For years, the official name of the October federal (national) holiday was always “Columbus Day” – honouring Christopher Columbus, the Italian navigator/sailor who led the naval expedition to discover a new route to India and the East Indies from Spain. In attempting doing this task, he “discovered” the New World.
The legends surrounding Columbus sailing the Atlantic searching for a more timely/ faster route to the Far East often led people to believe that the new lands were barren and uninhabited – how else could he discover them? Also, as his day was supposedly a “national” holiday in the USA, where in this country did he land? He was an Italian sailing for the King and Queen of Spain. How did he rate a USA holiday?
Even more confusing, why was there no national holiday honouring the peoples who already lived in this newly “discovered” land? In addition, the Norse Vikings had previously established settlements along the coasts of what is now Canada. These settlers predated Columbus by more than a century.
Too much credit was given to Christopher Columbus for tasks not in his original mission. Also, successive Italian immigrants to this New World celebrated Columbus as the “godfather” of the New World. If not for his voyages, there would have been no deluge of immigrants from Europe into these new lands! The entire history of the whole world would be altered.
Indigenous= native!
All the attention and praise on the accomplishments of Columbus and the immigrants who stole the land of all the native peoples residing in this “new world!” No one bothered to offer the disastrous impact of the enormous slave trade or the ravages of imported diseases on the inhabitants of the Caribbean islands and both the northern and southern continents.
Wherever the European immigrants settled, the indigenous populations within that area were subject to the bias of the newcomers and their discrimination against the local natives. After all, they were bringing “civilisation” to this savage land!
Their civilized import prevailed, and this country began to celebrate “Columbus Day” exclusively. It remained that way until the people started to realize that we’re not giving any recognition to the earlier inhabitants here who preserved the lands, the livestock and the environment that thrived until immigration began.
Beginning in the early years of the 21st century, calendars are now listing the traditional “Columbus Day” holiday as “Columbus Day/Indigenous People’s Day.” Currently, calendars are now printed listing only the Indigenous People’s Day designation. Since Christopher Columbus didn’t actually “discover” a New World, he no longer needs a special honour. As the Italian people didn’t sponsor his voyages to the west, they made no contribution in exploring the new shores.
On this day, it is especially important to remember to honour, salute and pay tribute to the Indigenous Peoples of this site, ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers! A very special commendation to allbare practitioners!
Happy Indigenous People’s Day to everyone! We’re all indigenous to some region on this planet!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Thursday, October 16, 2025, and the proposed topic is: “Spirit Day, 2025!”
The exterior view of The Stonewall Inn, Christopher Street, New York City, New York, USA, where history happened the evening of 27/28 June, 1969!
Background:
Friday, 27 June, 1969, was a very hot and humid day in New York City. Everyone was anxiously awaiting the approaching weekend and the freedom from having to struggle for relief from the oppressive weather.
At that time, the same gender loving people were known, at least in “polite” society, as “homosexuals” (a name now considered derogatory). The popular nickname was “homos.” This segment of the New York City population was not only oppressed by the weather but also by the bias, discrimination, hatred, marginalization and violence of the general population against all persons seen as homos.
There were laws prohibiting homosexuality socially on record in 49 of the fifty states of the USA. Illinois had repealed its anti-homosexuality legal restrictions in 1961. All segments of society: general, government, legal and religious were united against the “deviant” (homosexual) peoples.
It was unlawful for homosexuals to gather together in public. They were fired from their jobs for being thought of as being homosexual without any legal recourse. They were ridiculed and attacked publicly often without any consequence for those assaulting them. Simply being a homosexual was considered a criminal act.
Everyone was required, by law, to wear clothing appropriate to their birth gender. The only legal exception was for Halloween.
The Stonewall Inn:
The Stonewall Inn (it was never a hotel) opened as a bar catering to the homosexual community in 1967. Prior to that, it had been a stable (for horses), a French bakery, a tearoom and lastly a restaurant that had burned out of business. Upon renovation, it opened as a tavern (bar) on 18 March, 1967, under Mafia-affiliated management and owned by the Genovese crime family.
The establishment consisted of two main rooms, each with its own dance floor. The front room was popular with older clientele and the back room attracted the younger ones.
