The Stonewall Riots And Its Impact On Lgbt Society

Early in the morning of June 28, 1969, the habitual bar raids continued to occur in the streets of New York. However, one raid soon took a different turn compared to all the previous raids. The LGBT community had enough and decided to take a stand against the unjust acts of the New York Police Department, which would forever change LGBT history. The Stonewall Riots were preceded by several years of mistreatment, and began when a beloved gay bar was raided; this created a major impact on LGBT rights and activism. LGBT Americans have been prejudiced against long before the Stonewall Riots. Those who identified as a person in this community would be sent to mental institutions and affectionate acts between these individuals often led to†¦show more content†¦In addition, Stonewall had many problems, including a nonexistent fire exit and extremely watered down drinks. Despite this, the Stonewall Inn was still cherished by many. The Saturday morning the Stonewall Inn was raided ig nited the LGBT individuals’ anger. The owners were not notified of the raid and employees that illegally sold alcohol proceeded to be arrested by police. Bar patrons were being beaten and arrested by police due to their sexual orientations and wearing what was not deemed gender appropriate. A total of thirteen people were arrested that morning. Instead of leaving the area, furious onlookers decided to take action. As officers forced a lesbian into a police van she shouted, â€Å"Why don’t you guys do something!† Then, crowds began to form and throw objects at police, which included bottles and rocks. In addition to that, pennies were thrown at police by the crowd to mock the corrupt police officers. To protect themselves from debris, officers barricaded themselves in the bar and called for reinforcements. This was futile because the mob repeatedly broke through the barricade and set fire to the bar. When reinforcements arrived, they were able to take out the fir e but were unable to stop the riot. Every time they dispersed the crowd in front of them, a new one would form behind them in minutes. The riots persisted for six days: The Stonewall became home to these kids. When it was raided, they fought for it. That, andShow MoreRelatedLgbt History And The Modern Era1737 Words   |  7 Pages There are many topics prevalent shown throughout history. History books in today’s society highlight the majority of groups of people and historical events. This essay will prove that there is a problematic issue where LGBT lives and existences are being erased throughout history and the modern era. Throughout, it will be explained how these groups of people are being underrepresented within history, major wars, and the modern era. 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