Exclusive Interview with Peter Fiske, a veteran of Stonewall - 1969

I have the honor of publishing this interview for many Brazilians who do not know the story of Stonewall. I contacted Peter Fiske to give us all the information, and try to spend some of that was that moment of freedom and cry against oppression. I hope you like our story, which will be divided into two partes.Na first part I'll publish some of the history of Stonewall by someone who was there, Peter.A second part is the interview that even answered me by e-mail with great attention and charisma. 

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 STONEWALL

Stonewall was born in New York on June 28, 1969. What is Stonewall? Stonewall was a bar and dance club where gays, lesbians, street people, people of color, the Puerto Ricans, Latinos, drag queens and other minority fugitive could meet and be together freely. It was a dance club. It was our place to be free. 

A DÉCADA DE 60

Gays and lesbians were afraid to live openly and we lose our jobs, homes and families, and it caught my attention. We were deprived of sex and imprisoned, and put our names in the newspapers, so we lost our jobs and families. We could not serve in the armed forces and still happens, which is only now changing. We were sent to institutions to be clinically often treated with shock therapy. In short, they were a persecuted minority. When I was a youngster in New York in the 1960s ... we had to live openly and not hide, it was called "being in the closet." With the end of the 1960s, gay liberation began to happen in response to the civil rights era and the liberation movements of women. Many of the early gay rights demonstrators were beaten and thrown in jail as beginning with the pioneers of civil rights. We demand an end to oppression. 

28 DE JUNHO DE 1969

The police arrived at Stonewall for the bribe was not weighed pago.Eles to arrest the patrons and scare gestão.Quando they closed the bar were very rude and violent and queens (Drag Queens) fought. Out of rocks and stones and shoes flew off to the police. The riot lasted almost a week. The revolution of Gay Liberation / Gay Pride, which began still continues around the world. When police arrived on the night of June 28 in two hours to close it because the owners did not pay bribes to police, was simply the last straw for us. We fought back. 

DEPOIS DE STONEWALL

That's what makes it so different from Stonewall. For the first time, we struggled forward as LGBT people, and dissmos not, "you can no longer oppress us." We are human beings and our lives are important and our rights must be equal for all. Thus was the beginning of the Stonewall Gay Liberation. Organizations like the Gay Liberation Front in 1969 and today GetEqual today continue to struggle for full equality of civil rights for gays and lesbians.That's what it comes Stonewall. Stonewall was the beginning of the struggle for LGBT equality. And that is why we still celebrate today after more than 40 years. 

42 ANOS DEPOIS 

What difference has 42 years? No, we're not the same, but we still have a long way! We are no longer imprisoned by our sexuality. We are no longer discriminated against at work. Our families accept us especially now. Churches welcome us as children of God. The culture is enriched because we are open and not afraid to be ourselves. With other minorities who strive for social and economic justice and equality for all people, especially. We are free, and this is why we fought in Stonewall forward and continue to demand equality before the law. Are we really free as LGBT people? No, we're ... yet! We are not free to marry the person of our choice or to have our relationship legally recognized. We can not live openly and serve our country in the military. We are still denying the rights of immigration, given to others, to our partners. Our young people are still intimidated and harassed in schools and streets, even here in San Francisco. Like other minorities who strive for acceptance and equality that the Constitution should be given to all the people of the United States. The Declaration of Independence says that "All men are created equal." In the United States, which supposedly have equal rights before the law, people of color are still struggling. Asians were not allowed to be citizens of the United States for many years in the 20th century. The Japanese were sent to camps during World War II. Women struggle to earn a fair wage.Immigrants are subjected to unfair treatment. Transsexuals who are still struggling to be accepted. Every effort of the minority to live the American dream. San Francisco has always been a city of many peoples ... all living well together. We are a beacon of hope for the world. Here, we all live together and so in June we celebrate Gay Pride season. 

Monumento em Stonewall

"I want to tell you that pride is about and what it means to us. For LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) people Pride is a celebration for our freedom from the oppression that existed until the 1960 Peter Fiske
  This was the first part of our historical story about Stonewall 1969 with veteran, Peter Fiske. I would like to thank Peter for attention, significantly contributing to the Planet G, which again offers a first content to your readers. Tomorrow the second and final part, with a super interview with Peter and rare photos of the 60's. 

Por Erik