Celebrating Pride and Reflecting on Stonewall
As pride month 2025 winds down, we want to take a moment to pause and reflect on the Stonewall Uprising, celebrate queer liberation, and share some reminders about staying connected during these difficult times.
The Stonewall Inn: A Sanctuary of Self-Expression
The Stonewall Inn was more than just a bar—it was a sanctuary where people of all gender identities, sexual orientations and backgrounds could express themselves freely. It was a place for drag queens, trans folks, queers and their allies to dance, connect, and build community in an otherwise hostile world. Yet, like many other LGBTQ+ establishments of the time, it faced constant pressure from law enforcement, who often raided these spaces in an attempt to silence their vibrant culture.
Despite the danger, the LGBTQ+ community persisted in creating spaces where they could live authentically, even when their existence was criminalized. They had built a resilient and unbreakable bond—one that would ultimately lead to the events of June 28, 1969.
On the night of June 28, 1969, a routine police raid at the Stonewall Inn escalated into something much larger. The police had already raided the bar days earlier, seizing alcohol and making arrests, and had planned to return in the early hours of the 28th to shut it down for good. That morning, undercover officers arrested patrons and bar staff, sparking an unprecedented act of defiance.
These folks had had enough. They fought back with a powerful show of resistance, throwing coins, bottles, and bricks—symbols of their frustration and determination— a demand of liberation, dignity and respect. Accounts vary, but many point to the moment when a courageous trans woman of color, Sylvia Rivera, threw the first bottle (or brick) at the police, signaling the beginning of the uprising.
This was not a random act of violence—it was a direct response to years of mistreatment. It signaled deep feelings and a commitment to fighting for equality, visibility, and human rights. The unplanned riot was a collective outcry, a defiant declaration that the LGBTQ+ community would no longer be silenced or oppressed.
The Legacy of Stonewall
The events at Stonewall sparked a nationwide wave of activism, igniting the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement and inspiring generations of advocates to come. The bravery displayed on that night laid the groundwork for Pride parades across the world, marking each year as a celebration of love, resilience, and progress.
Today, we remember Stonewall not just as a riot, but as a triumphant moment of collective power and a defining turning point in the quest for justice and equality for LGBTQ+ people. It’s a reminder that the human spirit is powerful, enduring— we are capable of creating change, even in the face of adversity.
Staying Connected during difficult times
These are difficult times, especially for specific marginalized groups. The current political discourse has impacted our communities in so many ways: chronic stress, unofficial (official) travel bans, identity erasures, fear, family separations, deportations, overwhelm, feelings of hopelessness and despair.
Those of us committed to liberatory and affirmative therapy are holding grief, witnessing injustice, and helping folks navigate systems that were not built for us or our clients to thrive.
Protest, visibility and active resistance matters. But remember: rest, joy, and slowness are are also the work of liberation!
Here are some ideas about how to care for yourself and others during turbulent times that push us toward depletion:
Strengthen your social support system: Now is the time to reconnect and strengthen connections with family and friends.
Take the pressure off primary partnerships and allow space for your partners do self care and activism differently than you.
Find a way to DO something (rather than just venting).
Use your dollars and other resources with intention, invest in your communities.
Offer help to others: check on your friends and family; find small ways to activate/organize as a community.
increase your mindfulness practice, especially around your capacity and needs.
Stay informed, but limit your media intake.
Seek out Joy: watch a nostalgic movie, have sex, dance in the kitchen, make art.
Foster a culture of appreciating each other and be intentional about doing this often. “Look for the helpers” as Mr. Rogers would say.
Could you use some professional support during these difficult times?
Call or text us at 510-826-3359 or schedule a free consultation right now.
