A statement from Jim Fouratt founding member of the original Gay Liberation Group
I want to thank all the individuals who marched with the GAY LIBERATION FRONT the last 5 years in NYC in the annual Freedom and Liberation Marches (aka PRIDE). We have been intergenerational including some original members and others who agreed with our multi-issue politics: multi-issue, feminist, gender expression inclusive and respectful of our communities' diversity in race, gender age, and gender expression. I loved our Samba band that Richard Dworkin brought to march with us, Its members were inclusive of gay, lesbian, trans etc, and allies.
You showed that GLF knew that fun and culture,are essential in building a new world of genuine equality. thank you.
I also want to thank all members of GLF chapters we helped to organize across America and around the world. in that first year. You are alive in my memory. You carried the message forward of GLF politics for many years after the original founding chapter GLF/NYC group disbursed into communities around the country with the spirit of radical multi-issue, feminist based politics to change the world and make it safe for all oppressed people
I am sad to report that we do not yet have a place in the World Pride March. A small group of the original GLF/NYC members from around the country, some of whom march with us once or twice went to Heritage of Pride without talking to us and declared themselves representative of GLF. They asked to be considered as Grand Marshalls.
World Pride and HOP has announced the the original founding chapter of GLF/NYC is one of the 5 Grand Marshalls. I have been invited as an individual and informed by the organizing group that participation is limited to only the original GLF/NYC members.
They are comrades even if they were insensitive to us. They consider considered GLF ended in 1972, Yes NYC did disburse in 1972. Some of us have a different understanding of about GLF. It has remained alive in practice and principal for us and continued thriving around the world post 1972.
For years after in chapters in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, Boston, Philadelphia etc as well as Paris, London Berlin etc up until the 80's GLF was alive and active. More than 70 Chapters emerged in that first year, Many on College Campuses that we helped organize.
I know that I and other GLFers have carried the principles of multi-issue politics and feminism into the work we did after 1972. For me I carried then into Gay Activist Alliance when it replaced GLF in NYC. I carried them with me when forning WIPE OUT AIDS/HEAL in 1981, I carried them into the founding meeting of ACT UP in 1987; The building of the Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center in NYC and when we formed an LGBT caucus in Occupy Wall Street etc
GLF principles of multi-issues and feminism are what I brought into my political life since GLF was formed in 1069.
I have began carrying a GLF banner in marches and demos over the last few years. I did this because I think our radical multi-issue politics that included other people's struggles is needed now more than ever,as we built unity to take our country back. We also ned to teach younger people of how this post-Stonewall movement was instigated.
I have not given up on asking for a contingent open to all members of the GLF from anywhere that had an authentic chapter who may be here for WORLD PRIDE to join us if we are allowed to march as a group as we have in years past, And the Samba band will be invited to participate if we are granted space,
But to be honest today, i am not too hopeful. Last week I called WORLD PRIDE office and spoke with their pr person. I asked her to direct me to the person responsible for editorial control of the online content being put up on the WORLD PRIDE website . I called to offer some factual corrections to a post they had just made. It was called HIDDEN FIGURES: THE WOMEN OF STONEWALL
I was surprised to see that three of the people chosen were self-identified as transwomen, I received a number of messages from lesbians that objected to four of the "Women of Stonewall" as being not biological women.
Personally, If they had been identified correctly as transwomen I would have had no objection, If the category was define as "The Transwomen of Stonewall. The word transgender began being used in the early '90s and the word transwoman not until the after 2009.
But the word chosen was "women" and in my view cause a rift in a year when we should have been celebrating our victories. Gender expression and protection of those who are seen and feel themselves gender-wise as different is not new to gay and lesbian communities. Gender expression has always been what has identified us when we could not pass as straight. The closet did not protect us, The pain of oppression and bias because of out gender expression is not knew.
LANGUAGE CHANGES, YES! BUT LANGUAGE RESPECT SHOULD ALWAYS be practice in recalling history rather than layering politically correct language of today that is constantlychanging and changing.
Lets me talk about why I had called about their FIVE WOWMEN OF STONEWALL .One of whom is a well know grifter and acknowledged liar who was not present at the Stonewall Rebellion, In fact only became visible in the early '70's when working for Lee Brewster's drag emporium for men who wanted to dress as women on 14th Street (cross-dressers and/or transvestites in the language of the day) His name is Williamson Henderson, He organized a group called Stonewall Veterans, And has used his position as Executive Director to raise funds for his personal use and representative himself as the legitimate voice of participants in the four nights of the Stonewall Rebellion, He is one of the four "Women of Stonewall", Henderson did have a drag persona Lady Allyson in the middle 70's . He was active in the Royal Court of NYC until he was thrown out because after being elected treasurer, he stole the group's treasury.
