Not just the West Village but the whole of Greenwich Village has been known to be home to artistic and culturally alternative residents. So, it comes as no surprise that such large social and political movements such as the famous Stonewall Riots of ‘69 took place there. Because of this event some recognize the West Village as the center of the LGBTQ movement. For those of you who are unaware of what the Stonewall Riots were, they were a series of riots that took place in the West Village at the Stonewall Inn against the police. These riots have been attributed as the event that pushed forward the fight for LGBTQ rights.
It is no secret that the fight for equal rights remains a large topic of conversation today, where more and more people have been forward on their belief for equality. However, in a time when vocalizations of such topics were not widely accepted or common the West Village became a safe place for many to go to communicate and express who they were whether it be vocally or through art.
Because of this movement and the countless movements that happened before, there are many brave men and women today that continue to fight for equality amongst all. This historic event opened the door for others to continue to fight and to pride themselves in who they are. Today we have yearly events such as the Pride parade that takes place in various states throughout the country. And more and more steps have been taken to write legislation to protect the rights of those that have been discriminated against for too long.
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Maybe one day we as a society can go back and walk the cobble streets of the West Village and remember what it used to be like. Maybe one day we will even be in disbelief that such issues were even a thing. But while many steps have been taken in the right direction we still have a longs way to go. So, get together and fight for what you believe in. Be proud of who you are because the fight goes on.