Compton's cafeteria riot
On August 1966, the atmosphere in The Tenderloin has been disrupted. Tension continues to grow throughout the years. Drag queens face harassment and jail time for disrupting the public such as getting in the way of sidewalks, lingering without a purpose, cross-dressing, and “same-sex touching”. Cross-dressing was a majorly prohibited and looked down upon. Tenderloin resident Amanda St. Jaymes says, ““If the buttons were on the wrong side, like a blouse, you could get thrown in jail.”
Drag queens along with gay hustlers arrive at Compton’s Cafeteria on a balmy August night passes. Appearing to be a normal, undisrupted night, a group of officers set foot inside. Grabbing an arm of one drag queen expecting the “girl” to surrender and exiting the cafeteria like usual, the drag queen retrieves a cup of coffee nearby and hurls it towards the officer’s face. This resistant act only lead to disturbance and chaos. Drag queens launch heavy glass sugar shakers toward the plate-glass windows resulting into debris. Fights take place on the streets as backup officers arrive. Fighting out of anger towards the officers with their high-heeled footwear and purses, victory exists in the drag queens’ hands for a moment. Police vehicles were demolished. After years of facing harassment and injustice, the night of the riot can no longer hold their resentment.
Gay rights establish their movement when the riot occurs at Gene Compton’s Cafeteria. A gay pride celebration takes place every June in honor of this rebellion that made history. With many facing jail time, worrying about themselves being in their was not a problem at all. Attitudes such as ‘I don’t give a damn’ occur instead of regretting their prior actions. Gay rights movement must take place so this is the way how it will begin.
Memorial marking the riot.
Sources for pictures:
1. http://www.sfcenter.org/sites/default/files/styles/program_header/public/screaming_queens-01b.jpg
2. http://www.swaay.org/img/history-stonewall.jpg
3. http://blogs.menupages.com/sanfrancisco/compton's%20plaque.jpg
1. http://www.sfcenter.org/sites/default/files/styles/program_header/public/screaming_queens-01b.jpg
2. http://www.swaay.org/img/history-stonewall.jpg
3. http://blogs.menupages.com/sanfrancisco/compton's%20plaque.jpg