Before Stonewall! Before The Rainbow Flag! Before Gay Pride Parades!
The infamous "Raid on California Hall" happened and very few people know the story!
This film is the first hand account of that frosty night in 1965 when the San Francisco Police Department illegally raided a private Masquerade Ball being held by straight ministers and "homophile" (yes, that is what they were called back then) organizations who simply wanted to share a festive evening together.
The news of the lawsuit that the unified Lutheran, Methodist, Episcopal and Jewish ministers brought against the SFPD as a result of this shady scheme spread across the new wires like wild fire. Ironically, this news furthered the migration of LGBT folk from all over the nation who now wanted to live in SF thus contributing to the fabulous gay mecca that San Francisco is today which inspired the boldness for other "gayborhoods" to spring up in the nation! What was meant to convey a disgusting reality, contributed to the fabulous gay mecca that San Francisco is today and inspired the boldness for other "gayborhoods" to spring up in the nation!
Wonderfully iconic LGBT heroes and activists were in attendance at this would be ball turned raid!
Most people don't know that this unknown event helped to shape the influential lives of the likes of power lesbian couple: Del Martian and Phyllis Lyon, as well as Herb Donaldson, the first openly gay municipal judge appointed in the United States, along with the reverend Ted McLlvenna and his wife Winnie who both later started the Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality.Many of these new year's day party-goers went on to become some of the most influential people in San Francisco politics and LGBT activism!
This Doc is produced by OUTview Contributor, Dr. Jallen Rix along with Chris Sinton.
Please support this by Tomorrow, 7/25/13.
No comments:
Post a Comment