Craig Rodwell, an influential LGBTQ rights activist, shares his experiences growing up in a restrictive boarding school, his arrest at 14 years old for having sex with a man, exploring Chicago's gay cruising scene in the 1950s, encountering police harassment, their sentencing and experiences during probation, and the consequences of his arrest including his companion's prison sentence and his own guilt and desire to make up for what happened.
Craig Rodwell's early experience of being arrested at 14 for solicitation of older men heavily influenced his activism and fueled his anger towards an oppressive system.
Deep dives
Craig Rodwell's Activism and Early Sexual Adventures
Craig Rodwell was a consequential activist of the 1960s and early 70s. He participated in significant events such as the first gay rights protest in 1964, the Sip-In at Julius' in 1966, and the Christopher Street Liberation Day March in 1970. Craig also opened the Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop, a renowned hub for gay rights organizing. However, Craig's radicalization started at a young age. He described his early sexual adventures and engagement in gay cruising life in 1950s Chicago. Despite his precociousness and empowerment, being arrested at age 14 for solicitation of older men led to his realization of the assault on his and Frank Bukalo's freedom, as homosexuality was heavily stigmatized and policed. Craig's experience impacted him greatly, evoking both anger and a sense of guilt.
Life at the Christian Science Boarding School
Craig Rodwell was sent to a Christian Science boarding school at a young age. He lived there from age 6 to 14 in a highly controlled and sheltered environment. The school's strict atmosphere limited contact with the external world, except for television on Friday nights. Craig developed crushes on other boys, which he considered natural and similar to heterosexual experiences. Although the school was meant to address 'problem boys,' Craig's sense of identity and freedom persisted. However, his sexual encounters and engagement in cruising began at 14, leading to his arrest and subsequent life-altering experiences.
Arrest, Trials, and Probation at Age 14
At 14 years old, Craig Rodwell was arrested in Chicago for solicitation of older men. He had been engaging in cruising and seeking intimacy with other men. The arrest involved encounters with law enforcement who targeted individuals perceived as homosexuals. Craig recounts being questioned by the police and facing a trial. Despite his pleas of innocence, Craig was put on probation for two years and had to report to a probation officer. His mother, initially shocked and disappointed, eventually advocated for him, preventing him from being sent to a reformatory. The experience had a lasting impact on Craig, contributing to his activism and anger towards an oppressive system.
In 1954, Craig Rodwell was just 14 when he was arrested for having sex with a man. The experience set the young Chicagoan on the road to becoming a self-described “angry queer”— and one of the most consequential LGBTQ rights activists before and after Stonewall.
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