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Incredible Backstage View of Some of the Stonewall Veterans at "SW-25" [Photo by Rockwell O'Neill] Incredibly pictured standing in front of a crowd of over a million people above (left-2-right) is firstly "The Stonewall Queen" Allyson Ann Allante (grandly statured in a muave sequinced gown and long blonde hair), the second is Rolando Ortiz (in tight white tee-shirt and tight blue jeans, well-built Puerto Rican originally from The Bronx and now up from Florida), the third person is S.V.A. Treasurer Terri Van Dyke (wearing yellow pants and carrying his ever-present huge shoulder bag), S.V.A. Secretary Yvonne Ritter (with red hair up) is fourth, Danny Garvin (in tacky shorts unfit for this mementous occasion) is fifth, Christian the "Stonewall Dutch Boy" (in traditional Hollandaise garb) is sixth, Jon O'Brien (wearing dark blue shirt and slacks, in from Los Angeles) is seventh.... Also on stage but not shown in this photo are (alphabetically): Molly Aitken... Storme DeLarverie... David Foxworth... Cristina Hayworth... Williamson Henderson... Leigh McManus... Jeremiah Newton... Ronnie Nieves... Electra O'Mara... John-Paul Ranieri (in from Wisconsin)... Sylvia Rivera... Jack Rojas... Rusti Rose... Bill Salzman... Richard Strahan (in from South Shore, New Jersey)... Ivana Valentin... Dave West... et al..... The very well-organized STONEWALL Veterans' Association ("S.V.A."), which had just led the "Spirit of Stonewall March" with the blue 1969 Cadillac convertible "Stonewall Car" up from Greenwich Village, and, now, finally, after waiting over an hour, broadsided the very high and very wide stage. Only one-third of the SW-Vetz on stage are shown in this incredible photo. The approximate one million (1,000,000)-plus attendees from all over the world responded with a great, sound-breaking, five-minute chant of "Thank you... Thank you... Thank you... Thank you... Thank you..."! Every Stonewall Veteran -- except one -- was overcome with emotion, lightly crying with pride or just having a few tears of joy or sadness stream from their eyes. Queen Allyson Ann, the President of the Imperial QUEENS and the S.V.A. elected Spokesperson, was not having her professionally-done make-up ruined. Anxious to begin her speech, Allyson finally said to the huge millionish crowd (a la Barbra Streisand and invoking a Brooklyn accent): "Alright already... enough already. Oy! Thank you! Already enough, thanks! We thank you, too -- for being here!" Enough now! What's a queen supposed to do already? Thanx! (Convincing one million people to "Stop!" is not easy.) We love you, too!" However, the enthusiastic crowd continued their chant, "Thank you... Thank you... Thank you... Thank you...."! Highlights of the entire Stonewall 25 event, including the S.V.A. segment is/was available on the video, "The Future is Ours" -- a queerly inane title for the hugest Gay event in world history. Celebrities included openly-Gay actor/entertainer Harvey Fierstein who stated that none of us would be here today on this stage if not for the Stonewall Veterans. And, another Gay favorite, Liza Minnelli who reminded everyone that "It is the 25th anniversary of Stonewall.... and it is also the 25th Anniversary of Mama" -- referring to the Gay icon of Judy Garland, whose funeral was the first day of the rebellion that night. Coincidence? No! |
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