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alisonscott1010 's review for:
The Stonewall Reader
by The New York Public Library
This collection of firsthand accounts of Stonewall- before, during, and after - felt thorough and carefully crafted. I got the sense in reading the selected pieces that the editors really wanted to be historically accurate and include as many perspectives as possible. I did, however, think it was heavy on the voices of gay men, although that could be a result of the era in which most of these firsthand accounts were collected. I also really struggled with the racist and sexist language, but again, these were people's own words. However repulsive some of it might be for me, this was clearly how people spoke in the mid-twentieth century. (I was born in the 80s and I still found it pretty jarring). I'm not talking about taking back homophobic slurs, I mean causal use of slurs.
I initially rated the book 4 stars, but ultimately decided against a rating because it is an anthology. I think the editors' work was solid. To me the collection shows the disparities between the accounts of what happened among people who were there, and it helps to make sense of why there has always seemed to be conflicting stories about who played what role, and what the exact spark was that started the uprising. I came away with the sense that ultimately, even if we never know those answers for certain, it feels clear that women, people of color, and members of the trans community played a huge role in the riots and the Gay Liberation movement that followed. I felt the Stonewall Reader honored that.
I initially rated the book 4 stars, but ultimately decided against a rating because it is an anthology. I think the editors' work was solid. To me the collection shows the disparities between the accounts of what happened among people who were there, and it helps to make sense of why there has always seemed to be conflicting stories about who played what role, and what the exact spark was that started the uprising. I came away with the sense that ultimately, even if we never know those answers for certain, it feels clear that women, people of color, and members of the trans community played a huge role in the riots and the Gay Liberation movement that followed. I felt the Stonewall Reader honored that.