Stonewall Was Not a Riot
4 Mar 2019.  - Visual by Raymond Helkio

Stonewall was not a riot.  

Back in November, my partner and I went to a Reclaim Pride Coalition meeting in New York City. This growing global coalition of over 70 organizations (including some from Toronto) are using the 50th anniversary of the march at Stonewall as an opportunity to create an event that better represents the LGBTQIATS+ communities. 

And while this is exciting news for those of us who’ve felt pushed out of Pride, the most revealing part of the meeting came when Jim Fouratt, an early member of the Gay Liberation Front and longtime Yippie member, got up to speak, reminding the room that despite Heritage Pride’s (NYC Pride committee) disconnection with its history, “Stonewall was not a riot.” 

Here in Toronto our Pride organizing committee is busy at work also honouring the “riots” which, at best, reiterates a false heteronormative narrative that paints our communities as violent. A riot is defined as a “violent disturbance of the peace by a crowd”. But this, was not that. The rebellion that began at Stonewall was a community display of anger and frustration, but it never turned violent. No looting, no violence and no rioting took place. 

This “return-to-our-roots” ideology is expanding to other Prides around the world including France, Cologne Germany, Manchester England, Los Angeles and Calgary Alberta to name a few. Perhaps it’s time to rally behind a more inclusive theme such as “Until we’re all safe!”, but instead we’ve been sold out to corporations and organizations who present themselves as allies, while coopting Pride as a marketing vehicle. This shift in focus says a lot about the current generation of Pride organizers, many of whom are so far removed from history they cannot appreciate the hard-won privileges they enjoy.

The world will be watching NYC this summer as they celebrate both Stonewall 50 and WorldPride which is why the Reclaim Pride Coalition organized a return to its roots with the people’s march, which will be void of corporate floats and weaponized police. This grassroots action is also intended to mobilize the community around the many of the social and political battles that continue to be fought locally, nationally, and globally. 

The March recognizes the powerful legacy of the Stonewall Rebellion by highlighting the most marginalized members of our community, as we commit to addressing the ongoing struggles that our communities face.