Film exposes 1960s bigotry towards LGBT community

DailyBeacon.UTK.edu – Kate Greer – Staff Writer

The UT Commission for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People will screen “Before Stonewall” Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Lindsay Young Auditorium of John C. Hodges Library.

As part of the LGBT Film Series, the film is the first part of a two-part documentary. Later in the semester, the second part, “After Stonewall,” will be shown.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people took to New York streets on June 28, 1969, as the first major protest against suppression and ill treatment. These later became known as the Stonewall riots.

“This film series documents the rise of gay rights movement through Stonewall,” Roger Weaver, co-chair of the Commissions of Communications Committee, said. “This was the first time people took to the street to protest the discriminating treatment they received.”