They also mis-identified Marsha P. Johnson as a woman. Those of us, including myself, who knew Marsha well, know that Marsha identified as a gay man who liked to "dress up" as, what he thought, was a beautiful gay man. In fact Marsha, when he was invited to ride in the Grand Marshall's car the year the mob interests took back the organizing of the Christopher Liberation March. Ed Murphy, the gay mob money man at Stonewall in charge of paying off the cops and taking the profits back to the boys in the back room was chosen as the Grand Marshall and designated the "King Of Christopher Street.", Marsha was asked by Murphy to ride with him in the Grand Marshall's car. Marsha did. In complete boy drag .. and the radian smile intact.
Sylvia Rivera was identified as a member of the Gay Activist Alliance. Sylvia was at the founding meeting of the Gay Liberation Front/NYC on the third night of the Stonewall Rebellion and remained active in GLF until it disburse, Yes we both joined GAA and neither one of us were welcomed by the leadership. Our names are in the official members list of GAA.
STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolution) was a cell of GLF/NYC. When we established the first Lesbian and Gay Community Center on West 4th Street and 6th avenue, Sylvia and Marsha moved STAR in and its homeless members in. They remained there until it was closed.
GAA thew Sylvia off the stage in the viral video of Sylvia reclaiming her space...not GLF/NYC or as has been repeatedly posted, me, Sylvia and I remained friends through out the ups and downs of political correctness,
GLF's history has either been erased or so distorted by authors like David Carter and Eric Marcus among others. I feel each of us in entitled to tell the stories of the times we lived though as we ...all of us..seeded regardless of gender expression, race, gender or age Lesbian and Gay liberation
Whew.. lot of history to cover,
Let me finish what happened with my call to World Pride and Ms. Renna. When I told Ms, Renna why Iwas clling she asked me if i thougth transwomen were women, I asswered I thougth transwomen were transwomen, I also asked her if she knew the history of how transwomen and transman came in use. She than told me I was transphobic, that, "... I could look at the World Pride website if I needed contact information." She told shewas ending the call and ensured me she would "...make sure everyone who worked at World Pride and HOP knew I had called with my transphobic questions."
Renna than hung up on me.
There is an alternative March planned by some former members of ACT UP... 25 years ago ACT UP had an alternative March centered on AIDS, For over 16 months a small group of NYC activist have been meeting and decided to ignore the WORLD PRIDE event hosted by Heritage of Pride because HOP had nto real community based roots and had captiulated to the NYC Poilice department controll oof the March and its shortening the actual length of the March to 1/3 of what it has historically been, The Police are requiring all marchers to wear writs band identifiers, Ever singe Christine Quinn agreed to the
I want to thank all the individuals who marched with the GAY LIBERATION FRONT the last 5 years in NYC in the annual Freedom and Liberation Marches (aka PRIDE). We have been intergenerational including some original members and others who agreed with our multi-issue politics: multi-issue, feminist, gender expression inclusive and respectful of our communities' diversity in race, gender age, and gender expression. I loved our Samba band that Richard Dworkin brought to march with us, Its members were inclusive of gay, lesbian, trans etc, and allies.
You showed that GLF knew that fun and culture,are essential in building a new world of genuine equality. thank you.
I also want to thank all members of GLF chapters we helped to organize across America and around the world. in that first year. You are alive in my memory. You carried the message forward of GLF politics for many years after the original founding chapter GLF/NYC group disbursed into communities around the country with the spirit of radical multi-issue, feminist based politics to change the world and make it safe for all oppressed people
I am sad to report that we do not yet have a place in the World Pride March. A small group of the original GLF/NYC members from around the country, some of whom march with us once or twice went to Heritage of Pride without talking to us and declared themselves representative of GLF. They asked to be considered as Grand Marshalls.
World Pride and HOP has announced the the original founding chapter of GLF/NYC is one of the 5 Grand Marshalls. I have been invited as an individual and informed by the organizing group that participation is limited to only the original GLF/NYC members.
They are comrades even if they were insensitive to us. They consider considered GLF ended in 1972, Yes NYC did disburse in 1972. Some of us have a different understanding of about GLF. It has remained alive in practice and principal for us and continued thriving around the world post 1972.
For years after in chapters in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, Boston, Philadelphia etc as well as Paris, London Berlin etc up until the 80's GLF was alive and active. More than 70 Chapters emerged in that first year, Many on College Campuses that we helped organize.
I know that I and other GLFers have carried the principles of multi-issue politics and feminism into the work we did after 1972. For me I carried then into Gay Activist Alliance when it replaced GLF in NYC. I carried them with me when forning WIPE OUT AIDS/HEAL in 1981, I carried them into the founding meeting of ACT UP in 1987; The building of the Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center in NYC and when we formed an LGBT caucus in Occupy Wall Street etc
GLF principles of multi-issues and feminism are what I brought into my political life since GLF was formed in 1069.
I have began carrying a GLF banner in marches and demos over the last few years. I did this because I think our radical multi-issue politics that included other people's struggles is needed now more than ever,as we built unity to take our country back. We also ned to teach younger people of how this post-Stonewall movement was instigated.
