On June 28, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn in NYC. Raids on gay bars were not uncommon, but this one was unique because, for the first time, the gays fought back. It started with a drag queen throwing one of her shoes at a cop and led to the Stonewall riots. The riots lasted through that night and the following two days. Many consider this the beginning of the gay rights movement. Within months, things were starting to progress for the gay community, with the founding of several gay organizations and newspapers. One year after the riots, the first gay pride marches were held in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
We’ve come a long way since then. A few days ago, in a truly profound victory, New York State legalized same-sex marriage. New York is known around the globe as being trendsetting, and I’m certain that in the next few years, the 44 US states that still deny gay rights will rise above their ignorance and bigotry in rapid succession.
We are so lucky to live in Canada, where gay marriage has been legal since 2005. Of course, there is still a long way to go when it comes to reaching a state of total acceptance. Looking back at the 42 years of progress that we’ve made, I have every confidence that, as long as we stay true to our history and ourselves, our love will conquer the hate.
Why you can trust Xtra
