 by the linsterColumns
Video
Currently Recapping
Popular People
|
"Summer of Stonewall" honors 40 years of LGBT activismWhen I first came out, I dated a reporter who sometimes took me along on interviews. One such time, we went to the home of an older gay man to hear about his experiences growing up gay in Dallas. He took us into a room packed with newspaper and magazine articles going back some 50 years that chronicled the LGBT quest for equality. As someone who never even heard the word “lesbian” until I was well into my 20s, I was overwhelmed.
Memorial Day weekend seems a good time to think about our LGBT heroes — the men and women who fought — and still fight — tirelessly to make life a bit easier for those who follow.
This summer, in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, In the Life will present the Summer of Stonewall, a three-part mini-series featuring reflections and firsthand accounts from activists and leaders of the LBGT movement, past and present.
The first episode, “40th Anniversary of Stonewall,” airing June 1, features first-hand accounts from some truly incredible men and women, including two remarkable lesbians. Phyllis Lyon I can’t think about Lyon and her late wife Del Martin without getting teary. So many things that today’s lesbians take for granted (like AfterEllen.com) would simply not be possible without the pioneering work of these two courageous women. If you don’t know about Lyon and Martin, make a point of reading Malinda Lo’s tribute to Martin and follow the links in the post to learn more. You owe it to yourself. Martin (left) and Lyon on June 16, 2008 Torie Osborn Osborn is a personal hero to me, probably because I once met her and decided we would be BFFs if we got to know each other. She was one of the lesbians most visible in the fight against AIDS during the worst years of the epidemic and then became director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, doubling membership and tripling revenues. Other segments in Summer of Stonewall look at the role of LGBT youth, then and now, the literature of the LGBT movement and the affect of the Internet, the “state of the movement” for equal rights, a conversation between drag queen Lady Bunny and ACT UP founder Larry Kramer, and the story of Gilbert Baker, the “gay Betsy Ross” who designed the rainbow flag.
Summer of Stonewall continues in July with a look at LGBT civil rights organizations and August brings an overview of LGBT arts and culture. You can see the trailer at In the Life’s website. Will Summer of Stonewall be a part of your summer viewing? Who are your LGBT heroes? Submitted by on May 22, 2009 - 2:00pm. |
Recent blog posts
New forum topicsActive TopicsNew Comments
|
Welcome to AfterEllen.com!
- Login
- Join Now!
News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media
Stonewall
oooooooo, sounds interestingly awesome! Ive been doing a lot of reading about stonewall so this is totally going to to be part of my summer viewing.
"Butch/Femme is all about relating to each other like ladies and gentlemen—no matter our genitals."
LGB(T)
It is a shame that the name 'Stonewall' is becoming, thanks to Stonewall UK, so tarnished thanks to their view on the 'T' part of LGBT. Not only have they firmly rejected adding the 'T' or to do anything to aid that part of our community, and thus ignoring the role that a great many transpeople played in the riots, but they are actively awarding transphobic journalists such as Julie Bindel.
It is a shame that the brave people mentioned in this post, among others, are being dishonoured so.
Barbara Jordan>>
She was a force, that's for damn sure. And as a black, southern queer woman, to say she means a great deal to me is an understatement. If you don't know who Barbra Jordan was, I highly recommend you find her speeches, her biography (if you can find it- it may be out of print) and just research the woman. Why she is just barely listed in the great pantheon of queer heroes, I have no idea.
Other queer folks I dig: Audrey Lorde, Zora Neale Hurston, Angela Davis, Leslie Feinberg, Harvey, Frida Kahlo, Wanda Alston, Bessie Smith, Big Mama Thornton, Hattie McDaniel, Marlene Dietrich, Hanifah Walidah, Olive Demetrius, Staceyann Chin, Tika Milan, Lucas Silveira, Doria Roberts and Me (because at the age of 32 I FINALLY came out to my family this year! Woot)
Great Queer Folks
Congratulations Shortypants.
I say yes to all you listed as heroes. Also folks don't forget pre-stonewall aka the holocaust museum in DC. You must visit there before you leave this earth. It features Gays and Lesbians who were murdered during the Holocaust. It changed me at 16. I think what motivated me to come out.
Stonewall is significant. One day the history of LGBTQI with Stonewall as turning point in American LGBTQI civil rights history will be taught in schools. I hope one day.
Yeah I plan on watching
Yeah I plan on watching it. I like history and I figure I should learn about the people who have impacted my life so much.
Right now my main hero is Rachel Maddow. She is pretty much the epitome of what I want to be when I'm older. She's out, intelligent, clever, and #6 on the Hot 100. Plus, she has managed to get me even more interested in politics (I thought that was impossible). She's legendary! She is just awesome.
--------
"Great. Not only do I feel creepy but now I look like I'm 1,000 and that I've been smoking meth all my life." -Sara Quin
Totally with you on Barbara
footnotes
Even though it was mostly gay men who were at Stonewall, legend is that it was a FTM person, Storme Delarvarie, who threw the first punch during the raid.
And while I'm standing on my box marked "soap," I would also like to point out that a similar police raid/riot happened two years earlier at a gay bar in Los Angeles, known as the Black Cat. It got some local press, but not the national attention like Stonewall. The gay liberation movement extends FAR beyond 1969. Couple of dates to consider: 1946 - Vice Versa, a hand-typed lesbian 'zine distributed in Los Angeles; 1949 - Gay Girls Guide to New York, an anonymously published directory for gay men; 1951 - Mattachine Society, secret meetings and discussion groups of gay men and lesbians held throughout California.
"Every time two lesbians kiss, an angel gets its wings." --Roseanne
My hero...
I third that notion ShortyPants.
There is no doubt...I am definitely looking forward to this mini-series.
My hero is my former teacher, Professor Powell. She introduced me to the history of the LGBT community by telling me to research Lisa Ben. From there I've been introduced to Phyliss Lyon, Del Martin, Stonewall, Barbara Smith, Barbara Gittings, Barbara Jordan, Byllye Avery, and a host of others. I applaud her to this day for going outside of the classroom cirriculum to help me understand LGBTQ history. She continues to send me articles and information on upcoming events.
Also, thanks to AE staff and commentors, because I learn something new everyday on this site.
" True enjoyment comes from activity of the mind and exercise of the body; the two are ever united" ~ Wilhelm von Humbolt
omg
just when i thought school was over. it comes back, this time in a good way
i just did a final paper for school... and one of my main arguements were about stonewall =)
follow me on twitter___
http://twitter.com/iggy029
wow
media coverage of lgbt issues? not on logo???
amazing. its always good to know your history and pay homage to the pioneers.
i for sure will be tuning in!
adrienne rich; it's ok to be gay.
i struggled terribly with coming to terms with my sexuality; and for me, reading adrienne rich helped me very much. i met her once at a poetry reading, she truly is an exceptional woman.
i am gay, and i always have been, i just needed someone to tell me.