Stonewall Uprising Recalls American Fascism
What do you call a government or society that systematically deprives a group of individuals legal protection and basic civil rights, and uses its many propaganda outlets to “warn” the public about members of that group?
When the group is a segment of society that is feared, not due to fact but due to the intentional dissemination of misinformation, what kind of government makes laws against their activities, restricts their freedom, and persecutes endlessly? Well, that’s my kind of government! And if you’re an American, it’s your kind of government and society, too.
On Monday, April 25, 2011, 9:00 p.m. (check local listings) American Experience (PBS) will premiere Stonewall Uprising, a documentary that closely examines the 1969 “riots” engendered by police raids of clubs frequented by homosexuals, events and attitudes leading up to the revolt, and its aftermath. Stonewall Uprising is incisive, riveting, and illuminating.
The first half of Stonewall Uprising features hilarious-if-you-weren’t-gay interviews, educational films, and television programs. They are hilarious in their ignorance, but frightening in their implication. They were also clear on one thing: being homosexual was the absolute worst thing one could “choose” to be. Nothing was more vile or reprehensible.
Being homosexual was an awful thing—people were conditioned to despise homosexuals, laws were written to prevent activities they might engage in (like “masquerading” or dancing), homosexuality itself was illegal in all but one state, and gays were subjected to medical experimentation and brutal treatments (including lobotomies) intended to “cure” them. In the sixties, homosexuality was so closeted, straight teens weren’t even aware it existed; it wasn’t acknowledged, no less discussed.
The immediate result of the Stonewall riots was the birth of the gay rights movement. Directed by Kate Davis and David Heilbroner, Stonewall Uprising is based on David Carter’s Stonewall: The Riots that Sparked the Gay Revolution. It is one of the best documentaries I’ve seen in the last ten years, honestly recounting a piece of our social history that has been largely ignored (or swept under the carpet).
Stonewall Uprising participants include police, journalists, and Stonewall Inn patrons (as well as former NYC mayor Ed Koch) who recall “the fervently hostile climate that gays were forced to live in” and the three nights of chaos that became known as the Stonewall riots. In addition to the PBS airing, Stonewall Uprising will be available on DVD April 26, 2011.
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