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• Reputation: 22 Q&A: 1 0 0 2 0 0 Classifieds: 0 0 what's this? Expert: 1 topic Gay Pride Follow Following 0 Ed Murray

  0 0 I think that all movements have "trigger points", something that galvanizes, in a moment, actions, feelings and tamped-down energies that have been bubbling under the surface for years waiting for release. Look at how the actions of one Tunisian fruit vendor, in a personal moment of unbridled frustration, triggered the actions which have been sweeping the Arab world. The underlying problems had festered for years before his actions created the outlet for resistance. On a lesser, but no less meaningful scale, Stonewall was a culmination of years of harassment and repression - it was not a reaction to just one night of police brutality. So yes, I believe that, had it not been Stonewall per se, there would eventually have been a "Stonewall" moment at some point that focused LGBT people and unified them in a common purpose. Remember, activists had worked quietly for years behind the scenes to undo discriminatory laws. The movement did not suddenly spring to life one evening in New York. What did spring to life that night was a recognition of commonality among an under-organized movement. I also don't underestimate the AIDS crisis as a galvanizing force in the political awakening of the LGBT community. So yes, Stonewall or not, there would have come a time when we would be celebrating where we have come as a movement. Ed Murray answered in Gay Pride 11 months ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question New comments are not being accepted at this time.

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