HIS 100 Module Three Activity Context Template copy
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HIS 100 Module Three Activity Template: Historical Context Replace the bracketed text below with your responses.
Identify the topic you chose to explore:
Stonewall Rebellion Describe the historical context surrounding your historical event. The events that transpired on the morning of June 28, 1969, in Greenwich Village, New York, at the Stonewall Inn, a commonly known gay bar, have impacted and led to societal, political, and economic changes. The societal changes and aspects of these events stand out the most as our interpersonal connections and relationships with others and how we interact in society, communities, and personal environments. Societal changes also impact us individually, in groups, and worldwide. The Stonewall Rebellion, also known as The Stonewall Riots and The Stonewall Uprising, was a controversial situation bringing activists from movements such as Black Power, feminist and gay liberation together. This event had a much larger purpose, and everyone involved could learn from one another. The Gay Rights Movement began gaining momentum as a result of the Rioting between LGBTQ members and police. Discrimination, inequality, and feelings of fear and distrust ran rampant during this time for individuals who were members of the LGBTQ community. Those referred to as drag queens, individuals of color, or “butch” lesbians were arrested and taken away, while those who were white male presenting were more easily able to slip away, evading arrest. After a few days of defiance and push-back between both sides, hundreds gathered to seek retribution towards police further to mitigate the cost the bars made each time they were raided by law enforcement. This behavior only continued to build stamina, with police hitting and beating with
the use of nightsticks, resulting in the police retreating to the Stonewall Inn itself. The riots lasted the duration of over a week. There was an overwhelming sense of anger, leading the LGBTQ community to build their strength of force against the police. In large numbers, the demonstrators fought back against the discrimination, hate, and inequality occurring presently and worldwide. Homosexuality was widely misunderstood until 1973 and improperly treated as a mental illness by the American Psychiatric Association. The “homosexual lifestyle” was illegal throughout the majority of the nation. Those prosecuted and found guilty faced the possibility of severe penalties. This led to fear, insecurity, and distrust to be created within the LGBTQ community itself. Explain the key historical figure or group’s motivation to participate in your historical event.
Even before the Stonewall Rebellion took place, law enforcement had been harassing individuals
of the LGBTQ+ community by covertly raiding the locally known gay bars. The officers would wear plain clothes as a means of cover to present as gay men. They would often engage in solicitation of sexual acts and then would follow said acts with the arrest of patrons. This was combined with the use of payoffs demanded from owners of the bars to hold dominion over the
community.
Marsha P. Johnson is among the most notable transgender women in the LBGTQ community. Many in the LBGTQ community recognized her for her fearlessness in being herself against the harassment, judgment, and ridicule that she faced before, during, and after the events on the morning of the Stonewall Rebellion. There are several different accounts of the events that led to the start of the raid that morning. However, it has been noted that Marsha was seen as a leader for the LGBTQ community. She was all in, as she felt she had nothing to lose. Her feelings of anger, combined with the history of discrimination and harassment, fueled her reason for why she stepped up that morning. (
Marsha P. Johnson
, n.d.)
Sylvia Rivera was a transgender activist and a key founding member of the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activists Alliance. Riveria’s participation in the Stonewall Rebellion was fueled by her desire for civil rights for the LGBTQ community. She was passionate about advocating for the
transgender community, specifically those of color, and fought for equality and human rights. The Stonewall Rebellion was a turning point for the LGBTQ movement, creating an avenue for individuals of the LGBTQ community an opportunity to be seen. (
Sylvia Rivera
, 2021)
The Gay Liberation Front (GLF) started after the Stonewall Rebellion in 1969. This event was a turning point in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. The GLF was created to fight for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and oppose the discrimination they faced. It inspired many activists to take action against the oppressive societal structures that had been in place for years. One of the main objectives of the GLF was to use the term "gay" in its name, which was a revolutionary step
at the time. It meant that the group was not afraid to be open and proud about their sexuality, and it helped to promote visibility for the LGBTQ+ community. The group also advocated for the liberation of all oppressed peoples, not just homosexuals, and was one of the first groups to do so. The GLF was a group that believed in direct action and activism to achieve their goals. They fought against the criminalization of homosexuality, police brutality, and the medicalization of homosexuality as a mental illness. They also played a significant role in the fight for gay marriage, the repeal of sodomy laws, and the end of discrimination in the workplace and housing. The GLF was a radical group, but they made important contributions to the fight for LGBTQ+ rights.
The Gay Activists Alliance (GAA) was formed as a result of the Stonewall Rebellion. Its main objective was to advocate for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. While the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) had a similar mission, the GAA adopted a more focused approach. They concentrated solely on issues affecting gay and lesbian individuals to achieve greater success in their advocacy efforts. Their group of activists strongly approached the LGBTQ community’s freedom. Freedom of self, and for social, economic, and political rights. The GAA used non-
violent tactics to protest against the discrimination of the LGBTQ+ community peacefully. These actions aimed to bring attention to issues like employment discrimination, police brutality, and the exclusion of openly gay individuals from public office. The GAA used confrontational tactics to challenge existing norms and push for change. The GAA played a significant role in advancing the cause of the LGBTQ+ community. Their efforts helped to raise awareness of the issues facing
gay and lesbian individuals and paved the way for greater acceptance and equality.
