Essay On The Stonewall Riots

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On June 28th, 1969, a little after 3 a.m., police entered the Stonewall Inn, a gay club in located in Greenwich Village, one of New York City’s most well-known gay neighborhoods at the time. Located on 51 and 53 Christopher Street, the club was one of the most popular at the time. All members of the lgbt community would gather outside and wait in line where hopefully the hopper knew them, or they “looked gay enough” to enter the club. This method of entry was used in order to keep everyone in the club safe, but all the precautions that were taken were proved to be useless on the summer night that the New York City police decided to raid the club that was a safe haven for many. The loud and lively club quickly turned silent and motionless as the music was …show more content…
The watchful crowd,which consisted of members of the lgbt community and supports, began rioting and turned to violence as some began attacking the police. The riots went on for several days, gaining national attention. These riots sparked the beginning of something much larger, the gay rights movement. Protest began happening around the country, declaring rights for all. This essay will explore the Stonewall Riots, how ties with the mafia and corruption within the New York City police department were the major causes, and the impact that it has left today. In the 1960s, there were strict laws against homosexuality. In the book, Stonewall: Breaking Out in the Fight Against Gay Rights, author Ann Bradshaw reaccounts the Stonewall Riots by analyzing the gay scene in New York City prior to the riots and using real life accounts of people who were present at the Stonewall Inn when the police raid happened. In chapter two of the book she discusses the most popular laws that were most commonly enforced by the police. These laws included cross dressing, drinking, and what became known as cruising. New York City law stated that any person must wear at least three items of clothing in accordance to their gender,

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