The Stonewall National Monument website, dedicated to commemorating the 1969 Stonewall riots, a pivotal moment for the LGBTQ+ rights movement, has undergone significant changes. References to transgender people have been removed, sparking outrage and accusations of erasure.
The changes align with President Donald Trump's executive order defining sex as only male or female, based on biological factors. This order has been met with criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates and medical experts who view gender as a spectrum.
The Stonewall Inn, a bar in Manhattan's Greenwich Village, became ground zero for the gay rights movement on June 28, 1969, when patrons and residents fought back against a police raid. The Stonewall National Monument, established in 2016 by President Barack Obama, commemorates this event.
The website previously acknowledged the role of transgender individuals in the Stonewall riots and the broader LGBTQ+ rights movement. However, following Trump's executive order, references to transgender people have been removed. The acronym LGBTQ has been altered to LGB, and terms like "queer" have been deleted.
Representatives of the Stonewall Inn and The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative have expressed anger and disappointment over the changes. They argue that erasing transgender individuals from the narrative distorts history and dishonors their contributions to the fight for LGBTQ+ rights.
The National Park Service, responsible for managing the Stonewall National Monument, has not responded to requests for comment on the changes. The website previously stated that living openly as an LGBTQ+ person was illegal before the 1960s. This statement has been modified to exclude transgender individuals.
The changes to the Stonewall National Monument website have sparked controversy and raised concerns about the Trump administration's impact on LGBTQ+ rights. Advocates argue that erasing transgender individuals from history undermines their contributions and sends a harmful message to the community.
6 Comments
Karamba
“I value accuracy as interpreted by official guidance. The removal of certain terms, while painful to some, reflects a deliberate focus on facts.”
Rotfront
“I’m shocked and disappointed by these changes. This isn’t just a website update—it’s a harmful revision of our community’s legacy.”
Matzomaster
“This update aligns with longstanding legal and historical categorizations. I support the initiative to avoid ideological reinterpretation.”
Rotfront
“It’s refreshing to see a move towards consistency in how history is portrayed. Changing the narrative might be needed for clarity.”
Matzomaster
“This is a blatant distortion of history. Trans activists played a major role at Stonewall and deserve to be acknowledged!”
Leonardo
“History can be politicized, and this move attempts to depoliticize it by sticking to a standard interpretation. I respect that approach.”