Taking a look back at Pride’s roots in protest
TV shows, docs connect history to the present, honour LGBTQ movement
This year’s Pride month kicked off amid worldwide uprisings over George Floyd’s killing, racism and police violence. It’s a reminder that the modern LGBTQ rights movement and Pride celebrations wouldn’t exist without protests.
During a raid at the Stonewall Inn in New York City some time after midnight on June 28, 1969, the LGBTQ patrons and community finally rebelled against the police and the existing laws that had long denied their humanity. The mafiaowned bar was located in the Greenwich Village area of Manhattan and was one of the few places where LGBTQ patrons could gather despite frequent raids.
The Stonewall riots led to protest marches and a more organized LGBTQ movement.
Here are a few documentaries and TV shows that honour the LGBTQ movement’s roots:
“Stonewall Uprising” Available on: PBS, Kanopy
This 2010 documentary is essentially an oral history from some of those who were at the Stonewall Inn on the night of the police raid that sparked a rebellion. Through interviews with patrons, activists, journalists and even the police inspector who led the raid, the film offers some context on the social climate and attitudes toward the LGBTQ community during that time.
Also worth checking out is comedian Crissle West’s retelling of the story in an episode from “Drunk History.” This segment centres the story on Marsha P. Johnson, one of the trans women of colour at the forefront of the event.
“The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson” Available on: Netflix A fixture in New York’s LGBTQ community, Johnson was found dead in the Hudson River in 1992 and police at the time ruled the death a suicide. Many still doubt that determination and this documentary follows trans activist Victoria Cruz as she investigates the case.
The documentary’s 2017 release was met with controversy when transgender filmmaker and activist Reina Gossett accused filmmaker David France of stealing her work to create it. France denied the claim, but the broader issues raised about who is telling (and profiting) from stories about trans women of colour still remain.
Gossett and Sasha Wortzel’s short film about Johnson, “Happy Birthday, Marsha!,” is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. “Pay It No Mind — The Life and Times of Marsha P. Johnson,” is also available to view online for free.
“Brother Outsider” Available on: Kanopy
“Brother Outsider” is a 2003 documentary about Bayard Rustin, an openly gay activist and organizer whose involvement with the civil rights movement dates back to the 1940s. Known to be one of Martin Luther King Jr.’s friends and mentors, Rustin helped organize the March on Washington where King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
For more about Rustin, also check out “Bayard & Me,” a documentary short featuring Rustin’s partner, Walter Naegle, discussing their relationship and how they manoeuvred existing systems to gain some legal protections.
“United in Anger: A History of ACT UP” Available on: Kanopy
This documentary about the AIDS activist movement is told by people fighting on the front lines. Co-founded by activist and playwright Larry Kramer, the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power was pivotal for visibility and direct political actions for the fight against the pandemic. The film captures the rage and the urgency that drove the activists in the early days of the movement as they planned and executed some of their actions to call out government neglect while just trying to survive.
“We’re Here” Available on: HBO and Crave
This unscripted series follows “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alums Shangela, Bob the Drag Queen and Eureka as they travel to small towns across the U.S. to put on one-night-only drag shows with members of the community. The show highlights that despite shifting attitudes and recognition of legal rights, queer people who live outside of bigger cities with more vibrant LGBTQ communities still face obstacles just because of who they are.