The National Park Service website for the Stonewall National Monument has been revised, eliminating explicit mention of transgender individuals. The site, which previously acknowledged LGBTQ+ contributions, now focuses solely on lesbian, gay, and bisexual history, changing the acronym from LGBTQ+ to LGB.
The updated website text reads: "Before the 1960s, living openly as a lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) person was largely illegal. The Stonewall Uprising on June 28, 1969, marks a crucial moment in the pursuit of LGB civil rights and propelled a significant movement."
This modification has drawn sharp criticism, notably from New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who denounced the change on social media as "cruel and petty," emphasizing the vital role transgender individuals have played in LGBTQ+ rights advancements.
The Stonewall Uprising, sparked by a police raid on the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village on June 28, 1969, is widely recognized as a pivotal moment in LGBTQ+ history. The multi-night confrontation brought national attention to the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights. While activism existed before Stonewall, the event served as a catalyst for greater organization and mobilization within the community. The NYPD has since issued apologies for past anti-LGBTQ+ actions, including the Stonewall raid.
The Stonewall Inn and its associated Give Back Initiative released a joint statement condemning the website alteration, describing it as an act of historical distortion that disregards the significant contributions of transgender individuals, especially transgender women of color, who were central to the Stonewall Riots and the broader fight for LGBTQ+ equality. Highlighting figures like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, the statement underscores their bravery and leadership as fundamental to the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.
The Stonewall Inn has pledged to advocate for the restoration of transgender representation on the website. This decision by the National Park Service coincides with a wave of anti-transgender policies enacted under the Trump administration. GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) criticized the website change as another attempt to discriminate against and erase the contributions of transgender and queer Americans.
The National Parks Conservation Association also issued a statement, emphasizing that removing references does not alter history or the contributions of the transgender community. They stressed the importance of inclusivity and representation of diverse stories within national parks.
