ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Jay Chetney lives in St. Pete and still gets emotional thinking about the Stonewall riots.
The demonstrations began after police raided a gay club, the Stonewall Inn, in New York City's Greenwich Village on June 28, 1969.
Chetney says, at that time, being gay was nearly illegal.
"I wanted to be safe. I wanted to be able to walk through a neighborhood without fear of being bashed or attacked," he said.
As a young man in his 20s, Chetney and friends were in New York City for the funeral of the famed actress Judy Garland.
"Judy Garland was and Idol of mine,” Chetney said. "There were thousands, like maybe 5,000 people crowded around the funeral home and they broadcast it on speakers so we could hear."
Afterward, many went to the Stonewall Inn despite the risk of getting kicked out for being gay or the owners arrested for serving them.
Rejection was the one thing that members of the LGBTQI+ community didn't have to feel when they entered gay bars and clubs because they served as a place of refuge.
According to History.com, before 1966, the New York State Liquor Authority penalized and shut down establishments that served alcohol to known or suspected LGBT individuals, arguing that the mere gathering of people who were gay was “disorderly.”
“These were all very real fears, and your life could be ruined, They would have routine raids" Chetney said.
Although LGBT patrons were now allowed to be served at bars, police harassments did not stop because any type of same sex public displays of affection were still viewed as illegal.
On that night, when police arrived with their batons, many of the patrons refused to leave, and a riot ensued. It last well into the early morning hours the following day.
The next night, the bar opened again, and police came back. Chetney was among a group of people trying to protest peacefully. Despite his efforts, he says he still faced confrontation from an officer.
"He singled me out and just charged at me. yelling at the top of his lungs,” he said.
Chetney says the officer called him names as he was hitting him with his baton.
“He just went to town on my knee."
Law enforcement entered the establishment and arrested 13 people, including employees and people violating the state’s gender-appropriate clothing statute, as stated by History.com.
Instead of people running away and turning from the bar, this was the night that they decided to fight back.
The crowd hurled many things at the officers; from pennies to bottles, and many other objects. Some bucked arrest and scuffled with officers, who took cover inside the bar for a time before riot police arrived, according to the Associated Press.
The uprising lasted nearly a week. It prompted Chetney to join the gay rights movement.
"I wanted to be considered an equal citizen. I was a proud American, a well-educated man. I wanted to serve my country, have a constructive life but I wasn't being allowed to do it."
Since that day Chetney has seen real change. A year later, New York City announced its first Pride march to highlight the community’s lack of basic civil rights.
Today, there are Pride celebrations held across the nation, including around Tampa Bay, like the St. Pete Pride Parade, the largest in Florida.
In 2015, same sex couples won the right to marry. There are now new protections against discrimination in housing and employment. But Chetney says there's still work to be done as many still struggle to find their truth and acceptance.
"The unhappiness that so many of them have is so unnecessary because there is nothing wrong. They should be entitled to have a good happy life."
Chetney now works to help others. His message is to stay true to who you are and continue the fight for equality.
"It can happen. You don't have to be in that hole. You're not alone and you don't have to be there,” He said.
Chetney says the biggest thing anyone can do to initiate change is vote. He says that's where the real power lies. He says the Stonewall riots gave people the courage to get out to the polls and initiate a positive change.
- Number of people dead in Surfside condo collapse climbs to 10
- Concrete cracking, 'major' structural damage reported at Surfside condo in 2018
- Alligator bites man in North Venice
- Investigation finds Commissioner Vanessa Baugh won't face criminal charges for vaccine 'VIP list'
- A Frank Conversation: New podcast explores race, religion, politics and more
►Breaking news and weather alerts: Get the free 10 Tampa Bay app
►Stay In the Know! Sign up now for the Brightside Blend Newsletter