On the morning of June 28, 1969, a group of patrons at the Stonewall Inn – a New York city bar that was a frequent target of police raids because it catered to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community – fought back against police brutality and harassment. Their uprising set in motion a wave of activism among LGBT people that continued for five more consecutive nights and came to be known as the Stonewall Rebellion, the Stonewall Uprising or the Stonewall Riots, and many historians credit Stonewall with putting the issue of LGBT civil rights on the American political map
With the 40th anniversary of Stonewall occurring this month, GLAAD is encouraging media professionals to use this important milestone as an opportunity to look at the progress made by the LGBT community and its allies over the last 40 years, as well as to examine recent progress and setbacks on LGBT-related policy issues at the federal, state and local level. GLAAD also encourages journalists to frame their coverage of 2009 Pride events, many of which will occur in June, in the context of these past 40 years of cultural, legal, political and community progress.
©2010 Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation