The Story of Stonewall

Historical Analysis post-Rebellion

Armstrong & Crage present information that explains why the raid on Stonewall, not any more unique than other raids on gay bars in major cities, was the night that was commemorated as a pivotal event in gay history. ACT UP, FIGHT BACK, GAY POWER!The patrons of Stonewall, on those nights and even today, knew the importance of "saying gay."SAY GAY! NOW OR NEVER!

On pages 725-7, Armstrong & Crage provide several factors necessary for commemoration: Commemorability – people work to commemorate events that they think believe are significant, and this continuation of memorability requires continued activity and upkeep.

Mnemonic Capacity – the skills and resources needed to establish "commemorative vehicles," or justifications for commemoration, plus a plan to commemorate the event, are required of leaders stepping up to throw the first brick.

Resonance – how strongly the event resonates with the intended audience; simply put, the more familiar a commemorative form is to an audience, the more likely it is to resonate. 

Unlike the Compton's Cafeteria disturbance in 1966 or the raid on the Snake Pit in 1970, Stonewall had high-resource, middle-class, radical, white gay men involved in its efforts. 

The Rebellion gained notoriety and media coverage simply because of WHO was targeted and WHERE. 

Stonewall had activists like Craig Rodwell, a prominent member of a homophile group, who called several news sources when the crowd turned rowdy on Friday (737). People like Rodwell had the capacity and resources to project cultural significance onto the event. As Armstrong argues, the raid on its own was not entirely unique or worthy of national recognition, but the many people involved made the story newsworthy. 

 However, Armstrong & Crage caution against placing too much significance on the event, or any one instance of resistance. Stonewall did not become famous because it was a singular night of "riots." It gained significance because of rock-ribbed, obnstinate, strong, and willful actvisits took to the streets. 

This was, and remains, explicitly protected by the First Amendment in the United States.

Some would consider Stonewall to be the start of the gay liberation movement, but these authors rightly challenge this concept. 

  This perspective overlooks the causal reality: The Rebellion never could have occurred had it not been for prior gay liberation activism. 

 As Armstrong & Crage explain: "gay liberation was a precondition for the recognition of the political potential of the situation at the Stonewall Inn" (743). 

 Had the patrons not felt empowered, courage to fight back against constant police harassment they faced may not have materialized, and they never would have made the efforts to commemorate the event as they did. 

To claim that Stonewall was the start of this movement, when demonstrations like it had occurred for years prior, is reductive and misinformed. 

 While Stonewall was a historic event in gay history, it was NOT the start of the gay liberation movement. 

Ultimately, it was the beginning of the increased visibility for queer people and Queer resistance to police harassment. 

 As Armstrong & Crage argue, Stonewall was not commemorated because of its impact on the gay rights movement.

The Rebellion was passionately and widely celebrated, subsequently remembered by millions across the globe with Pride Parades and holidays (June is Pride Month because of Stonewall), and this subsequently changed the movement (744).