The Stonewall Riots

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The Stonewall Riots occurred in the Greenwich Village district of New York City in June of the year 1969. Many consider these demonstrations to be the stimulus that began the fight for LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioned Sexuality) not just in the United States but also around much of the globe. Increased acceptance of homosexuals began just weeks after the event, raising awareness and opening more businesses for LGBT use. What caused the Stonewall Riots? The causes of the Stonewall Riots were anti-gay laws, NYPD corruption, and lack of media attention. There were many laws in place that limited LGBT rights prior to the Stonewall Riots, with horrible consequences for those who broke them. The most infamous of these was a law present in every state except Illinois that made gay sex punishable by a prison sentence or a fine. This prison sentence could, on some occasions, be a life sentence, depending on the state and the severity of the crime. Additionally, gay sex could result castration in seven states. New York City had the strictest laws against sodomy in the country. Additionally, New York was home to the most homosexuals. This resulted in a high rate of arrest. In the year 1966, an estimated 100 or more men were imprisoned because of the NYPD’s anti-gay effort. New York City’s anti-sodomy laws included banning homosexual behavior in both civic and independent establishments. Oftentimes, bars were the only businesses to accept openly gay patrons. This was mostly the case in the 50’s and 60’s, the time period in which the Stonewall Riots took place. Although bars were the safest places for LGBT members to gather, they generally meant bad news for such bars. In 1969, it was against the law in New Y... ... middle of paper ... ...not covered by the media, and the Stonewall Riots were the first large-scale movement for LGBT rights. Despite this, it still took some time for the movement to gain proper attention. An example of this is The New York Times newspaper, which did not allow its journalists to use the word “gay” until after 1987, almost twenty years after the riots, and it only covered the riots in an article consisting of three short paragraphs. The Stonewall Riots were a catalyst for the gay rights movement not just in the United States, but also around the world. The first gay pride marches occurred in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York on June 28th, 1970, the one year anniversary of the Riots. Also, three LGBT newspapers printed soon after the demonstrations. In conclusion, the causes of the Stonewall Riots were anti-gay laws, NYPD corruption, and lack of media attention.

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