Stonewall: Breaking Out in the Fight for Gay Rights

This was a well-organized and engaging book about what is considered to be one of the most important moments in LGBTQIA+ US history. It was wonderful to be able to read something that taught me about a notable event that was purposefully left out of our history books in school.

The 1/2 point is docked because I felt it could have been told in a bit more of an interesting and/or focused manner. Sometimes, it felt like a bit too much was being pushed into small sections.

When I saw this book, I knew I wanted to read it. I knew Stonewall was important in the fight for gay fights, but that was about the extent of my knowledge. This was one of those books that made me learn and also want to know more. It included information I wanted to share with others as I read.
Well written and thoroughly documented, the book gives historical context of Stonewall Inn and the riots. It also paints a larger picture of the place of that moment into the gay rights movement and LGBT issues from the 50s to present day.

STONEWALL: BREAKING OUT IN THE FIGHT FOR GAY RIGHTS by Ann Bausum is a powerful and timely work of nonfiction for today’s teens.

Bausum’s compelling narrative begins in the summer of 1969 at a bar in Greenwich Village, New York. What begins as a police raid on the Stonewall Inn soon erupts into riots in the street and cheers of “gay power.” In the days following the raid, emotions continued to run high as frustrated LGBT citizens began to organize. The raid had become a symbol of the oppression felt by thousands of gay and lesbian community members in the city. The rest of the book describes the gay pride movement of the 1970s, the impact of AIDs in the 1980s and 90s, and the changing public attitudes of the 2000s. The book show more concludes on an optimistic note focusing on the LGBT community’s rainbow symbol of diversity and unity.

Bausum is known for her carefully researched books focusing on social justice. From carefully describing the oppression experienced by generations of gay individuals to clearly explaining the tireless work of gay advocates, Bausum does a masterful job helping today’s young people understand how decades of struggle led to recent societal changes. In the book’s author notes, Bausum explains her motivation for writing a book about the gay rights movement at this point in American history. Her timing is perfect.

Librarian who have been waiting for an up-to-date LGBT history will be quick to add this outstanding work of nonfiction to their library collections. Filled with first hand accounts, historical quotes, and primary source documents, social studies teachers will find this book to be an excellent addition to their social justice curriculum.

Look for STONEWALL to appear on many “best of nonfiction” lists for 2015.

To learn more about the author, go to http://www.annbausum.com/.

Published by Viking on May 5, 2015. show less

This is excellent text that gives a previously ignored perspective attention. Up until recently, people a part of the LGBT community were treated as pariahs and were given positive attention. Now their perspective can no longer be ignored and cast aside. This text provides insight into the oppression and cruelty doled out to LGBT people, and they perseverance to overcome these obstacles.

I featured this informational text along with Playing a Part, Boy Meets Boy, and Annie on my mind in my high school's library during turmoil in adjusting our school's policy to be more accepting of our LGBT students in order to offer intellectual support to students as well as provide and alternative perspective to the heterosexual view that is commonly show more found in YA novels. show less

Solid reference source about a really interesting piece of history. My only quibble is that I would have liked a more narrative style for such intense events. I also was hoping to read something about Marsha P. Johnson or some of the other transwomen involved. I've only learned about them and their roles during Stonewall recently, and I would have loved to get some details, but none were really mentioned by name in the text.

Lastly, it reminded of this great video by J.Smooth which I kind of love.

A book written in 2015 about Stonewall that doesn't even mention Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera? Come on now...

This is a historical perspective on the gay rights movement, from the days when it was illegal to be gay to today. The author examines the role the riots that were started at The Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village in 1969 had on this movement and also how AIDS affected the forward momentum created there. This is a very readable book about an important event in our history.