By Danielle Bulluck SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — ArtRage Gallery in Syracuse began hosting an LGBTQ+ exhibit called “About Face: 50 Year After Stonewall” by Joe Radoccia at the beginning of the month. The exhibit reveals stories from members of the gay community and their reflection over the last 50 years since Stonewall happened.
Earlier this week, more members of the LGBTQ+ community of Syracuse shared their personal stories and struggles on a panel to the community. The event was hosted at ArtRage to allow other community members to see the exhibit and hear from a panel of people who lived during a rough time to be gay.
Stonewall Inn was the start of modern gay rights. It’s a gay bar, known for the 1969 uprising or riots. The uprising lasted for four days. The inn served as a safe haven for gay and lesbians in the community like most gay bars in the 1960s on Christopher Street, New York City.
Roslyn Rasberry was one of the panelists. “Because of Stonewall, I am able to envision and live a future and not have to question about being who I am,” Rasberry said.
The gay community has historically been a hated and despised culture, and the uprising at Stonewall started a revolution. It gave the LGBTQ+ community pride and courage to demand gay rights. Now they have a number of rights like the right to be married, adoption, transsexual bathrooms, and many more things they didn’t have in the 20th century.
Williard Doswell says although their community has come a long way, there’s much more to accomplished, so he focuses on the present.
“To predict the future now is risky, all of the rights and opportunities that we have gained through the last 50 years of liberation movement are fragile,” Doswell said.
Now that they have a whole month to celebrate their history. The LGBTQ+ community does not plan to stop here, they want equality.
Rasberry expressed her hope for the future of the gay community at the panel. “I hope we come together to start creating visions and having conversation. So what is the vision of our community?”
President Barack Obama named Stonewall Inn a National Historic Landmark in 2015. The LGBTQ+ community continues to gain support year to year from big brands like Disney, Adidas, Verizon, MAC. Cosmetics, and hundreds more. They’re even continuing to make history this year by raising the rainbow flag in multiple cities like Albany, New York; Montgomery County, Maryland; Watertown, New York; just to name a few.
Across the country the LGBTQ+ community continues to celebrate the liberation of the last 50 years with parades and festivals, while hoping for another 50 years. The ArtRage Studio will have the “About Face: 50 Year After Stonewall” Exhibit on display, along with hosting pride events all month.
