Download Stonewall: Breaking out in the Fight for Gay Rights AudioBook Free
That's the Stonewall. The Stonewall Inn. Pay attention. History walks during that door. In 1969, being homosexual in the United States was a criminal offense. It supposed living a closeted life or surviving on the fringes of culture. People visited jail, lost jobs, and were disowned by their own families for being homosexual. Most doctors considered homosexuality a mental illness. There were few safe havens. The Stonewall Inn - a Mafia-run, filthy, overpriced pub in New York City's Greenwich Community - was one of them. Authorities raids on homosexual bars took place regularly in this age. But one hot June night, when cops pounded on the door of the Stonewall, almost nothing went as organized. Tensions were high. The group refused to disappear completely. Anger and annoyance boiled over. The raid became a riot. The riot became a catalyst. The catalyst activated an explosive demand for homosexual rights. Ann Bausum's riveting exploration of the Stonewall Riots and the countrywide Gay Rights movements that followed is eye-opening, unflinching, and inspiring.
