Good stuff. Sylvia Rivera's bits especially interesting. Funny how the trans lib movement has reclaimed the Stonewall riots as an action mostly by gender deviants and outlaws to the extent that some actually make Sylvia out to be a trans woman. I'm not sure if her identification changed over time, but at least when she was interviewed for this book she talks about taking a stab at hormones and deciding to go off them because she was more of a genderfuck (my words) than a woman.

Got it from the used book store; definitely worthwhile, although I don't know why it took me so long to finish the last chapter! ( )

history, activism, gay rights, STAR, transgender, gay, lesbian

An excellent history surrounding the movement, centering the people we don't customarily celebrate, but who perhaps had the most driving & organizing power. It is a familiar tale in many respects, but doesn't get too wrapped up in any one story and weaves together all the events in a wonderful way and gives excellent background and context to all. ( )

As it is Pride Month I thought this would be a good read. I have heard of Stonewall, know a teeny bit of history and thought this would be a great story to read. Author Duberman chronicles the lives of six people and their lives and how their lives intersect at the Stonewall riots.

The book is good as a history and would imagine a student interested in LGBTQ+ people, issues, histories, of Stonewall in particular, etc. would probably find this of use as a reference. However, the criticisms resonated with me. I hate the switching profiles and would have preferred a focus on one or two people (more on that later) profiles of each instead of constantly switching back and forth.

The writing really isn't all that great and I found it to be a slog. I also sighed at seeing how his focus was the two white gay men. While of course the stories of the "nobodies" (or at least the lesser known) people certainly deserve to be written if they so choose, Marcia P. Johnson, the gender non-conforming activist, is widely cited as one of the, if not the, most important figure of Stonewall. I realize that wasn't the author's focus, but I was also sadly not surprised this was Duberman's take.

Again, I think this book has its place and it's certainly important, but it's definitely not the "Definitive Story." I don't regret getting this as a library borrow (which is how I would recommend getting this book if possible) but based on my small knowledge I also know it's probably best to supplement this with other sources of info. ( )

A really well-researched and interesting portrayal of the gay rights movement in the United States. A great read for anyone interested in social movements of the 1960s. ( )