He manages the department lesbian gay transsexual and bisexual department. And mr. Trust thought. Were looking forward to learning a lot, and looking back through your eyes and perspectives on where we were 50 years ago. It is kind of hard to believe. I would like to start with you if we can. What was new york like what was america like, for gays and lesbian and transgender citizens before the stonewall riots. What was it like for the Lgbtq Community. It is really counter intuitive, because there is a common tendency in this country, to assume you dont for the we go back in history the worst things are going to be. But in the whole history of the entirety of the u. S. History, the sixties and fifties were probably the very worst time for lgbt people. That is because, there have been a period of liberalization in the 1920s, and you know it was generally a liberal period in the 1920s. With the Great Depression coming along, that seem to begin a clamp down on and i will use the term gay p
Award. Also with u. S. Today is detective brian downy, the president of the Gay Officers Action League goal of new york which is addressing the needs and issues and concerns of the Lgbt Community. Also on hand with us today is lieutenant brett parson, district native. How many years on the force . Almost 26. 26 years. And he manages, you should know, the departments lesbian gay, bisexual transgender liaison unit here in d. C. And mr. Prescott, a journalist, novelist, screen writer as well and columnist for salon. So thank you all for taking part in this today. Im looking forward to learning a lot and looking back with you through your eyes and perspectives on where we were 50 years ago. Its kind of hard to believe. David, i would like to start with you, if we can. What was new york like . What was america like, for gay, lesbians, transgender citizens before the stonewall riots . What was it like for the Lgbt Community . Well, its really counterintuitive because theres a common tendency
Up next, a discussion on the 1969 police raid on the Stonewall Inn and how it sparked the gay rights movement. This is from the National Law Enforcement museum in washington, d. C. Well, its my pleasure and honor to be back with you and back with as we stream as well. Were looking back on 50 years, where we were 50 years ago at the stonewall riots and how far weve come, the changes that have been made and the changes still to come, too. Before we get started, i would like to introduce our esteemed panel, if we can. Starting with david carter, the author of stonewall the riots that sparked the gay revolution, the basis for american experience, the film stonewall uprising which won a peabody award. Also with u. S. Today is detective brian downy, the president of the Gay Officers Action League goal of new york which is addressing the needs and issues and concerns of the Lgbt Community. Also on hand with us today is lieutenant brett parson, district native. How many years on the force . Al
This was the rosa parks moment for gay people. It was their neighborhood, it was their bar. It seemed like it was a war zone. There was the Tactical Police force, police cars, sirens. And then somebody started a fire. Stonewall was the spark. The Gay Liberation front was the torch lit by that spark. We carried that torch out of the closet, into the streets. Were america. You cant separate us out. I think its not a civil rights issue, its a moral issue. A 50year battle for equal rights and respect. I could not have guessed that at this age i would be married to a man. I never could have seen that coming. Im here doing what im doing because of all of the generations before me. Stonewall has taught us, you have to fight for what you want. And once your voice is heard, theres no turning back. They call me mayor pete, and i am running for president of the United States. 50 years ago, it would have been unthinkable for an openly gay person to run for any public office. We did capture 73 of t
They decide, enough is enough. We by follow take it anymore. We will not have it anymore. An explosive confrontation at an illegal bar that changed history. This was the rosa parks moment for gay people. It was their neighborhood, it was their bar. It seemed like it was a war zone. There was the Tactical Police force, police cars, sirens. And then somebody started a fire. Stonewall was the spark. The Gay Liberation front was the torch lit by that spark. We carried that torch out of the closet, into the streets. Were america. You cant separate us out. I think its not a civil rights issue, its a moral issue. A 50year battle for equal rights and respect. I could not have guessed that at this age i would be married to a man. I never could have seen that coming. Im here doing what im doing because of all of the generations before me. Stonewall has taught us, you have to fight for what you want. And once your voice is heard, theres no turning back. They call me mayor pete, and i am running f