So far this book goes into the collective stories of the early childhoods of people in the LGBTQ+ community who grew up before and during stonewall. Their stories mention growing up different and how often these people were oppressed, beaten, and abused (emotionally and physically) growing up. Though these are mentioned, the book in the beginning does respond to these trauma's and make these instances of rape, molestation, and abuse to youth from adults seem like the norm for this community. I DO NOT like how this can make it seem that there is a causation of being gay and exploring that after being SA'ed. 

As you progress into the book, it explores more of coming of age as a person who physically know but doesn't always emotionally understand their sexuality. It explores secrecy as an adult and being closeted or open with people from different classes of life. It also explores the acts of how we conducted relations within the gay community pre-stonewall and civil rights. This book also discusses political ideologies of how to overcome the stigma and homophobia of the time through the perspective groups and collectives of the day. It also briefly discusses the intersectional struggles within the LGBTQIA+ population when you were not a white cis gendered man.

so much of it was unnecessary but i did enjoy getting to know the lgbtq+ movement in the 60s. glad i read this for #pride

As Michelle Visage would say “Do you like gay shit? Then read this book!” It’s such an amazing read, I’m so glad my local book store had it on a table at the front or I’d probably never have read it and I’d have been missing out. It provides an in depth look at queer history and Stonewall in particular and I really loved learning more about the people who walked so I could run. Some parts are not so pretty but I did still enjoy reading them because it’s necessary to know the good and the bad of queer history. You can’t erase one without the other being erased as well and that’s just a fact. I do wish there had been a bit more focus on the days leading up to the events and the riots themselves, although I do realize they focused on other aspects as those are already represented many times in other books and documentaries. Despite that I absolutely loved learning more about the women and men that tore down walls so I could be free to be gay and safe and proud. I highly recommend this book whether you’re straight or gay as it provides a lot of necessary history of gay culture and those before who came before that paved the way for us. 

It was interesting to read and very informative. It focused a lot on the lead up to stone wall and the life of those interviewed. It was interesting but a bit slow paced. 

When I read this, I had hoped the focus would be more on the Stonewall Riots itself.