“The door of the Stonewall had wrought-iron bars across this little “peephole,” a little wooden thing that slid open. The man inside would look at you and, it you looked like you belonged there, he would let you in.” ~ Chris Babick ~ describing the entrance to the Stonewall Inn
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Friday evening, 27 June 1969:
Most of the patrons gathered inside the Stonewall Inn were looking forward to a night of dancing with their friends, relaxing with watered-down cocktails and enjoying a summer’s Friday night in New York City in a place relatively comfortable and safe for homosexual acquaintances. They had no idea that they were about to witness an historical event that would change their lives – and the homosexual world – forever.
Both the dance floors at Stonewall Inn were full of dancing homosexual couples. It was now just after midnight and 28 June, 1969, was now in its infancy. Suddenly, the music stopped. The lights that were dimmed to enhance the atmosphere came back on in a bright glare that caught everyone by surprise. Almost simultaneously, the realization dawned on the festive crowds: New York City police were raiding the bar!
The New York City Police Department was long familiar with conducting raids on homosexual bars (both female and male). Their process for the procedure was fairly routine and standard. They recognized homosexuals as a relatively compliant and passive crowd. For this reason, only one police transport vehicle (“paddy-wagon”) and one marked police squad car were involved in the raid.
Less than a dozen officers were assigned the task of managing and segregating the clientele, confiscating all the alcohol and arresting the Stonewall Inn employees.
Patrons outside Stonewall Inn, early evening, Friday, 27 June, 1969!
Early Saturday morning, 28 June, 1969:
“The police weren’t letting us dance! If there’s one place in the world where you can dance and feel yourself fully as a person and that’s threatened with being taken away, those words are fighting words!” ~ Tommy Lanigan-Schmidt ~ Stonewall Inn patron and participant
The arrival of the police raiding force caused pandemonium to erupt inside the Stonewall Inn. Customers searched in vain for an escape route or for a place to hide. The police immediately began confiscating both liquor and beer as evidence against the establishment and segregating the bar crowd: bar employees, cross-dressers (transgender persons) and the “regular” homosexuals.
The bar employees and cross-dressers were to be arrested for their individual violating the law. The “regular” homosexuals, once they showed officers their proper identification, were to be given citations and then permitted to leave.
The year, 1969, was at the end of a decade that had witnessed massive social unrest. The African-American protests for civil rights, the birth of the feminist and women’s rights movements, the anti-Vietnam war and peace demonstrations and the equal pay marches for primarily Latino/Latina immigrant farm workers were underway during this time. The homosexuals who had participated in some of these public unrests were energized and many wondered when their time for equality would happen. Little did they, and the police raiding the Stonewall Inn, realize that moment had arrived!
As the police began checking the identities of those inside the Stonewall Inn, those with proper credentials were released and herded outside the bar. Only this time, instead of simply leaving the premises, they congregated on the sidewalks and across the street at the Christopher Street Park. Once law enforcement attempted to disperse them, they grew confrontational and belligerent.
Unaccustomed to homosexual defiance, the police continued to press the order to vacate the area. The growing crowd, emboldened by their frustration with being treated as “deviants” and second-class citizens, began to chant and to empty nearby trash cans and hurl the garbage at the officers.
By this time, passers-by, curious as to what was happening, joined the upset homosexuals to express their dissatisfaction with the raid. The crowd outside the Stonewall Inn began to grow in both number, anger and curiosity. When word of what had transpired inside the tavern began to spread, even more homosexuals started to descend into the inn’s neighborhood and amass in the bar’s vicinity.
Angry crowd outside Stonewall Inn, early Saturday morning, 28 June 1969!
SIR: Stonewall Inn Riot commences:
By now, the police, trapped inside the facility by the large crowd outside, understood that the situation had gotten beyond their control. They tried to call for reinforcements but were unable to reach any source for assistance. They had secured the bar but were confined inside and the crowd outside was swelling in both size and fury. A few hundred bar patrons had now increased into an angry mob of several thousand and more were joining by the minute.
