles of gender appropriate clothing on in accordance to New York law. 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