I have not given up on asking for a contingent open to all members of the GLF from anywhere that had an authentic chapter who may be here for WORLD PRIDE to join us if we are allowed to march as a group as we have in years past, And the Samba band will be invited to participate if we are granted space,
But to be honest today, i am not too hopeful. Last week I called WORLD PRIDE office and spoke with their pr person. I asked her to direct me to the person responsible for editorial control of the online content being put up on the WORLD PRIDE website . I called to offer some factual corrections to a post they had just made. It was called HIDDEN FIGURES: THE WOMEN OF STONEWALL
I was surprised to see that three of the people chosen were self-identified as transwomen, I received a number of messages from lesbians that objected to four of the "Women of Stonewall" as being not biological women.
Personally, If they had been identified correctly as transwomen I would have had no objection, If the category was define as "The Transwomen of Stonewall. The word transgender began being used in the early '90s and the word transwoman not until the after 2009.
But the word chosen was "women" and in my view cause a rift in a year when we should have been celebrating our victories. Gender expression and protection of those who are seen and feel themselves gender-wise as different is not new to gay and lesbian communities. Gender expression has always been what has identified us when we could not pass as straight. The closet did not protect us, The pain of oppression and bias because of out gender expression is not knew.
LANGUAGE CHANGES, YES! BUT LANGUAGE RESPECT SHOULD ALWAYS be practice in recalling history rather than layering politically correct language of today that is constantlychanging and changing.
Lets me talk about why I had called about their FIVE WOWMEN OF STONEWALL .One of whom is a well know grifter and acknowledged liar who was not present at the Stonewall Rebellion, In fact only became visible in the early '70's when working for Lee Brewster's drag emporium for men who wanted to dress as women on 14th Street (cross-dressers and/or transvestites in the language of the day) His name is Williamson Henderson, He organized a group called Stonewall Veterans, And has used his position as Executive Director to raise funds for his personal use and representative himself as the legitimate voice of participants in the four nights of the Stonewall Rebellion, He is one of the four "Women of Stonewall", Henderson did have a drag persona Lady Allyson in the middle 70's . He was active in the Royal Court of NYC until he was thrown out because after being elected treasurer, he stole the group's treasury.
They also mis-identified Marsha P. Johnson as a woman. Those of us, including myself, who knew Marsha well, know that Marsha identified as a gay man who liked to "dress up" as, what he thought, was a beautiful gay man. In fact Marsha, when he was invited to ride in the Grand Marshall's car the year the mob interests took back the organizing of the Christopher Liberation March. Ed Murphy, the gay mob money man at Stonewall in charge of paying off the cops and taking the profits back to the boys in the back room was chosen as the Grand Marshall and designated the "King Of Christopher Street.", Marsha was asked by Murphy to ride with him in the Grand Marshall's car. Marsha did. In complete boy drag .. and the radian smile intact.
Sylvia Rivera was identified as a member of the Gay Activist Alliance. Sylvia was at the founding meeting of the Gay Liberation Front/NYC on the third night of the Stonewall Rebellion and remained active in GLF until it disburse, Yes we both joined GAA and neither one of us were welcomed by the leadership. Our names are in the official members list of GAA.
STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolution) was a cell of GLF/NYC. When we established the first Lesbian and Gay Community Center on West 4th Street and 6th avenue, Sylvia and Marsha moved STAR in and its homeless members in. They remained there until it was closed.
GAA thew Sylvia off the stage in the viral video of Sylvia reclaiming her space...not GLF/NYC or as has been repeatedly posted, me, Sylvia and I remained friends through out the ups and downs of political correctness,
GLF's history has either been erased or so distorted by authors like David Carter and Eric Marcus among others. I feel each of us in entitled to tell the stories of the times we lived though as we ...all of us..seeded regardless of gender expression, race, gender or age Lesbian and Gay liberation
Whew.. lot of history to cover,
Let me finish what happened with my call to World Pride and Ms. Renna. When I told Ms, Renna why Iwas clling she asked me if i thougth transwomen were women, I asswered I thougth transwomen were transwomen, I also asked her if she knew the history of how transwomen and transman came in use. She than told me I was transphobic, that, "... I could look at the World Pride website if I needed contact information." She told shewas ending the call and ensured me she would "...make sure everyone who worked at World Pride and HOP knew I had called with my transphobic questions."
Renna than hung up on me.
There is an alternative March planned by some former members of ACT UP... 25 years ago ACT UP had an alternative March centered on AIDS, For over 16 months a small group of NYC activist have been meeting and decided to ignore the WORLD PRIDE event hosted by Heritage of Pride because HOP had nto real community based roots and had captiulated to the NYC Poilice department controll oof the March and its shortening the actual length of the March to 1/3 of what it has historically been, The Police are requiring all marchers to wear writs band identifiers, Ever singe Christine Quinn agreed to the
