Greenwich Village LGBT culture in New York City

1 greenwich village

1.1 gay urban bohemia
1.2 strife in 1960s
1.3 modern history

greenwich village


lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgender community center

the manhattan neighborhoods of greenwich village , harlem home sizable homosexual population after world war i, when men , women had served in military took advantage of opportunity settle in larger cities. enclaves of gays , lesbians, described newspaper story short-haired women , long-haired men , developed distinct subculture through following 2 decades. prohibition inadvertently benefited gay establishments, drinking alcohol pushed underground along other behaviors considered immoral. new york city passed laws against homosexuality in public , private businesses, because alcohol in high demand, speakeasies , impromptu drinking establishments numerous , temporary authorities unable police them all.

as gay urban bohemia

the social repression of 1950s resulted in cultural revolution in greenwich village. cohort of poets, later named beat poets, wrote evils of social organization @ time, glorifying anarchy, drugs, , hedonistic pleasures on unquestioning social compliance, consumerism, , closed mindedness. of them, allen ginsberg , william s. burroughs—both greenwich village residents—also wrote bluntly , homosexuality. writings attracted sympathetic liberal-minded people, homosexuals looking community.

gay street, @ corner of waverly place, in greenwich village


strife in 1960s

by 1960s, campaign rid new york city of gay bars in full effect order of mayor robert f. wagner, jr., concerned image of city in preparation 1964 world s fair. city revoked liquor licenses of bars, , undercover police officers worked entrap many homosexual men possible. entrapment consisted of undercover officer found man in bar or public park, engaged him in conversation; if conversation headed toward possibility might leave together—or officer bought man drink—he arrested solicitation. 1 story in new york post described arrest in gym locker room, officer grabbed crotch, moaning, , man asked him if right arrested. few lawyers defend cases undesirable these, , of lawyers kicked fees arresting officer.

the mattachine society succeeded in getting newly elected mayor john lindsay end campaign of police entrapment in new york city. had more difficult time new york state liquor authority (sla). while no laws prohibited serving homosexuals, courts allowed sla discretion in approving , revoking liquor licenses businesses might become disorderly . despite high population of gays , lesbians called greenwich village home, few places existed, other bars, able congregate openly without being harassed or arrested. in 1966, new york mattachine held sip-in @ greenwich village bar named julius, frequented gay men, illustrate discrimination homosexuals faced.

none of bars frequented gays , lesbians owned gay people in 1960s. of them owned , controlled organized crime, treated regulars poorly, watered down liquor, , overcharged drinks. however, paid off police prevent frequent raids.

modern history

greenwich village contained world s oldest gay , lesbian bookstore, oscar wilde bookshop, founded in 1967 permanently closed in 2009 citing recession , rise of online booksellers. lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgender community center – best known center – has occupied former food & maritime trades high school @ 208 west 13th street since 1984. in 2006, village scene of assault involving 7 lesbians , straight man sparked appreciable media attention, strong statements both defending , attacking parties. in june 2015, thousands gathered in front of stonewall inn celebrate ruling u.s. supreme court affirming same-sex marriage in fifty u.s. states, while in june 2016, thousands gathered in vigil orlando pulse nightclub massacre. in february 2017, thousands protested @ stonewall national monument against proposed policies of administration of u.s. president donald j. trump affecting both lgbtq individuals , international immigrants, including holding intersection of these identities.