| CHASTITY IN THE CITY by Chastity Frustration past issues |
My continuous involvement in the gay community creates a wear and tear on me. The sense of pride is challenged in many ways. Each year I have to sit down and reevaluate myself and rediscover my inner-pride. This has become very difficult over the last year, with the constant struggles of the gay community for equality. My quest to find my inner-pride led me to a study on “Stonewall”. The most disturbing information I found was not in the context of the event, but the fact many young gays don’t even know what it is. As I asked people to help me on my quest, I found that they knew little or nothing about the subject. This gave my quest a meaning and a direction. I started by reading a few books I had around the house about gay history. This gave me some basic information on the timing and how this marked the beginning of the gay liberation movement. The questions started running though my head: How did Judy Garland’s death play a role in the gay movement? What started the riot? How did “Stonewall” start the gay pride parades and festivals? The questions started to become more than just a fascination, it became an obsession. I spent many hours studying the internet for information. I found more than enough information about “Stonewall”, Judy Garland, and gay right groups that developed just before and after “Stonewall. I found three movies that also helped with my research; “Stonewall: The Movie”(a fictional version of the accounts of “Stonewall”) , “Before Stonewall” (Documentary) and “After Stonewall”(Documentary). Prior to the Stonewall riots, there were few gay activist groups. The most popular group that developed was the Mattachine Society and Daughters of Bilitis. These groups feared prosecution for calling themselves homosexual. State laws across the United States criminalized homosexual acts, this included simple affectionate acts in public. Two men or women holding hand could get a person arrested or announcing ones self as being gay could place a person in a mental institution without a hearing. On June 22, 1969, Judy Garland died from an accidental overdose of sleeping pills. Garland was well respected by the gay community. She had a unique combination of vulnerability and strength. She was probably the most famous of all gay icons, a status she knew about and acknowledged. Her funeral was five days later on June 27, 1969. This is the same day the Stonewall riots began. The exact reason why the riots began are unknown. It is believed that with the emotional hurt of Garland’s death, the police raid on “The Stonewall Inn” shortly after midnight, sparked the anger of the gay community. This was the first time the gay community fought back. On June 28, 1970, a march was held in San Francisco to mark the one year anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion. This was repeated in the following years and started appearing in other cities around the world. These marches have come to be known as the “Gay Pride Marches”. The celebrations have moved to week long events pushing forward to gay liberation in many cities throughout the month of June. This year marks the 37th anniversary of the “Stonewall riots”. I hope all of you can join me for the festivities this year. With open arms, love one another for who we are. It took a small group of gays to start a revolution. We still have a long road ahead, but we can enjoy the rights we have today due to the gay men, lesbian women, transgender, bi-sexual and straights who fought for equality. Chastity Frustration First lady of the Embers Miss Sweetheart XIII Miss Gay Portland XXXI Visit www.chastityfrustration.com |
| STONEWALL INSPIRATION |
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