OPINION
On this day in 1969 the Stonewall Riots began in New York City. In the early hours of the morning patrons at the now famous tavern resisted arrest during a police raid and kicked the GLBTI rights movement into overdrive.
I think it’s important to remember that the patrons at the Inn that night were not the academics, or the wealthy but the most marginalised members of the community. It was the sex workers, the trans* community, the drag queens, the homeless, and the poorest members of the queer community who were at The Stonewall Inn when the raid riots began.
Looking back from 2013 a myriad of achievements have been made and many rights have been gained. The battle for gay rights – while not yet over – is certainly closer to the finish line than the starting line.
Yet the members of our community who still face the greatest discrimination in society are the very people who kicked off the fight. The needs of the trans* community are so far to go, sex workers are still shunned within our own community and homeless remains a constant for many LGBTIQ people.
How far have we really come?