“You could hear screaming outside, a lot of noise from the protesters, and it was a good sound. It was a real good sound that, you know, you had a lot of people out there pulling for you.” ~ Raymond Castro ~ Stonewall Inn customer detained inside the bar under siege
No one in the New York City Police Department had anticipated the homosexuals, always believed to be “meek and mild,” would fight back. The years of abuse, neglect, oppression, and ridicule had taken their toll, and the frustration had now become revolution; the time for retribution was at hand. Unfortunately for law enforcement, the pent-up anger toward the police was now being released and returned in kind. They were now prisoners inside the Stonewall Inn.
Two hours after the raid was initiated, the raiders and their detainees were trapped and no immediate relief was available. The two-way communication devices between the raiding party and their office weren’t working and the only public telephone inside the tavern wasn’t able to connect with any local police precincts. The “passive” homosexuals had finally achieved a “first” in their spontaneous riot: the police were contained, surrounded and they were all very nervous. By now, the mob outside the Greenwich Village bar numbered several thousand with a full-fledged riot underway.
SIR: Stonewall Inn Riot!Multiple police attack a protester early Saturday morning, 28 June, 1969!
In an effort to relieve the inflammatory predicament, the isolated police decided to send the detainees and half the officers trapped inside the tavern, using the two police vehicles on site, to the closest local precinct. There, the detainees would be formally charged with arrest, and the officers could make arrangements for a police riot force to assemble and rescue the remaining law enforcement personnel. This relief effort finally returned to the bar and eventually dispersed the angry mob of homosexuals and curious onlookers several hours later.
Saturday evening, 28 June, 1969:
Despite damage to the Stonewall Inn, the bar opened for business (dancing and socializing) the following night, Saturday, 28 June. by then, word of the disturbance the previous evening had spread throughout the city’s largely closeted (anonymous) homosexual community (primarily by word of mouth). The city officials and law enforcement superior officers were hesitant to release information that would encourage more aggressive reaction.
A larger than usual crowd gathered both inside and outside the Greenwich Village establishment. Most didn’t expect a repeat raid of the night before and a significant number of those in attendance mainly wanted to inspect the damage. The police, however, had different ideas. They were strictly outside the facility in full force with a large number in riot gear. They had learned their lesson and were determined to remain in complete control should the patrons become unruly again.
The homosexuals and the neighbourhood residents had been empowered by the riot the night before and of the mindset not to bullied into submission again. As the large police presence attempted to disperse those gathered outside the Stonewall Inn, they were confronted by verbal insults and an array of street-savvy tactics that set law enforcement chase off onlookers, only to have them run around the city block and return again.
Silent obedience to uniformed policemen was no longer a fact of life for New York City’s homosexuals. They were tired of suffering abuse, disrespect, ridicule and treatment as second-class citizens.
A crowd lining the sidewalk on the Stonewall Inn city block watched by police, Saturday evening, 28 June, 1969!
The second night of the Stonewall Inn congregation wasn’t as aggressively disruptive as the previous night. No further damage was done to the tavern facility. However, an awakening consciousness was raised within the municipal homosexual community that would change the way society viewed them and – most importantly – the way they perceived themselves.
For the first time, the often assumed obedient and passive homosexuals joined together and defended their rights and demonstrated that they, as a community, had finally and long last, “had enough!”
“There was no gay pride before Stonewall. Only gay fear and gay isolation and gay distrust and gay self-hatred.” ~ Edmond White ~ American gay novelist and Stonewall witness
Our GLBTQ+ Progress Pride flag!
Footnote: This posting entry was from a research paper that I composed for class distribution that I taught at my university, 2015 – 2018.
Sources:
Bausman, Ann “Stonewall: Breaking Out for Gay Rights”
Doberman, Martin F. “Stonewall: A History”
Naked hugs!
Roger Peterson-Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, June 30, 2025, and the proposed topic is: “Bottoms-Up! June, 2025!
10th Anniversary, Stonewall Inn Riots, 1979: “Taking A Break”
Stonewall Inn Riots: Legacy!
The actual date, 28 June, 1969, may not be etched mentally for everyone, but for a majority of GLBTQ+ community and culture, the familiar phrase, Stonewall Inn Riots (SIR), instantly beats the drum and blows the trumpet! The early hours of this morning heralded the commencement of the movement that initiated the struggle to end bias, condemnation, marginalization and oppression. It began the attainment of the goals of equality, fairness, freedom and respect deserving of all peoples, no matter where they live! Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer+ (GLBTQ+) rights are human rights progress inaugurated!
