The Stonewall Riots of 1969 Jumpstarted the Gay Movement...

There are certainly various points in history that can be construed as trailblazing for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. One event in particular, however, sparked awareness and a call to action that previously could never have been conceptualized in the United States. This unforgettable incident, the Stonewall riots of 1969, altered the public’s view of the gay community and arguably jumpstarted the next revolution in an entirely new civil rights movement. In the wee hours of June 28th, 1969, members of the gay community were forced to enter a string of intense protests when the New York City Police began to raid the Stonewall Inn, a popular hangout spot for drag queens and members of the LGBT community, in Greenwich†¦show more content†¦#2 The late Harvey Milk once said, â€Å"If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door.† The concept of one’s â€Å"coming out† story is often thought of as a single life-changing moment in which all instances and experimental experiences from one’s life prior to affirming a new identity are deemed insignificant when one permanently takes on the role of said identity, which is also referred to as â€Å"passing.† However, many researchers argue that this is simply not the case. Antithetically, some individuals contend that nobody is ever truly â€Å"out,† as he or she will be forced to continue affirming their identities t o nearly everyone he or she encounters throughout life. In â€Å"Epistemology of the Closet,† an in-depth analysis of the preconceived notions that accompany coming out, Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick radically asserts that the closet is the single delineating obstacle representing gay oppression and that there really is no such thing as a â€Å"stable† identity. Accentuating the fact that there is a clear distinction between the private and public sphere, cleverly, Sedgwick also relates ideas regarding the closet and gay disclosure to Jewish identity, explored heavily in the Book of Esther. This is perhaps one of the most noteworthy aspects of her essay, as Sedgwick takes a predominantly intersectional approach in her study, linking one’s