esrosedotblog

STONEWALL

Today marks the 37th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in which some of the early seeds were sown for the gay liberation movement.

Similar actions were occurring in other parts of the country at about the same time; the Black Cat riots in LA; the founding of the first gay political groups; the advent of gay consciousness raising groups; self help communes.

The 'coming out' of thousands of men and women was encouraged by the revolutionary tone of the decade. We found a way for our selves in the general flowering of the counterculture.

I would be swept up in all this some 3 or 4 years later.

I was acutely aware of Stonewall and it worked on me.

At first, I did not identify with the men who were involved in this turn of events. Many of them were 'flamboyant'.

Well, of course; compared to me.

Threatening.

I took small baby steps nonetheless.

Early on, in Boston, I became involved with some small groups. One at Harvard which was so intellectualized that 'nothing happened'. Of course, we were meeting weekly. That was plenty.

I got involved in a crisis center for gay men; phone lines and all.

Little by little I found my way and the ones who seemed 'so flamboyant' to me, at the time, became good friends.

They led the way.

I am so grateful to these pioneers.

Words cannot express.