fight for equal rights

The New York City Pride parade has been cancelled for the first time since its origin 50 years ago. In-person events that were scheduled to take place June 14-28, 2020 are in the process of being reimagined virtually as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Pride is a staple in New York City, as it has been since the Stonewall Riots prompted a revolution in June of 1969. The fight for gay-rights as we know it was born and catalyzed here. America in the 1960’s, and in the decades that came before it, was not at all welcoming for those in LGBTQIA+ community. In New York, any inclination of sexual activity between people of the same sex in public was considered illegal. That is, hand holding, kissing, or even dancing. This antiquated and ridiculous law was not overturned until 1980 when the People v. Ronald Onofre case was decided.

These times were also riddled with discrimination and a series of raids among other forms of abuse on prominent gay bars and clubs in Greenwich village. Such spaces were some of the only places where members of the community could seek refuge and were finally able to express themselves openly without worry. Nonetheless, police brutality on the basis of sexual orientation and just plain bigotry was awfully common during these raids.

On the night of June 28, 1969 obvious tensions arose between the two groups, and the patrons bravely decided to fight back against the police at the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar that was one of the few of its kind that opened its doors to drag queens. Notably, the first bottle of the uprising, which lasted six whole days, was thrown by a Black transgender woman, Marsha P. Johnson. The protesters were met time and time again with tear-gas and physical altercations with the police, but they persisted. Those in the street are said to have been singing slogans similar to the ones that we hear today like “gay power” and “we shall overcome.”

It would be an injustice to ignore the contributions of the Black community to this iconic moment that started a resistance.

This moment sparked the beginning of a modern resistance that is beautifully laced with love and versatility.

It would be an injustice, however, to ignore the coincidences of this past that align with the current civil rights demonstrations happening across the world, declaring defiantly that Black lives matter. Both movements continue to feature a spotlight on recognizing basic human rights while also condemning police practices that terrorize the communities they are meant “to serve and protect.” So much of American history is patterned with this same struggle, consistency, and perseverance. Not to mention that it was, in fact, Black women who spearheaded this revolution 51 years ago, and 51 years later Black women are again at the forefront of a movement seeking to eradicate systemic inequality. We must not let this go unnoticed.

The year after what has come to be known as the Stonewall riots, June of 1970, marked the first ever Pride parade in New York City. Though it took a long time to come, the LGBTQIA+ community has certainly overcome much of the hate and marginalization that has been thrown its way. But, they’re still fighting. To this day, new non-discrimination protections are being fought for and passed all because of their constant effort and strength.

Since then, New York City and its Pride parade has been a proven safe-haven for vulnerable and battered communities alike. It is a time for people to come together and celebrate themselves as phoenixes who have risen way above the ashes while also acknowledging the slashed history that they are eternally attached to.

Just last year, New York City hosted world WorldPride and some 2 million people were in attendance. This in and of itself is a testament to the impact that the revolution has had, and continues to have, all over the world. Such ever-clear and unrelenting perseverance is nothing less of an inspiration.

Today, as the coronavirus runs its raging course throughout the United States, New York City has been noticeably hit the hardest. With nearly 212,000 confirmed cases and over 20,000 deaths thus far in the City alone, New Yorkers are being urged to remain full of the hope and drive that makes us so thick-skinned in the first place. But, this is not an easy feat, especially given the turmoil that seems to be slowly encapsulating every bit of our daily lives. Once again, we have set out in a movement that looks to challenge history and change it for good. For the LGBTQIA+ community, that anxiety is heightened tremendously.

The absence of the iconic Pride parade will certainly have a dramatic financial impact on the people and businesses that have come to rely on it. Not to mention the mental toll that will surely come along without a break from mobilizing, resource, or strategy efforts concerning the ongoing, and seemingly never-ending, fight for equal rights. It is certainly an all-hands-on-deck sort of thing. This fight is fought every single day, with the smallest actions sometimes making the most noise, and none of it should go unnoticed.

The contributions that the LGBTQIA+ community has made to both the City and to the greater struggle for equality are undeniable. So, the decision to cancel Pride this year was not easy. But, it was definitely necessary. However, just because the pandemic prevents us from physically coming together this year, it does not mean that the spirit of Pride in New York City won’t be felt just the same.

An online Global Pride will be broadcasted for 24-hours straight on June 27, starting in the east and moving west. Each local or participating pride chapter is hoped to have an allotment of 15-minutes of airtime each, depending on individual time zones, for performances and speeches by grand marshals. This is a community that has always come together in the face of adversity and this year is no different. My wish is for this to be yet another example of the LGBTQIA+ communities resilience that should be honored and remembered, especially in a context of human rights.

As we mourn the Orlando tragedy, the shooting brought to light just how much the LGBTQ community has fought to equal rights. For some, this may have been easy to forget, as people mention the “triumph” of the community in terms of Caitlyn Jenner and gay couples shown on commercials. But for members of the LGBTQ community, the fight for equality does not end with gay marriage or with a white transgender celebrity.

The fight against discrimination and bias in people’s hearts and minds is a difficult one. But on this day, during pride month, let us remember how far the LGBTQ movement has come. Let there be pride, and let us come together in support and in solidarity for the healing of a community and a nation.

This week, our president validated the struggle of the LGBTQ community as he established the first national monument dedicated to it. The Stonewall Inn is now the country’s newest addition to its national parks—a historic moment, but no less historic than the inn itself. The monument includes the gay bar, the Stonewall Inn, along with Christopher Park, and the surrounding area.

The bar, located in New York City’s West Village, has been a safe haven for members of the LGBTQ community for over half a century. In 1969, patrons fought against the constant, city-sanctioned police harassment. This moment in time, which marks the first time that people of the LGBTQ community fought back against the constant discrimination and harassment because of their gender or sexual orientation, became known as the beginning of the modern gay rights movement.

The six long nights of the 1969 Stonewall uprising brought national attention to the discrimination and lack of acceptance of LGBTQ people in American society. For weeks, people protested outside of the bar for days, eventually leading to the first LGBTQ march for equality and civil rights in the summer of ’69.

In the video announcing the national park, Obama described the crucial role of Stonewall in this civil rights movement: “The riots became protests, the riots became a movement, the movement ultimately became an integral part of America.” Before Stonewall, any member of the LGBTQ community was virtually illegal.

There is no better time for this than now, during pride month in the aftermath of an attack against Latino/a and Latinx LGBTQ lives. This announcement also came just two days before the city’s pride march.

But for 50 years before this moment, Stonewall Inn was already a national landmark. It has long been a congregation site for LGBTQ people to come together in times of celebration or sadness. After the Supreme Court ruling of marriage equality, many found themselves at Stonewall, cheering in relief and happiness. After Orlando, thousands gathered for a vigil at Stonewall to remember and commemorate the lives of those that were lost so unfairly.

When I hear the words “first national park dedicated to the LGBTQ community,” I almost don’t believe it. Not because it shouldn’t exist, but because I thought it already would have. But that statement right there is the misconception of civil rights. Many see marriage equality, gay rights, as a fight that has been fought for the LGBTQ community. And it’s true, this movement has been fought for over 50 years, but that does not mean that it is over—in any sense.

This national park only proves the neglect that so many communities experience on the national level. In regards to Stonewall’s inauguration into the National Parks Association, I’ve heard may say, “Does this really matter? Why don’t we talk about the important things?” This is an important thing.

Just because there is marginal acceptance of members of the LGBTQ community in the U.S. since Stonewall, does not mean that there is acceptance. It is not a fight for marriage, a fight for TV commercials, or a fight for repealing don’t ask don’t tell. It is a fight for equality. True and unhindered equality.