Stonewall 1969. A war story (ENG) Print & Play PDF

The game

In 1969 homosexual acts were illegal in all of the United States of America except Illinois.

Laws dealing with sexual crimes, including homosexuality, reached draconian severity during the 1960s. That summer, the New York Police Department raided the Stonewall Inn, a very popular gay bar in New York’s Greenwich Village. It was not the first time: patrons of the club were used to endure all kinds of abuse inside and outside the Stonewall Inn, because homosexuals were considered ill, criminals and sinners and, as such, were condemned at the same time by society, the law and religion.

That night, the anger and frustration of the club’s guests erupted with unexpected fury, catching the cops totally unprepared. Patrons of the Stonewall Inn and other people who joined the riot, drawn by what was happening, responded to the abuse and violence with more violence, driving back the police. The clashes lasted for days.

From that revolt, the homosexual liberation movement in its modern incarnation was born. That led to a constant struggle against discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and the recognition of civil rights during the following years.

Unfortunately, there are few photographs and few documents that directly testify the events of that night and the gay, lesbian and transgender people who were involved. The public and cultural memory of many of them has been lost over the decades. In this game the players explore the stories, the difficulties and the tough choices of those people.