The Stonewall Riots and How They Affected the LGBT Community

The Stonewall riots are notable for being the first instance in American history when the homosexual community fought back against their oppressors and led to repercussions across the world.
Many deem this event as the beginning of the gay rights movement and within six months, two gay activist organisations were formed, as well as three newspapers that promoted rights for the LGBT community.
In 1969, bars were generally the only place that the gay and lesbian community could gather in public - these bars were often controlled by the mafia and may have involved illegal operations within.
This, coupled with the illegality of homosexuality, attracted a lot of police attention and patrons were frequently arrested and taken to jail without a legitimate charge.
Some names were also published in the papers, leading to them being publicly shamed and fired from their job.
The Stonewall Inn was an illegal establishment owned by the mafia who would pay cash to the police as a payoff - there was no liquor license, no running water and no fire exits.
That year, on the night of June 27th, the atmosphere was different.
The bar had been raided the previous Tuesday and many surrounding clubs had been shut down.
On this Friday night/Saturday morning, the Stonewall Inn had attracted a fair number of patrons and as could be unfortunately expected, the police raided the establishment.
However, rather than hide and cower, many fought back, throwing bottles and rocks at the police and standing their ground, whilst shouting 'Gay Power!' Word quickly spread about this rebellion and for several nights afterwards, crowds grew outside the Stonewall Inn, leading to further protests and village residents organising into activist groups to establish an area where the gay community would not be oppressed and could be open without fear.
This set off the gay rights movement, which has had serious impact throughout the world - clearly not enough yet, as many countries still outlaw homosexuality.
However, there are a number of fantastic areas for the LGBT community, such as Brighton, UK, where people from all industries march in a Pride parade, or in a number of areas in the USA, such as where San Francisco office workers band together to celebrate homosexuality and enforce the importance of freedom and equality.
There have been a number of setbacks such as the passing of Proposition 8 and a number of victories for the LGBT community; however with more awareness, understanding and recognition of human rights, we can hopefully reach a situation where homosexuals are no longer oppressed anywhere.