I have long been a political activist going back to the 60s. This morning, while I was laying in bed waking up, I was struck by the thought that the end of next month, June 28th to be exact, will be the 55-year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising (aka the Stonewall Riots). For those who are too young or do not remember, the Stonewall Uprising was a watershed moment in gay rights and helped to spark the birth of the LGBTQ community. (See the link below for background).
Being a history major in college I know that history is often forgotten with time and that's doubly true when some measure of change has been achieved. Unfortunately, it is also true that when history is forgotten the strides that were made to affect change often become eroded. LGTBQ social justice issues are no exception. We cheer that same-sex marriage is now legal in most if not all jurisdictions and many of the laws that discriminated against LGBTQ people have been struck down. Health insurance now covers hormone therapy and gender reassignment surgery but on the flip side of that coin, many jurisdictions are now passing laws that prohibit hormone therapy and gender reassignment for minors regardless of parental consent. Housing and employment discrimination is still rampant within the LGBTQ community. And the list goes on.
I apologize if I come off making this sound like a political rant, and to some degree, it has to be because the political and religious right has made it a political issue of social justice import. I’m not suggesting that we all go out and begin demonstrating or creating another uprising. Those are matters of personal choice. What I am hoping for, is to create awareness of the importance of the issues the LGTBQ community is in danger of losing lest we forget the past that has brought us to this point in history. And make no mistake, you may identify as CD, TV, gay, trans, or some other label, but whatever label you identify with, you are very much a part of the LGTBQ community.
So, let us not merely remember Stonewall and the sacrifices that many have made that even allow for the creation of social media sites like NTN. Let’s turn it into an event or social media party of sorts
I would love to hear your thoughts!
https://www.history.com/topics/gay-rights/the-stonewall-riots