The Stonewall Riots weren’t the first time that LGBTQ+ people stood up against police harassment — before Stonewall, there was a riot in Los Angeles at Cooper Do-Nuts, and in San Francisco at Compton’s Cafeteria. But Stonewall is definitely the best-known, and led to the creation of what we know as Pride today.

It started with a police raid on a hot summer night in Greenwich Village. Cops stormed the Stonewall Inn, arresting patrons and forcing them into waiting police vehicles. But a nearby crowd grew restless and angry, and eventually someone — there’s debate over who — started whipping onlookers into fighting back. They pelted the police, forcing homophobic cops to retreat, and aggressive street confrontations continued over the next few nights.

Following the Stonewall Riots, organizers wanted to build on that spirit of resistance. The following year, they organized a march to Central Park, and adopted the theme of “Gay Pride” as a counterpoint to the prevailing attitude of shame. That march down Christopher Street soon expanded to other cities, with many more joining in year over year through the 1970s until Pride became the massive celebration that we know today. Continue reading from them

• Triangle Community Center 

  Triangle Community Center (TCC) offers programs, services and events that provide critical and in some cases life-saving resources and assistance to the LGBTQ community in Fairfield County. (Norwalk, CT)

• CT Trans Advocacy Coalition 

  The mission of the Connecticut Trans Advocacy Coalition (CTAC) is to make Connecticut a safe and tolerant place for the trans and gender non-conforming individual through education and social advocacy. (Farmington, CT)

• PFLAG Hartford 

  PFLAG Hartford offers support groups, advocacy and education for families, allies and people who are LGBTQ. (Hartford, CT)

• Online LGBT Resources from Village Pediatrics 

  A list of LGBT support links from Village Pediatrics. (Westport, CT)

• LGBTQ Resources in Connecticut 

  Highlighted resources from across the state, with contact information for advocacy groups and organizations in the area.

• The Trevor Project 

  The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24. (National)

• Anchor Health Initiative CT 

  Anchor Health Initiative is a health care provider offering medical services to everyone in the community with particular expertise in the area of HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, and Transgender medicine. Anchor Health Initiative offers a welcoming, supportive and safe environment for the LGBTQ community.