By Isis Win
51 years ago, the police broke in again into the gay club Stonewall. This time, the patrons of the club refused to be arrested, abused, and the bigotry of the law and order members displayed. This reaction exploded in both ends. Soon after, the first of three riots started, and the police, for the first time, felt their hands were tied, instead of the gay, lesbian, and transgender previous victims. There was blood; there were broken bones; there was chaos as a large multitude joined the victims, and the police could not do anything to repress the members of what later became the LGBTQ minority group.
On the second day, the club owners decided to open their doors again. The managers got a few bottles of alcohol, another jukebox, and slowly small groups walked to Greenwich village and entered the club. This time there were many more policemen. Many wearing heavy protection, others carrying weapons to release tear gas, etc. this time, they could not lose the battle, they thought, and the penny wagon waited for massive arrests. Again, they resisted, tear gas was released, a large commercial trash can was set on fire, the police started to beat some of the people, and another huge number of strangers joined to support the courageous warriors. Police tactics prove inefficient and weak. Yes, there was some arrest. Greenwich Village has never seen anything like that. Even neighbors to the club joined the resistance. The major of the city and the police department knew they could not mess so easily with LGBT people again.
Someone in the group yelled after the riots were over: We need to demonstrate to keep the momentum. They requested the perming, it was granted, and a date for LGBT members was set. Demonstration day: many demonstrators were fearful of finding the police force having an excuse to attack them. That did not stop them, and again, small groups, two or three people, walked to the meeting site and started walking towards central park very fast, too fast. They reached the end of the journey. All were surprised that the small number of gays, lesbians, and trans people turned into an enormous crow composed by gay, lesbian and transgender people coming from everywhere, close and far. All of them learned that they were on the right path. That march became Gay Pride day, and it is celebrated every year in many countries around the world.
There were riots in LA, CA, San Francisco, Chicago, and more because of the same reason. Police brutality trying to set fear on LGBT people. Then, advocacy in favor of human and civil rights in support of us was born.
There are so many advocacy organizations working to change the law and the perception of the people in general. They work hard and non-stop to improve the law and the understanding of millions of Americans. There are gains, mainly in favor of gays and lesbians. The most significant and fundamental change: the right to marry a member of the same sex. Yet, this one is perhaps as large. Today, Monday 15 of 2020, The Supreme Court decided 6 to 3 that the original civil rights of 1964 under article VII protects gay, lesbian, and transgender individuals from discrimination at the place of work. I consider this win the set in stone of the movement, a few days before the anniversary of Stonewall Inn Gay Pride Day.
This decision, opposed to Trump’s actions and words, is the first, perhaps final leg of achieving full protection from discriminatory acts in all sectors that deny the consistency of citizenship of our minority that has suffered since the early days of the republic. Gay, lesbian and transgender people remained closeted until the time that the NY police aimed to beat, arrest, even kill anyone in those ranks because plain discrimination against us was not forbidden.
Some states provided further protection to us, but sadly, their law is not adequately enforced. Therefore, discrimination against us still happens even in those states.
Now, we have to make sure protection to have health, legal and housing protection for us is protected as well. Maybe by then, the perception of close to 50% of the population changes, so we do not need to fear and suffer because a handful of ignorant people still despise us.
It is expected some reactions may come out and soon, particularly from religious groups that have been advocating against us for years and spending millions of dollars—perhaps using silly but discriminatory acts. Such as forbidding the use of the correct bathrooms to transgender people. Regardless of what they do, we are moving forward not just in favor of our cause but in favor of having and understanding and united nation.
I present my deepest gratitude to the members of the Supreme Court that made this decision possible and I thank as much to every single American that has been on our side and supported us in their form of choice.
This historic even is another mark written in stone about the greatness of America!
