"Stonewall Uprising" A view of the way things were

[12voltman59]

For those of us in this generation---who have mostly lived in a time that homosexuality/homosexual acts are actually more accepted and allowable than they were in a time not so long ago---speaking of life here in the "western world" of course---we don't know the way it was in the times before the incidents featured in this edition of the wonderful PBS historical documentary program, "The American Experience" for those who were GLBT.

While we here in this generation who have the freedom to come to this website today might get bummed, that as those who identify as bisexual, we don't have the degree of acceptance that we might like--this program shows the way life was before this seminal event in the movement to obtain "gay rights" here in America that the "Stonewall incident" represented was for anyone who was not a fully heterosexual person.

Life was truly hell, because society did not accept to any degree, anything other than heterosexuality---it was in fact public policy to make life as difficult as possible for "the homosexuals."

For "my fellow Americans" who may not have seen this program and for those of you who live elsewhere and don't have access to PBS programs in your choice of television networks---I would urge you to click on the link I am providing that will allow you to watch the show in its entirety.

The events and descriptions of life in the days of the "Stonewall Uprising" are pretty depressing that things were such for non-hetero people----it does clearly show that while "we" may have not gone as far as those of us in this generation think we should be in society's acceptance and allowance of non-hetero sexual acts and the freedom of people to simply live their lives--it is clear from this program that much progress has been made since those bad old days featured in this documentary.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/stonewall/player/

I know that some of us here did know firsthand and did experience what things were like in those days---we do owe your generation much since you suffered from the way society was in that time and we don't have it nearly as bad as you did.

I am interested to see everyone's comments, observations, feelings, etc about the information contained in this program and of "the way things were."

What is sad to me---we do have an element that exists out there--- that if they had their way--- they would like nothing more than to "turn back the clock" on the rights of GLBT people to live as they want and even more insidious--- people such as this would like to make it unacceptable that society is as tolerant of "gay rights" that it has become.

[Long Duck Dong]

shows a interesting difference between then and now...and yes I agree, not much has changed ..... you are still fighting for basic rights but so much has changed in the fact that as much as parts of society fight against the lgbt, they are still acknowledging that we exist and they have to, in order to fight against us

society as a whole has changed, the younger generations are a lot more accepting than the older generations and that has plus and negative flow on effects...... and if the current trend continues.... there will be no such thing as marriage .... as freedom of rights and choices will become the norm..... and open relationships will become the majority..... unfortunately, it will be matched by the increase in aids / hiv / std rates that we are also seeing.....

there are times I wonder if we did the right thing but the wrong way

[Realist]

Thanks for posting that, Volty

As I watched that, the thought came to me that it was immensely easier for a bisexual, than a gay person, in those days. What a hell it was for those who were solidly gay, or lesbian. They had no alternative but to hide and remain in the shadows, while bisexuals easily melted into crowds and society....unnoticed.

Early-on, I knew I could be whoever I wanted to be, as long as I exhibited my heterosexuality. My gay side had to be closely guarded and only in the most secure of situations could I explore my desire for same-gender interaction.

As a bisexual, who had my first intimate m/m experience in 1954, I had learned by observation, that gays were often treated worse than the blacks, gangsters, or even the insane. It was prudent for me to suppress public exhibitions of affections and desire for male acquaintances, while being as open as I felt with the opposite sex.

The folks depicted in this film were certainly very brave for their stand. It is obvious that gay people have benefited from the inroads they initiated for acceptance and equal rights!

[sammie19]

Homosexuality for men was legalised in England and Wales several years before the Stonewall riots but in Scotland and Northern Ireland not until 1981 and 1982 respectively. It has never been illegal for women in any of those countries.

The Stonewall riots made their mark felt in each country of the UK as time passed and gay and bisexual people began to assert themselves and struggle for rights which had long believed to be outwith their reach. The establishment of Stonewall organisations in the UK attest to that and whether we are a gay male, a lesbian woman or a bisexual of either sex, we have much to thank those people for of so long ago. They gave us a belief in ourselves which had been missing that direct action in the face of prejudice could make things better for us and that we need no longer hide in the night.:)

Without the Stonewall riots, the world for us would be a very different and much more dangerous place.

