Compton Cafeteria Uprising
This article is intended to be a brief introduction to the Compton Cafeteria Uprising and not an exhaustive report. This event is well-documented on the web and in other media.
Although the Stonewall uprising is considered by many to mark the beginning of the modern LGBT movement, several similar less publicized incidents occurred in prior years, one of which was the Compton Cafeteria Uprising in August of 1966, almost three years prior to Stonewall, in San Francisco, California, US.
History
In 1966, crossdressing in public was, technically, illegal in San Francisco, although the statute was only occasionally enforced at the time. A branch of Compton's Cafeteria in the Tenderloin District, near the intersection of Taylor and Turk Streets and in the immediate vicinity of many alternative bars, became a popular hangout for drag queens, FI performers, TG street workers, and some casual crossdressers.
For the most part, the staff of Compton's tolerated these individuals as customers.
The 2005 documentary Screaming Queens tells the story of Comptons and the police actions which led up to the uprising in August of 1966.
External Links
- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0464189/ Screaming Queens IMDB entry