Articulate how the historical context caused or influenced your chosen historical event.
The historical context leading up to this event played a significant role in causing and influencing
it.
Before the Stonewall Rebellion, the LGBTQ+ community faced widespread discrimination and
harassment. Homosexuality was considered a mental illness by the American Psychiatric Association and illegal nationwide. Police frequently raided gay bars, the places individuals who are members of the LBGTQ community went as a place of safety. Many LGBTQ+ individuals were
arrested and publicly humiliated by the criminalization of homosexuality. Within society, individuals were largely stigmatized for homosexuality. Many LGBTQ+ individuals were ostracized by their families and communities and faced discrimination in employment and housing. Police frequently targeted LGBTQ+ gathering places, The Stonewall Inn included. These raids were often violent and humiliating for the patrons. As a result, when police raided the stone wall on June 28, the individuals of the LBGTQ community had enough and fought back. The historical context of discrimination, social stigma, and police harassment eventually reached
a boiling point, leading to the Stonewall Rebellion. This event served as a significant turning point in the LGBTQ+ rights movement, resulting in the formation of activist groups and increased visibility for LGBTQ+ issues. (
Stein, Marc.
2019)
Explain how connecting your historical event and current event improves the understanding of your topic.
Through understanding the discrimination, harassment, and social stigma around the events that occurred on June 28, 1969, we can better understand the need for the Human Rights Campaign. The events of the Stonewall Rebellion highlighted the need within society for a national, organized anti-discrimination response against the LBTQ community. The Human Rights Campaign was formed as a means to advocate for this community, help meet their needs,
and provide education to the public. They work to achieve equality and advocate for changes at all levels of society, especially the law. The Stonewall Rebellion was a pivotal moment in time that changed things for the LBGTQ community and has since then also led to the start of other organizations and establishments in support of LGBTQ rights and equality. (
Resources
, n.d.)
Duberman, Martin. (2007). In C. Brennan, K. J. Edgar, J. Galens, & R. Matuz (Eds.), American Social Reform Movements Reference Library (Vol. 4,
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pp. 235-245). UXL. https://link-gale-
com.ezproxy.snhu.edu/
apps/doc/CX2587100081/
WHIC?
u=nhc_main&sid=bookmar
k-
WHIC&xid=a46a4772
History.com Editors. (2010, May 25). The 1960s history.
History.com. Retrieved January 26, 2023, from https://www.history.com/
topics/1960s/1960s-history Rothberg, E. (n.d.). Sylvia Rivera. National Women's
History Museum. Retrieved January 26, 2023, from https://
www.womenshistory.org/
education-resources/
biographies/sylvia-rivera Duberman, Martin. (2007). In C. Brennan, K. J. Edgar, J. Galens, & R. Matuz (Eds.), American Social Reform Movements Reference Library (Vol. 4, pp. 235-245). UXL. https://link-gale-
com.ezproxy.snhu.edu/
apps/doc/CX2587100081/
WHIC?
u=nhc_main&sid=bookmar
k-
WHIC&xid=a46a4772
History.com Editors. (2010, May 25). The 1960s history.
History.com. Retrieved January 26, 2023, from https://www.history.com/
topics/1960s/1960s-history Rothberg, E. (n.d.). Sylvia Rivera. National Women's History Museum. Retrieved January 26, 2023, from https://
www.womenshistory.org/
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
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education-resources/
biographies/sylvia-rivera Duberman, Martin. (2007). In C. Brennan, K. J. Edgar, J. Galens, & R. Matuz (Eds.), American Social Reform Movements Reference Library (Vol. 4, pp. 235-245). UXL. https://link-gale-
com.ezproxy.snhu.edu/
apps/doc/CX2587100081/
WHIC?
u=nhc_main&sid=bookmar
k-
WHIC&xid=a46a4772
History.com Editors. (2010, May 25). The 1960s history.
History.com. Retrieved January 26, 2023, from https://www.history.com/
topics/1960s/1960s-history Rothberg, E. (n.d.). Sylvia Rivera. National Women's History Museum. Retrieved January 26, 2023, from https://
www.womenshistory.org/
education-resources/
biographies/sylvia-rivera
After a few days of defiance and push-back between both sides, hundreds gathered to seek retribution towards police further to mitigate the cost the bars made each time they were raided by law enforcement. This behavior only continued to build stamina, with police hitting and beating with the use of nightsticks, resulting in the police retreating to the Stonewall Inn
itself. The riots lasted the duration of over a week. There was an overwhelming sense of anger, leading the LGBTQ community to build their strength of force against the police. In large numbers, the demonstrators fought back against the discrimination, hate, and inequality occurring presently and worldwide. Marsha P. Johnson
. (2021). National Women’s History Museum. https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/marsha-p-johnson
Resources
. (n.d.). Human Rights Campaign. https://www.hrc.org/resources
Stein, M. (Ed.). (2019). The Stonewall Riots: A Documentary History
. NYU Press. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv335kw15
Sylvia Rivera
. (2021.). National Women’s History Museum. https://www.womenshistory.org/education-
resources/biographies/sylvia-rivera
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