NEW YORK — The Stonewall Inn in New York City’s West Village hosted a special party on Monday to mark the first full week of Pride Month.
The Stonewall Inn, where the gay rights movement began, hosted a fundraiser for Inclusion Tennessee, a group dedicated to fighting the gay rights movement. drag queen ban that made national news before it got to that point declared unconstitutional and other legislation that attacks the gay community.
“It’s about making sure there is representation for members of the queer community who don’t have other options, like not being able to just move to another place,” says Jen Spinner.
“I think there are way too many holes in Nashville for the government to worry about drag queens,” said musician Joy Oladokun, who identifies as gender nonconforming and lives in Nashville.
The American Civil Liberties Union is tracking hundreds of bills in the US that aim to roll back the rights of LGBTQ+ Americans.
Stonewall riots sparked the gay rights movement
In 1969, riots against police officers at the historic Stonewall Inn sparked the movement.
“This is the first time I’ve ever had the honor of being here and I got to share the history of Stonewall with my partner, who is from Venezuela,” said Patrick Custer.
Stacy Lentz, co-owner of Stonewall, said the rights the queer community enjoys today cannot be taken for granted.
“Everything they fought for in this place in 1969 can easily be erased,” Lentz said. “It is crazy to think that in 2024, 55 years after the riots, our community is still under attack.”
