Trailblazers: Compton’s Cafeteria Riot
Long before Stonewall, trailblazers resisted police oppression and set the stage for the LGBT Community’s right to exist in the United States.
by Justin Abisror, helpNYC Communications Associate
Throughout history, many pieces of art have influenced each other. A writer can look at a painting and make a poem on the feeling it gives them. Musicians often inspire each other. On the opposite side, it takes much courage to be the first — the trailblazer. Many people are afraid of this because the reaction is unpredictable. So many geniuses have lived their lives in ridicule, only to have their work appreciated after their passing.
The Stonewall Riots in 1969 were an essential milestone in LGBTQ+ history. It is beautiful to see people stand up for what they believe, even if it goes against authority. Stonewall was a turning point that put millions of eyes on LGBT issues. This event is referred to as the flame that started the gay rights movement. But, everyone who has made a fire knows you can’t have a blooming flame without its first spark.
Three years before Stonewall, in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco, on a hot August evening in 1966, the first collective queer resistance in the United States occurred. At the time, transgender people and drag queens had trouble getting traditional jobs, as those groups were looked down upon. Many were forced to resort to sex work for income. At the end of the night, they met at Gene Compton’s Cafeteria — since it was open 24 hours a day — and sympathized with each other over coffee.
Sadly, police would constantly show up at Compton’s and arrest the drag queens for not complying with the city’s anti-cross-dressing ordinance. One night, one of the “screaming queens” decided to fight back. As an officer hauled her away from the cafeteria, she threw her boiling cup of coffee at his face. Immediately after, everyone let out their aggression. The tension that has been building up for decades was finally released. Chairs and dishes were thrown, purses and heels became weapons, and windows were smashed both the cafeteria entrance and a nearby squad car. The next day, restaurant owners banned trans women and drag queens.
If this had happened in 2021, news outlets and the internet would be talking nonstop. It was the first massive revolt from gender-nonconforming people. The actual direct aftermath is surprising; the media chose to ignore it. In 1966, the general public viewed LGBT people as improper and repulsive. With that in mind, Compton’s Cafeteria riot received no nationwide coverage. Not even the San Francisco publications discussed it. The exact date of the riot is unknown because of this. One participant recalled it happening on a “hot weekend night.”
Even though journalists did not discuss it much at the time, its long term effects are outstanding. The Cafeteria riots marked the beginning of transgender activism in San Francisco. The seeds for rebellion have been sowed, leading to the highly publicized Stonewall Riots.
As a member of the LGBTQ+ community in New York, I think about the privilege of acceptance this generation has. Today, I am wearing a skirt for the first time, and I walked to the coffee shop near my house to write this article. I think about how no one is giving me looks. No one is criticizing me for being a male wearing traditionally female clothing; I think about how the barista complimented my outfit. Every time I try new fashion styles, I contemplate events in history and realize how far we have come as a world. It is easy to take all the little things for granted, like how differently the public would view me fifty years ago. A majority of my friends and artists I listen to are in the LGBT+ community. I love how so many people feel comfortable expressing who they are with little to no backlash. I am highly thankful for the queens of Compton’s Cafeteria riot and their bravery in opening the door for LGBTQ+ awareness.
So on the 55th Anniversary of the Comptons Cafeteria Riots, helpNYC would like to acknowledge the trailblazers that came before us who have sacrificed, with no public acknowledgement, their life for our privilege to celebrate who and what we are. We are grateful for and owe it to the people who came before us and continue to support the LGBTQ+ community’s future generations.
Justin Abisror is a Communications Associate volunteer at helpNYC and attends Long Island University at Post studying Business. He strives to help as many people as he can in both his personal and professional life. From experience working with the elderly population and food delivery, Justin is always searching for new ways to lend a helping hand. From creating music projects to helping neighbors and friends with tasks, he tries to give back to society in numerous ways.
