Also, a quick history lesson. =)
UNITED STATES HISTORY
1924: First U.S. GLB group: "Society for Human Rights," chartered in
Chicago, devoted to public education and law reform. Quickly crushed by
local police.
1950: First durable U.S. gay rights group: Mattachine Society. Founded in
Los Angeles, modeled after U.S. Communist Party. Named after a medieval
French society of bachelors who conducted dances and rituals, wearing masks,
during the Feast of Fools.
1952-1953: Mattachine mailed questionaires to candidates and circulated
leaflets. Also began publishing a monthly magazine, and defended its right
to mail the magazine in the U.S. Supreme Court--successfully.
1955: First durable U.S. lesbian rights group: Daughters of Bilitis. Formed
in San Francisco, named after a book by turn of the century author Pierre
Louy that included love poems between women. The idea of DOB was to sound
like Daughters of the American Revolution or "a poetry club."
1961: Washington D.C. chapter of Mattachine formed, begins making clear
that 1) homosexuality is not the result of mental illness, and 2) that
homosexuals, not doctors and lawyers, are the experts on homosexuality.
1964: First White House demonstration against G-L employment
discrimination.
Clearly, the U.S. had an open, functioning gay rights movement at least
five years (perhaps 27 years) before Stonewall. While the "Gay Liberation"
movement was very different in tone, tactics and numbers, U.S. gay rights
activism far pre-dated 1969.
"Fundamentalism means never having to say 'I'm wrong.'"
-- unknown