by Andrew Sullivan
20 Sep 2010
The dictator's belated acknowledgment and disavowal of his
persecution of homosexuals prompted this fascinating email from Frank
Kameny, the most important activist in the early gay rights movement:
--
While, Castro had no notion, of course, of what he was doing in this
context at that time, in my view and in my interpretation of the
dynamics of the 1960s Gay Movement, he triggered Stonewall and all
that has followed.
News of Castro's incarceration of gays in detention camps in Cuba
came out early in 1965 -- probably in March or very early April. At
that time "the 60s" hadn't yet erupted in their full force, but the
precursors were very well advanced. Picketing was considered the mode
of expression of dissent, par excellence.
Jack Nichols approached me to suggest that we ("we"= The Matachine
Society of Washngton, of which I was President) picket the White
House to protest Cuba's action. I felt that it was rather pointless
to picket the American President to protest what a Cuban dictator was
doing. So I suggested that we broaden and Americanize the effort. One
or more of our signs said (in gross paraphrase, here, from memory)
"Cuba persecutes Gays; is America much better?", and others
specifically addressed governmental and private anti-gay
discrimination here, and other gay-related problems of the day.
And so, on April 17, 1965, ten of us gathered in Lagayette Square,
marched across Pennsylvania Avenue to a site amongst the other
demonstrators designated by the police officer on duty, and picketed.
That was followed by another White House picket in late May; at the
Civil Service Commission (now the OPM) in June; the Pentagon in July
(and again in May, 1966); the State Department in August; and
finally, a huge demonstration (55 people!!!) at the White House in
October, with participants from New York and Chicago.
That July 4, we also staged the first of 5 annual "Reminder Day"
pickets in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia. The last of
those was scheduled for July 4, 1969, a few days after
Stonewall-to-be., and was widely publicized in New York (as the
previous July 4 ones had been) in the preceding weeks. It was well
attended by New Yorkers, indicating that it was well known there.
Ever since, it has been my view, and remains so, that those
demonstrations created the protest-oriented mindset which made
Stonewall possible, and that without it Stonewall just wouldn't have
happened. Therefore, several steps removed, and obviously utterly
unbeknownst to him. by his 1965 detentions of Cuban gays, Fidel
Castro precipitated and triggered Stonewall and all that we have
gained from it since. So, if you enter into a same-sex marriage, or
are helped by a gay-protective anti-discrimination law, or run for
elective office an an open gay, thank Fidel.
.
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