Cultural heritage represents a shared bond and sense of belonging within a community. While I have not always felt as though I belonged within the community, I have a deep sense of pride in the history of Queer Rights. I wouldn’t say that I necessarily dedicated time to researching queer history, but I have spent some time watching related documentaries and educational videos online.
For example, the Stonewall Uprising. On June 28th, 1969, the police raided a queer bar in New York City. They would do this periodically because the gay community was an easy target for them. Tired of being the victim of constant harassment and bullying by the police, the patrons of Stonewall Bar in NYC revolted against the police. Marsha P. Johnson is often credited as throwing the first brick, but she said she hadn’t arrived until later during the uprising. Regardless of who started it, it was the opportunity that we needed in order to put our foot down.
This may not have been the start gay history, but it was the start of the modern-day gay rights movement. The following year, in 1970 we held our first pride parade in memory of the Stonewall Uprising. This began the tradition of June being Pride Month.
In 1977, Harvey Milk became the first openly gay publicly voted for official. He won a seat on San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors. Unfortunately, he was assassinated the following this. This, however, really motivated the queer rights movement.
We fought a lot of battles over the years, and we still find ourselves in the midst of battles to this day. One of the proudest moments of my life was in 2015, when the U.S. Supreme Court decided that marriage rights extend to same-sex couples. This was a monumental step in the right direction, but it doesn’t mean that the fight is over.
There are many things happening in our world today that are contributing to LGBTQ+ History even as we speak. For example, the debate over whether or not drag queens should be allowed to read books to children in libraries. Honestly, I never understood what the hubbub was about. If dressing up in flashy outfits and hairstyles gets kids to read books, then I think it’s a net positive!
Queer History doesn’t begin here, nor does it end here. During our lifetimes, we are fortunate to witness just a sliver of the beautiful and varied history of ours. It’s our duty to uphold our values and ensure that our history continues to be made.
It goes without saying that a lot of appreciation goes out to those who came before me, to those who fought the battle during the darkest times of our history. A lot of thanks should go out to those who continue to fight for equality.
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