History as gay metropolis LGBT culture in New York City

1 history gay metropolis

1.1 stonewall inn
1.2 stonewall riots

1.2.1 police raid


1.3 transgender contribution
1.4 state of new york official lgbt monument

history gay metropolis

charles kaiser, author of gay metropolis: landmark history of gay life in america, wrote in era after world war ii, new york city became literal gay metropolis hundreds of thousands of immigrants within , without united states: place chose learn how live openly, , without shame.

stonewall inn

the stonewall inn, located @ 51 , 53 christopher street, along several other establishments in city, owned genovese crime family. in 1966, 3 members of mafia invested $3,500 turn stonewall inn gay bar, after had been restaurant , nightclub heterosexuals. once week police officer collect envelopes of cash payoff; stonewall inn had no liquor license. had no running water behind bar—used glasses run through tubs of water , reused. there no fire exits, , toilets overran consistently. though bar not used prostitution, drug sales , other cash transactions took place. bar gay men in new york city dancing allowed; dancing main draw since re-opening gay club.

visitors stonewall inn in 1969 greeted bouncer inspected them through peephole in door. legal drinking age 18, , avoid unwittingly letting in undercover police (who called lily law , alice blue gown , or betty badge ), visitors have known doorman, or gay. entrance fee on weekends $3, customer received 2 tickets exchanged 2 drinks. patrons required sign names in book prove bar private bottle club , signed real names. there 2 dance floors in stonewall; interior painted black, making dark inside, pulsing gel lights or black lights. if police spotted, regular white lights turned on, signaling should stop dancing or touching. in rear of bar smaller room frequented queens ; 1 of 2 bars effeminate men wore makeup , teased hair (though dressed in men s clothing) go. few transvestites, or men in full drag, allowed in bouncers. customers 98 percent male few lesbians came bar. younger homeless adolescent males, slept in nearby christopher park, try in customers buy them drinks. age of clientele ranged between upper teens , thirties, , racial mix evenly distributed among white, black, , hispanic patrons. because of mix of people, location, , attraction of dancing, stonewall inn known many gay bar in city .

location of stonewall inn in relation greenwich village

police raids on gay bars frequent, occurring on average once month each bar. many bars kept liquor in secret panel behind bar, or in car down block, facilitate resuming business possible if alcohol seized. bar management knew raids beforehand due police tip-offs, , raids occurred enough in evening business commence after police had finished. during typical raid, lights turned on, , customers lined , identification cards checked. without identification or dressed in full drag arrested; others allowed leave. of men, including in drag, used draft cards identification. women required wear 3 pieces of feminine clothing, , arrested if found not wearing them. employees , management of bars typically arrested. period before june 28, 1969, marked frequent raids of local bars—including raid @ stonewall inn on tuesday before riots—and closing of checkerboard, tele-star, , 2 other clubs in greenwich village.

on june 23, 2015, stonewall inn first landmark in new york city recognized new york city landmarks preservation commission on basis of status in lgbt history, , on june 24, 2016, stonewall national monument named first u.s. national monument dedicated lgbtq-rights movement.

stonewall riots

police raid

layout of stonewall inn, 1969

at 1:20 a.m. on saturday, june 28, 1969, 4 plainclothes policemen in dark suits, 2 patrol officers in uniform, , detective charles smythe , deputy inspector seymour pine arrived @ stonewall inn s double doors , announced police! re taking place! stonewall employees not recall being tipped off raid occur night, custom. according duberman (p. 194), there rumor 1 might happen, since later raids took place, stonewall management thought tip inaccurate. days after raid, 1 of bar owners complained tipoff had never come, , raid ordered bureau of alcohol, tobacco, , firearms, objected there no stamps on liquor bottles, indicating alcohol bootlegged.

historian david carter presents information indicating mafia owners of stonewall , manager blackmailing wealthier customers, particularly worked in financial district. appeared making more money extortion liquor sales in bar. carter deduces when police unable receive kickbacks blackmail , theft of negotiable bonds (facilitated pressuring gay wall street customers), decided close stonewall inn permanently. 2 undercover policewomen , 2 undercover policemen had entered bar earlier evening gather visual evidence, public morals squad waited outside signal. once inside, called backup sixth precinct using bar s pay telephone. music turned off , main lights turned on. approximately 205 people in bar night. patrons had never experienced police raid confused. few realized happening began run doors , windows in bathrooms, police barred doors. michael fader remembered,

things happened fast kind of got caught not knowing. of sudden there police there , told in lines , have our identification ready led out of bar.

the raid did not go planned. standard procedure line patrons, check identification, , have female police officers take customers dressed women bathroom verify gender, upon men dressed women arrested. dressed women night refused go officers. men in line began refuse produce identification. police decided take present police station, after separating cross-dressing in room in of bar. maria ritter, known steve family, recalled, biggest fear arrested. second biggest fear picture in newspaper or on television report in mother s dress! both patrons , police recalled sense of discomfort spread quickly, spurred police began assault of lesbians feeling of them inappropriately while frisking them.

transgender contribution

the transgender community in new york city played significant role in fighting lgbt equality during period of stonewall riots , thereafter. however, until stonewall riots, community had felt marginalized , neglected gay community. on next several decades , since inception of 21st century, new york city s transgender community has grown in size , prominence, reaching estimated 25,000 in 2016.

state of new york official lgbt monument

on june 25, 2017, day of 2017 new york city pride march festivities, new york governor andrew cuomo announced artist anthony goicolea had been chosen design first official monument lgbt individuals commissioned state of new york – in contrast stonewall national monument, commissioned u.s. federal government. state monument planned built in hudson river park in manhattan, near waterfront hudson river piers have served historically significant symbols of new york s role meeting place , safe haven lgbt communities.