Today, as we commemorate the 54th anniversary of the start of the Stonewall Riots, we remember and honor the historic uprising against police and police brutality that, in part, began the larger gay liberation movement. From the Dewey’s Restaurant Sit-In (1965) in Philadelphia to the Julius Tavern “Sip In” in New York (1966) to the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot in San Francisco (1966) to the Stonewall Riots in New York (1969) and many more, the LGBTQIA2S+ community is forever indebted to the early activists and organizers, especially the Black trans women, drag queens and street queens who put everything – including their own lives – on the line in the fight for fair treatment, basic human dignity and equal rights. Without them all, we wouldn’t have much of the freedom or rights we enjoy today.
But the work is far from over. All of us must continue to fight for LGBTQIA2S+ liberation, standing up against discrimination, fighting hate and battling oppression. We must ensure that everyone – especially QTIPOC (Queer, Trans, Gender Expansive, and Intersex People of Color) – can live their lives authentically and safely with equal opportunity to thrive. No one is free until everyone is free!
#AllBlackLivesMatter #StonewallStrong #StrongerTogether