The rioting that followed the planned raid on the unlicensed Stonewall Inn bar, catering almost exclusively to a “homosexual” (derogatory designation for same gender loving persons) customer base, erupted into a totally unexpected riot against police brutality and harassment. The law enforcers were completely unprepared for this reaction and were overwhelmed by the results. The “homosexual” community was always considered docile and effeminate, not capable of any type of masculine action!
Contemporary Stonewall Inn Historic Site!
The Stonewall National Monument is a fairly new national park unit located in Christopher Park in New York City’s lower Manhattan neighborhood of Greenwich Village. It is the very first U.S. national monument dedicated to GLBTQ+ rights and history; indeed, to the entire community and culture. Then-President Barack Obama designated it as a national monument on June 24, 2016!
The Stonewall Inn, 1969
“Stonewall will be our first national monument to tell the story of the struggle for LGBT rights. I believe our national parks should reflect the full story of our country, the richness and diversity and uniquely American spirit that has always defined us. That we are stronger together. Out of many, we are one.” ~ President Barack Obama ~ Dedication of Stonewall National Monument ~ 24 June, 2016
“There was no gay pride before Stonewall. Only gay fear and gay isolation and gay distrust and gay self-hatred.” ~ Edmund White ~ Stonewall Inn patron and gay author
“The police weren’t letting us dance. If there’s one place in the world where you can dance and feel yourself fully as a person and that’s threatened with being taken away, those words are fighting words.” ~ Tommy Lanigen-Schmidt ~ Stonewall Inn patron and riot participant
“You could hear screaming outside, a lot of noise from the protestors and it was a good sound. It was a real good sound that, you know, you had a lot of people out there pulling for you.” ~ Raymond Castro ~ Stonewall Inn patron who was detained inside the bar during the riot
The Stonewall Inn Riots (SIR), 1969
In 1966, the Stonewall Inn Restaurant, which had been in business at that location since the 1950s, closed for remodeling following a fire that had devastated the restaurant. The restaurant re-opened as a commercial tavern (bar) on 18 March, 1967, under the ownership of the Genovese Mafia family. The tavern was in business illegally (no license to serve liquor) and one officer of the New York Police Department was accepting monthly bribe payments allowing the business to operate. The targeted consumer base for the tavern were “homosexuals.”
On Friday evening, 27 June, 1969, the police held a raid upon the Stonewall Inn tavern for two specific violations, operating a “homosexual” related business and for selling alcohol without a license. The customers, by now angry over repeated harassment, rioted against the police. The protesters soon numbered in the thousands and marked the first time any law enforcement received any defiance and/or resistance from the “homosexual” population. This represented the same gender loving (SGL) community organizing against oppression and the police were bewildered and clueless.
No one in the New York Police Department had anticipated the “homosexuals,” always believed to be meek and mild, to fight back. The years of abuse, oppression and ridicule had taken its toll, and the frustration now became revolution and the time for retribution was at hand. Unfortunately for the police, the pent-up anger with law enforcement was now being released and returned in kind. The police who initiated the raid were now isolated prisoners inside the Stonewall Inn.
The early morning hours of 28 June, 1969, became history. The discrimination against people who loved their own gender soon faded away to be replaced by the movement for gay power, gay equality and gay rights. This, in turn, became known as the GLBTQ+ movement (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer+). The journey was not easy, peaceful nor was it bloodless. However, the journey itself was historic. Unfortunately, the history remains to be completed, even into now, the 21st Century!
Christopher Park GLBTQ+ statues!
In the 1970s, a local volunteer group, the Friends of Christopher Park, was organized in order to oversee the park’s maintenance and upkeep. In 1983, the New York City Parks agency began a three-year project to restore the park to its original condition under the guidance of Phil Winslow.
In 1992, the “Gay Liberation” statue by George Segal was placed in Christopher Park. The statue consists of four figures (two standing men, two seated women) in natural and neutral poses. The park also has two other statues both related to the civil war that were created in 1936. In 2023, a move to remove the statue of General Phil Sheridan because he had led a massacre of Indigenous (Native American) people.
