Yes, Today Is The Anniversary Of Stonewall

[Editorial]

But Stonewall wasn't the first time we stood up for our rights. There were many other times dating back years earlier:

• Cooper Do-nuts Riot — 1959
• Dewey's Restaurant sit-ins — 1965
• Compton's Cafeteria riot — 1966
• Black Cat Tavern protest — 1967

There is a great debate about whether or not these events should be called “riots” or “uprisings.” I will explain my distinction between the two. A “riot” is a violent outbreak, like after the Knicks win. An “uprising” can be a peaceful or violent act meant to shake off the yoke of oppression.

Why did the police raid these bars? (Besides the fact that they didn’t get their payoff that month—or due to political pressure from city leadership.)

Because of trans people. Gay men and lesbians were harder to prove in court when they were simply present. But for trans people, there were laws. In many places, we were required to wear a certain number of items of “male clothing”—in some cases, absurd rules like socks counting as one item.

We were the bedrock of the Stonewall movement.

But something happened on the way to the first NYC Pride parade: we were told not to come. However, we were not alone in being excluded. They also didn’t want “wimpy” gay men or “butch” lesbians. They wanted only white, “respectable” gays and lesbians—those who could assimilate into society. And thus, “Gay Inc.” was born, where the “Holy Grail” became marriage.

Back before the turn of the century, the professional organization began to shift away from the more rigid Harry Benjamin Standards toward what would become the WPATH standards of care. Under the old standards, I would likely not have been allowed to transition for two reasons.

As I like to say: “If you can’t tell I’m trans, you need glasses and a hearing aid!”

The second reason is that I am attracted to women. Under earlier standards, I would have been told I couldn’t be a “true transsexual” because of that attraction.

Now we are visible—and that visibility has also made us targets of conservatives.

So on this anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, let us remember our roots.

[/Editorial]