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Stonewall As A Compressed Origin Story
- Stonewall became symbolic because mainstream culture latched onto one event as the whole of gay history.
- That compression created intense debates about which version of Stonewall counts as the real origin story.
Mafia-Controlled Bars Fueled Resentment
- Gay bars in 1969 often ran without liquor licenses and relied on mafia operators for survival.
- That created additional sources of anger because queer people were forced into unsafe, exploitative venues.
Respectability Shaped Early Organizing
- Respectability politics dominated early groups like the Mattachine Society and Daughters of Bilitus.
- Their insistence on 'dress nicely' tactics limited who felt welcome and slowed broader, more radical organizing.