[drugstore cowboy]

society as a whole has changed, the younger generations are a lot more accepting than the older generations and that has plus and negative flow on effects...... and if the current trend continues.... there will be no such thing as marriage .... as freedom of rights and choices will become the norm..... and open relationships will become the majority..... unfortunately, it will be matched by the increase in aids / hiv / std rates that we are also seeing.....

there are times I wonder if we did the right thing but the wrong way

Oh that "evil" younger generation! Those "evil" people Getting into open relationships and being honest about who they're having sex with and still having safer sex, instead of pretending to be monogamous, lying and cheating, and avoiding having safer sex.

By "evil" I meant that sarcastically or in a joking way, in case it wasn't evident enough.

You do realize that it's quite possible to have safer sex correctly with someone that's HIV+ or who even has AIDS, or even other STDs and you're not going to get them right?

Just because you yourself are against open relationships or open marriages that does not mean that they do not work and that there's something wrong with having an open marriage or an open relationship.

[DuckiesDarling]

You know when I first heard of Stonewall? Not on tv, not out of history books, I heard about it when AIDS began running rampant within the United States. It was like a little sidenote, it wasn't until I began researching things that I realized something momentous had happened. No longer was a large part of our population going to be silenced. I find myself years later applauding the bravery they showed in much the same way many of us remember Rosa Parks for being brave and just too damned tired to move from her seat on the bus. Changes are always happening because of things like this, some move along a lot faster and some roll slow as molasses uphill in Janaury, but sooner or later change always comes. I just hope the changes that we get put everyone on equal footing and let everyone be allowed to be who they are and marry who they want without all the bullshit hoops to jump through.

[tenni]

Thanks Voltie for the link.

I watched it all. I am old enough to have an awareness of that era and the challenges made against repressive attitudes of the establishment of the time. Even though I was unaware of Stonewall for decades later, there was energetic hope and optimism against oppression in many areas of society for the ten years before and after Stonewall. Stonewall and sexual freedom were at the forefront of change during the "Summer of Love". It was all over the counter culture movement in the music, in the art, in the cinema. The film "Woodstock" was of the same summer as Stonewall. Drugs, love, peace baby...lol

I find this statement connecting open relationships to AIDS/hiv/std rates pejorative, near hysterically judgmental and as bigoted as the belief that homosexuality is a mental illness.

[Doggiestyle]

Thanks Voltman for posting this documentary and gay / lesbian freedoms have come a long way in this country too, and I'm glad of it.

I still cringe at the thoughts that society had against the gay / lesbian folks, back when I was a teenager. As a matter of fact, it seemed like it was kinda of a duty for the straight,law abiding, red-neck citizens of this country to harass, make fun of, call names to and even beat up on those that pursued those kinds of activities. And that was especially true here in the south. I can remember when if someone that had a feminine, soft spoken voice, that would start everybody else to grinning at them, and you know what followed after that. Put them all on an island and then blow them all up they would say!

When I was a teen I felt the urge to explore my gay side as well as my straight side too. On many occasions I played on "both sides of the street" so to speak. I did however keep my gay side very much so in the closet. I have always spent my life in the closet, and am quite comfortable with that even to this day. Even to this day, the place where I work at now, if they were to find out, life there would be tough until I would get booted out the door! To me, I have found life a lot easier for me to stay in the closet and just be careful.

I must commend those that stood up to the law / general population of the city, that must have took a lot of courage to stand up and give them the finger and say something like "yeah were queers, so what, were not the only ones and there's plenty of us everywhere, so get used to it".

And so this brings me to say that you to think of what is happening now days in the Arab / Muslim world. To be gay, partially gay, get caught socializing with,or even suspected of being gay meant that you would probably get beheaded or stoned to death in public. Now that's a tough sentence alright.

Well that is what I have to say about that :2cents: Your friend, :doggie: