Whenever we see period footage from around the time of the Stonewall riots, on June 28, 1969, we always think: Remember when you could smoke in New York City bars?
the past
Stonewall Uprising Documentary Will Mean Different Things to Different Gays
Help make sure LGBTQ+ stories are being told...
We can't rely on mainstream media to tell our stories. That's why we don't lock Queerty articles behind a paywall. Will you support our mission with a contribution today?
Cancel anytime · Proudly LGBTQ+ owned and operated
alan brickman
Gays these days seem to have forgotten how to march and fight for their rights…
Tylertime
Wasnt’t thsi all covered in BEFORE STONEWALL and AFTER STONEWALL which was out a decade ago?
scott ny'er
I wouldn’t think that. I would actually think, man, look how far the movement has come and our rights have come and how far we still have to go.
If I was to think about smoking it would be more like this, “I can’t believe they actually let people smoke in bars back then.”
Patrick
Sadly, the LGBT community has few (if any) ways to communicate its history from one person (or group, generation, however you want to consider it) to the next.
Yes, I, personally learned about it in college, and live in New York so I’m reminded about it regularly, but people who are coming out now may not have the same resources I have.
Someday there will be institutions created to make this happen, but, well, yeah, they don’t exist at the moment.
Fitz
It is important for queer people to tell their history, and not have it only told through straight voices.
Thunderpuss
@Fitz: I couldn’t agree more. Our history, no matter how many times we tell it or different vantage points we tell it from, is part of our social identity.
In a community as diverse and unique as the LGBT crowd it’s often difficult to see the bonds that unite us. Gay men are often very separate from gay women. Black gays are often detached from white gays. Old gays are often disconnected from young.
The point is: Our history unites us all.
SSCHIEFRSHA
Let’s not forget the true pioneers on the earlier pages of history—Magnus Hirschfeld and his daring attempt to strike down sodomy laws in late 19th century Germany. Signatories included Albert Einstein, Hermann Hesse, Käthe Kollwitz, Thomas Mann, Heinrich Mann, and Rainer Maria Rilke
sam
@Tylertime: doesn’t mean it can’t be covered again 😛
there’s god knows how many docos on various things in WWII or the Cold War… why can’t there be plenty on stonewall?
FNNU
So a gay museum studies students suggested they turn the Stone Wall Inn into a museum for GLTB history. But, what would you put in it?
Sam
Watching “Mad Men,” I’m never shocked by the sexism, racism, or homophobia – because I’m expecting it. It’s the constant smoking, drinking, and borderline neglectful (by modern-day standards) parenting techniques that shock the hell out of me.