The Trevor Project and Stonewall Riots

With June being Pride Month, it’s important to discuss its history, the Stonewall riots, and an organization that supports the LGBTQ population, the Trevor Project. These are very important to understand, with almost half of our population being supporters.

The Stonewall Riots were one the first group of protests against the unfair laws and boundaries imposed on LGBTQ+ people. They happened in Greenwich Village, New York in June 1969. The Stonewall Inn was a gay bar where homosexual and transgender people could go to feel welcome. The bar was semi-frequently raided by police who arrested people that either worked at the bar or were customers at the bar. They arrested trans and gender non-conforming people because their clothing most likely wasn’t approved by the individual police officers and was “not gender appropriate clothing.” On June 28, they finally acted up and resisted the police who were trying to arrest them. People by the hundreds came to the outside of the bar and resisted with the people from the bar against the police. The police were forced to retreat and they locked themselves inside The Stonewall Inn. The people did not react kindly to the police locking themselves in the bar, so they lit the bar on fire. The police called reinforcements and they finally dispersed the crowd, but it didn’t last long. The riots didn’t stop until July 1, 1969. The riots may have been violent but they changed the course of our history. The Stonewall Riots started a path that helped start the first gay pride marches and the first gay inclusivity organization. Now every year there are marches and parades in honor of the Stonewall Riots in June on the anniversary.

Today, the Trevor Project helps LGBTQ+ children in rough, unhealthy, or dangerous situations. They give therapy and support to kids over text message and phone to discuss issues like mental health including anxiety, depression, eating disorders, substance abuse. They also talk about family and friends and some of the challenges of accepting. There are some frequently asked questions and situations. One of these questions talks about how they think a sibling could be trans and this was the supportive response: “Your sibling is lucky to have such an observant and caring person like you in their life. Please know that your support will help them so much. Keep in mind that your sibling may not be sure about their identity yet, and there is no rush for them to figure it out. The best thing to do right now would be to show them you’re there for them no matter what. For instance, starting a conversation with them about well-known transgender people, or transgender characters on TV or in movies, might give your sibling a chance to talk about how they feel. Also, just offering a nonjudgmental ear for listening can go a long way.” Other issues that are discussed include parental acceptance (or lack thereof) and many others.  Please visit the website if you’d like to learn more.

In conclusion, being in the midst of Pride month, it would be a good time to talk about the Trevor Project, with all of the good that they do, as well as the Stonewall Riots because that was the first stepping stone in the path to complete LGBTQ+ inclusivity. Don’t forget to make your sign and bring your flag because this year is the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots! See you at the parades!