Stonewall: The Riots That Sparked the Gay Revolution

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Maddi The narrative absolutely focuses on the mostly cisgender, straight-passing white gay men involved with the movement following the initial riots. The a…moreThe narrative absolutely focuses on the mostly cisgender, straight-passing white gay men involved with the movement following the initial riots. The author only mentions Marsha P. Johnson twice, the first time mentioning only the duality of the good and negative parts of her personality—nothing about her background or life up until the point of the riots. The second time he mentions her only in passing during the first night of the riot. He does not refer to Stormé DeLarverie by name, the lesbian who is credited with igniting the riots by her resisting arrest by the police. Instead, referring to her as the "dyke" or "butch."
Though it's not confirmed this was, in fact, Stormé, many eyewitnesses believe that she was one of many lesbians that night that fought back that night. He also fails to mention Sylvia Rivera; this could be because it is contested that she was there that night? Regardless, both she and Marsha P. Johnson were active in the Gay Liberation Front during its short existence. He only ever mentions Marsha P. John, Zazu Nova, and Jackie Hormona with credit to being "three individuals known to have been in the vanguard" in the conclusion of his novel, and very briefly. Largely, I found this book very disappointing. (less)

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