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warren c. e. austin
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Likes it here |
Location: Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 247
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Friday, June 27, 1969
Now that the last of the World's many, and varied, "Gay Pride" parades and celebrations are at a close for another year, I thought it might be especially rewarding for the youngest Members of A Place of Safety to awaken in the morning with our eldest Members perhaps sharing a remembrance, or two, of their memories of this watershed event in the "Canon" of Gay Counter-culture.
I actually was, with my lover Jon, in New York City that fateful evening. He and I had earlier been attending a Charitable function on behalf of MOMA, and had retired to enjoy the dubious spectacle offered at the "Continental Baths", when news of the battle being waged by the patrons of Christopher Street, in general, and the Sronewall Inn, in particular, against New York City's finest reached us. The audience at the Club was simply stunned at this revelation, and as Jon and I, and others, hastened to dress and join in the miele, everywhere was heard phrases and expressions in the order of "We are not going to take this anymore", or "They have to learn we have rights, too", or most prophetic of all "They want a fight, then let's damn well give them one".
When Jon and I reached the scene of the most virulent fighting, neither he or I could believe our eyes. LOL, the "Girls" were actually winning; the Police were embattled, and in retreat, and hundreds upon hundreds more sisters were thronging to aid in their rout.
The next, of several, days, the entire village area of New York City looked somewhat like a battlezone, with the Police reluctant to venture anywhere within without supporting numbers.
As Jon and I returned to our home in Southwestern Ontario, outside of Toronto, we couldn't help but wonder how this patent display of militantism, might affect he and I, other Gays, and Canadians at large.
We were soon to learn. It was not long after that the Supreme Court of Canada overturned "Sodomy" convictions for a goodly number of imperiled victims, with the Dominion Parliament then decriminalizing the behaviour for all time and a day.
It's been a long, long road, none-the-less for it, and I can't help but feel some regret that Jon had not lived to see the day earlier this month when the Appeals Court of Ontario ruled in favour of "Same-sex" Marriage, folowed shortly thereafter with the Canadian Government declaration that no appeal of the decision would be made, and in having done so guaranteeing it's becoming the Law of the Land.
I do truly think he might have so enjoyed being known as Mrs. Warren C. E. Austin; or perhaps it might have been the other way round, with my being Mrs. Jonas Witmer Ides; but, regardless of the "style", we both would have amused no end by the discomfort that it would have brought the neigh-sayers of our time.
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Guest
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On fire! |
Registered: March 2012
Messages: 2344
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Those people were heros deserving of mention and highest respect.Perhaps some can see the reasons that I took umbrage at Sabens post on stereotypes.This is a life and death struggle that a lot of gays face--let us draw and give strength from each other...rob
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warren c. e. austin
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Likes it here |
Location: Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 247
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I had simply asked those of us, of an age, to recall their memories of a time some 34-years ago, where through commonality of purpose and pursuit, we the participants, did on occasion affectionately refer to one another as "sisters", and just as likely "girls".
It would further neither history, nor our youth's understanding of the events themselves, were we to become too "politically correct", and overtly sanitize the retelling of these milestones from one generation to the next.
That would not be who your worthy hero's truly were; nor, I suggest, would it be fair to their memory either. Regardless of what they, and I, may have in that time been called, and what we may call them today, without them, and their genuine belief in everyone's right to fair treatment, with dignity, where all are equal under the Law, "Where ... " I ask you, " ... would we all be today?"
Frankly, I would be proud were I to be considered one of their "sisters". What say you, one and all?
Warren C. E. Austin
Toronto, Canada
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Guest
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On fire! |
Registered: March 2012
Messages: 2344
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My reply to this topic was ment to be supportive.However I feel that Warrens reply to me seems a bit wordy,perhaps slightly mean-spirited,ambigous at best.Lashing out at robert will not stop the problems on this board.HALTING UNBRIDLED ANGER WILL IN LARGE MEASURE HELP MAKE THIS A BETTER PLACE...ROB
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warren c. e. austin
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Likes it here |
Location: Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 247
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... with my apology rendered to you off-board by e-Mail, which should be winging its' way to you as I write this.
I started this thread for three reasons:
1) The anniversay for this prodigious event actually fell on the same calendar "day of the week" this year, as it originally had 34-years ago. This went unnoticed I'm sure, not through indifference, but, largely I'm sure because of the unbridled tension here at the Board this past week which reached its' peak late Friday afternoon.
2) Some weeks ago, I had noticed one of our youngsters had requested those of us here, WHO ARE OF THAT CERTAIN AGE, to step forward and relate for all to enjoy, storys of what being "Gay" had been like when we were youngsters ourselves. No-one came forward. I had wanted to fashion a reply then, but it was not politic that I step forward at that time to do so. The events at the Board this past week made it briefly possible for me now.
3) I was age-18 at the time the events at the Stonewall Inn in New York City took place. I would not turn age-19 for another few months. My lover Jon had just turned age-18 a few months before. He and I were of "Legal Age" in Canada, and one or two countries in Europe, but not then in the U.S., nor throughout most of the World at large. Today's youngsters face far fewer hurdles, and barriers, to their fashioning, and fulfiling, their "dreams" than we aging adults ever did. Blessedly common sense has widely prevailed most everywhere regarding issues of a persons sexuality, with societal mores embracing diversity as it has never done in the past.
In closing I should add, this is not to say youth today, do not face discriminatory behaviour and attitudes; because they do. It is beholden upon those of us who have come before them, to pass on whatever "tricks of the trade" we may have acquired along the way, and smooth our children's passage into young adulthood with as much ease and dignity as is practicable.
Warren C. E. Austin
Toronto, Canada
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13800
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I have a link to the annual stonewall survey somewhere. Do take time to answer it.
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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marc
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Needs to get a life! |
Registered: March 2003
Messages: 4729
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Oh my.... I have an idea as to where I was about that time. I was 17 at the time.... Ohhh to be there again....
The summer of 1969 I spent the summer on Cape Cod in Provincetown. In P-town, at that time the gay influence was just coming into its own. There were several gay owned businesses and the general atmosphere was open. The morning after the incident at the Stonewall Inn the town was buzzing with the news. As many of the regular summer inhabidents were from NYC there were concerns of a personal nature to deal with as well. At least within the circle of friends I traveled with there were no severe injuries. I remember there was a small amount of tension in town at the time shortly following the melee but there were no incidents to speak of.
Just a memory of sorts....
Marc
Life is great for me... Most of the time... But then I meet people online... Very few are real friends... Many say they are but know nothing of what it means... Some say they are, but are so shallow...
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I remember "Stonewall", do you? 
Re: I remember "Stonewall", do you? 
Disrespect was neither intended, nor given. 
Re: Disrespect was neither intended, nor given. 
Thanks, Warren 
