Pride Month History
A Brief History on Pride Month – The history of the LGBT movement can be traced to the Stonewall Inn in New York’s Greenwich Village. Stonewall marked the first time that gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people as a group forcefully and vocally asserted their rights to equality under the law. Historically, the LGBT community was subjected to civil laws that, in New York City, allowed bars to refuse service to LGBT patrons. Arrests, harassment and instances of entrapment by police were frequent. Civil laws reinforced their actions. Establishments often cited Section 106, Subsection 6 of the New York State Penal Code to refuse service to LGBT patrons. The code barred premises from becoming "disorderly houses." Many, including the courts, considered LGBT patrons to be disorderly. LGBT patrons were often entrapped by plain clothes police officers, posing as regular bar patrons. Transgender people were openly arrested on the streets. One establishment where LGBT patrons f...