LGBTQ+ Austinites and allies gathered on June 26 to honor the individuals who participated in the Stonewall Rebellion, a pivotal six-day protest by the LGBTQ+ community against police that sparked the modern gay rights movement 55 years ago.
“Stonewall is basically the stepping stone that began opening the door for LGBTQ rights,” rally emcee Kara Foxx-Paris said. “It allowed people to finally say we’ve had enough of discrimination, harassment, bullying and worse.”
The Austin Pride Foundation highlighted the importance of remembering queer history by having drag performers read firsthand accounts of the night of Stonewall. They reflected on the thousands of gay men and women who endured humiliation, physical abuse, job loss, imprisonment and institutionalization leading up to the June 28, 1969 protests.
“I think it’s important to remember,” rally attendee Lindy Guttormson said. “It’s easy to take stuff for granted and not remember how hard people work to get us to where we are.”
Ash Hall, a policy and advocacy strategist for the ACLU of Texas who spoke at the event, drew a parallel between the challenges faced by Stonewall protestors and those confronting Texas’ queer community today.
“Our legacy when we think about pride is very similar to theirs,” Hall said. “This is a legacy that we have inherited, where it’s our turn to fight for freedom and for our own rights, especially as they’re under attack in a way that we’ve never really seen before.”
The “attack” Hall mentioned refers to anti-LGBTQ+ state legislation passed last session, including Senate Bill 17, which required public colleges to end all diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. As a result, the Gender and Sexuality Center was renamed to the Women’s Community Center.
Austin Pride Board member Annie Chapa said she felt disheartened by the lack of inclusion for queer students.
“I just don’t want anybody to feel like they have to go into a closet or walk in fear,” Chapa said.
Speakers at the Capitol echoed the Stonewall pioneers as they called for citizens to advocate for the rights of LGBTQ+ people, particularly as the 89th Legislative Session approaches.
“We have an opportunity to make sure that no student is afraid to be who they are,” Hall said.
The event underscored the importance of LGBTQ+ community solidarity in the fight for equality, something Austin Pride plans to work towards leading up to the city’s official pride festival and parade on Aug. 10.
“Tonight is a night to rally as we boldly declare we will continue our fight until full equality is given to all,” Micah Andress, president of the Austin Pride Foundation said.
