On this day in 1969, June 28th, Police raided the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighbourhood of Manhattan, New York City USA. One year later on June 27th 1970 were the first gay rights parades were held in Chicago and San Francisco, and a day later, on the anniversary of the Stonewall raid in New York.

I usually use my blog space on Mondays for something related to church or churches, leaving other topics for Wednesdays. This week I am swapping them over in order to mark Pride week on the anniversary of the Stonewall riots.

You might be aware of the name Stone wall as the name of a gay rights group. This is the history or that name.

Police raids, along with brutality were a feature of gay bars in the USA through the 1950s and 60s, but the bars were usually tipped-off about when they would happen. On June 28th 1969 there was no tip-off. Police had to barricade themselves inside as years of intimidation prejudice and abuse reached their boiling point. The protests and rioting continued for six days. The aftermath was positive as gay rights groups were formed and gay newspapers were published.

The fight for this group of people to be accepted for what they are had begun.

I am concerned about the right of fair treatment for all minority groups. Disabled rights and Neurodivergent rights are the things that affect me, but the struggle to be accepted for who and what we are is the same fight.