Happy Pride 2009!

Today is the annual March for LGBT Pride and this year marked 40 years since the people having a drink at the Stonewall Inn decided they weren't going to take it anymore and fought back against police trying to raid the place. The following year, in 1970, the Christopher Street Gay Liberation Day March was held and went up one lane of traffic from the village to the Sheep Meadow in Central Park as described in this video.
In 2009 the marches that most resemble the one from 1970 in militant character would have to be the TransJustice action and the Dyke March. Frank Rich has own take on the history of Stonewall, helpfully pointing out how young and desperate the rioters were, but also forgetting the fact that several were also transgender or gender nonconforming, which only added to the daily harasment they faced at the time. Democracy Now offers an interesting look back at the history around Stonewall with many diverse voices, especially from the drag queens who did the hitting that first night. There have been a few reunion panels with original members of the Gay Liberation Front and other groups this year, I'm not sure if any have been taped.