On 29 June, 1999, the Stonewall Inn building, Christopher Park and nearby streets were recognized as official by the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The same area was declared a National Historic Landmark on February 16, 2000.
The statues, decorated in celebration!
On 23 June, 2015, the City of New York determined the Stonewall Inn to be an official City landmark. This inspired the other Greenwich Village residents to pursue both The Stonewall Inn and the Christopher Park to be labeled a national monument. This happened when then-President Barack Obama officially determined the Stonewall Inn and Christopher Park as national monuments on 24 June, 2016.
Welcome to all!
Our history and our story are still ongoing. To those who are planning to visit New York city, a visit to this national monument is highly recommended in order to help define and perpetuate our community and culture!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Sunday, June 30, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Bottoms-Up! Pride Month, 2024!”
In everyday vernacular “barrier” is often interpreted as a blockage, an impediment and/or a challenge that must be overcome. In today’s title, bare-ier, is intended to imply that we are breaking (destroying, eliminating, eradicating, removing) the perceived challenge to being bare (clothes free, naked, nude). ReNude Pride is truly one “safe space” for body and clothes freedom!
In the early days of photography, especially here in the USA, the segregation (legal separation) of the population by racial identity was not only widely practiced but in many states (especially in the south) was mandated (required) by law. This was based on the philosophy that prevailed throughout the southern states of “separate but equal.” In reality, the separation was strictly enforced and the equality was nonexistent.
All men, vintage and together!
Photographs from the early days to the latter third of the 20th Century rarely depicted interracial individuals in contact and congeniality with one another. The laws and traditions of the American society were observed and strictly followed. Few photographers and/or models had the courage to ignore the constraints and restrictions imposed by the mainstream population. The capture of these few people all together was extremely rare, and especially if they were completely clothes free and visibly engaged as legitimate equals!
However, after the end of World War II, the executive order of then-President Harry Truman, decreed the end of enforced segregation of the entire U.S.A. military, naval and air forces. Times were changing and a few photographers and their subjects came forward to celebrate this bold progressive measure. A significant number of those brave souls were from our “closeted” (secretive) community of same gender loving men.
Bare and unashamed!
The post-war world delivered everyone into a changing life situation. Allies during the war became enemies. Enemies during the war became comrades and the regimented structure of society began to lose some of the class-consciousness that held different people apart. Gradually, familiarity replaced judgment in personal interactions. The military abandoning the racial segregation – long considered a stalwart among the majority – opened the eyes of some with foresight into a glimmer of new possibilities.
The ideal of “it is our tradition” began to weaken as the notion of “let’s see what else we can do” grew in importance. Custom and habit no longer kept individuals tied to a repressive and restricted environment.
Bare boxing!
As the walls that divided different classes (socio-economic groups) of people began to slowly disperse, the eradication of separation between persons of differing ethnic, cultural and racial backgrounds began to decline also. This change didn’t occur suddenly – it was an eventual shifting of bias, distrust and prejudices as the general society embarked on the slow, incremental process of enlightenment and evolution in a changing world order.
The late 1940’s soon became the 1950’s and economic, political and social change lost the incredibility and novelty it once generated. Colonial states moved towards independence and traditional authority concepts began to recede into obscurity. The long accepted practice of unquestioned following to the “status quo” declined.
Interracial embrace!
While these opinion and outlook shifts happened in the broader society, subtle opportunities appeared in the same gender loving world as well. Still largely illegal and isolated, small groups of “homosexual” (bisexual, gay and lesbian) persons carefully and cautiously emerged into the larger urban areas – still discreet and secretive but no longer totally isolated.
The 1960’s introduced public protests and general boycotts into the social change movement. African-Americans, women, immigrant farm workers and other minorities usually overlooked by the powered-few (white males) started their own campaigns for social acceptance and equality. The momentum for change gained strength and attention. In 1961, the state of Illinois repealed the illegality of the “homosexuals” – the first political jurisdiction in the country to outlaw the banishment and shame normally and universally thrown against the “social deviants.”
The seeds of change and progress were planted. By the end of the decade, on June 28, 1969, the lion started to roar and the march for equality and freedom for all same gender loving peoples launched itself!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
The next post entry here is planned for Monday, October 17, 2022, and the proposed topic is: “Autumn Arrival!”
ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers! 