Stonewall’s Legacy: Why Pride Is Still a Protest

From 1969 to Today: The Enduring Power of Resistance

Stonewall is often remembered as the birth of Pride, but its most important lesson is that resistance is ongoing. Fifty years later, Pride is celebrated in cities around the world, but it remains a space for protest as well as joy. The issues that sparked the riots—police brutality, discrimination, exclusion—are still with us, and the movement continues to evolve in response.

Duberman’s book reminds us that the original activists dreamed of a world free from all forms of oppression. Today’s movements build on that vision, embracing intersectionality and forging alliances with other struggles for justice. Pride events are still met with resistance in many places, and LGBTQ+ people continue to face violence and discrimination. Yet, the spirit of Stonewall endures: the refusal to be silent, the courage to demand change, and the belief that another world is possible.

Stonewall’s legacy is not just in the parades or the laws that have changed, but in every act of solidarity and every voice raised for justice. Pride is still a protest, and the journey is far from over. 1 4