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| After the most unique reunion in Gay history, proudly pictured above are (l-2-r): Queen Allyson A. Allante, S.V.A. Spokesperson; Jeremiah J. Newton, S.V.A. Vice-President; Sylvia Rae Rivera, S.V.A. Secretray; Cristina Hayworth, S.V.A. Ambassadress (up from Puerta Rica); Yvonne Ritter, RN, S.V.A. Executive Committee; Ivana Valentin, Executive Committee; Danny Garvin, pending S.V.A. member; Terri Van Dyke, S.V.A. Treasurer; Ramon Morales (up from Florida), Executive Committee; and many other veterans of the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion not shown as they span across the huge stage. The media -- print and television -- had a huge Gay bonanza with this tremendous one-of-a-kind event. |
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Legendary Stonewall Club patrons
and other participants of the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion -- since named by Williamson Henderson and now known as
the "Stonewall Veterans" -- fought the New York City Police
Department, the First Division Detectives and the Tactical Patrol Force
in late June and early July 1969 for five evenings and nights and ultimately won an everlasting physical,
emotional, psychological and spiritual victory! The interested and active "veterans" became members of the STONEWALL Veterans' Association ("S.V.A."). On our landmark 25th Anniversary in 1994 of the now worldwide historic uprising, which should have demonstrated a real "heritage of pride", the S.V.A. had to almost physically fight the "Stonewall 25 International Committee" -- comprised of many wannabe corporate, self-serving, egotistical, non-representative, rude Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender ("GLBT") characters whose disrespect, greed and financial mismanagement ruined and bankrupted that wholly dishonorable and disrespectful organization. The Stonewall veterans, of course, do not agree on everything -- who does -- however, one of the unanimous opinions is that: The "SW-25 Committee" was the worst group of assembled GLBT-ers that any of us ever saw anywhere. Guess what? Despite their despicable discrimination (the opposite of the spirit of "Stonewall"), exclusionary tactics, ignoring and various visciousness, the S.V.A. won again! "Stonewall 25 Int'l Inc." did all their meetings, planning, promoting, scheduling, and screaming, arguing, etc., etc., etc. without ever inviting or consulting the people who this event was initially intended to commemorate and honor: the Veterans of the Stonewall Rebellion. The "SW-25" ad-hoc committee's mostly arrogant, pompous members -- who acted like they created the GLBT community -- negotiated with New York City officials and other gov't representatives and endless others without ever inviting anyone from the S.V.A. Besides mindlessly and rudely ignoring the S.V.A. -- an act which was a literal "heritage of shame" -- the "SW-25" Committee ludicrously also left out The Stonewall Inn from their spineless game plan. Why? Because they were told that they couldn't. They even left our the regular N.Y.C. Gay Pride Parade route -- Fifth Avenue. Why? Because they were told that they couldn't. And they didn't know that they needed the S.V.A.? Thus, the "SW-25" committee committed a real "sell-out" of the real GLBT communities. Most everyone sadly realized this and at too late a date. The favorite word of the "SW-25" Committee was "no". "No" to this and "no" to that and, most shamefully, "no" to the Stonewall veterans. What?! Nonetheless, several true GLBT organziations and individuals with the real Stonewall spirit and guts such as ACT-UP, the IQKNY, et al. and, of course, the S.V.A. said: "Yesss, we can!" Yesss, we can start the march at The Stonewall. Yesss, we can march up Fifth Avenue. Yesss, we will lead into Central Park. And, yesss, we will be democratic, inclusive, considerate and friendly to ALL! The Stonewall 25 Committee had a seemingly unlimited budget with endless sponsorships, contributions, donations pouring in from all over the world plus their own fund-raisers and money-gathering campaigns. Money was rampant -- for them! Yet, they never gave the S.V.A. one dollar. Not even to have the most famous GLBT community car "detailed" ($69) -- or to fill up its gas tank ($19.69). But the "SW-25" clan saved their biggest insult for the actual event day.... The Stonewall 25 Committee did not even include the S.V.A., representing the Stonewall veterans, as one of the "101" speakers, organizations, acts, groups, individuals, singers, dancers, comedians, comediennes, poets, etc., etc., etc. as part of the Stonewall Celebration Rally in Central Park. Yeah, like we were going to tolerate that. "Knock! Knock!" Who's there?" S-T-O-N-E... Who? S-T-O-N-E-W-A-L-L! Guess who ultimately won? Common sense and common decency: You don't "stonewall" the "Stonewallers"! We did our 'reaching out', too. Most S.V.A. members coordinated writing and/or calling all the SW-Vetz that we knew in a dozen different states. For those SW-Vetz who were totally missing on the scene or not in touch lately but where we had some 411, we searched for and usually located the SVA-ers. In many cases it was like a detective game. We had Stonewall Veterans come to New York City -- and in many cases made housing arrangements with other Stonewallers -- from all over the United States. Meanwhile, the SW-25 Committee obviously was not concerned about contacting any Stonewall veterans -- nor was the selfish committee interested in having any Vetz at the huge event which is a tribute to what WE did! The S.V.A. can never reiterate enough how absolutely obnoxiuos and rude that behavior that was by the SW-25 Committee, which included several in kind members of Heritage of Pride! The S.V.A. even collaborated on the alternative "Spirit of Stonewall March". As a matter of fact, it was proudly decided by the inclusive 'alternate march' organizers that the S.V.A. rightfully lead that march. In fact, the march was led by the S.V.A. with the Stonewall Rebellion-impounded 1969 blue Cadillac "Stonewall Car" up Fifth Avenue. The "Spirit of Stonewall March" amassed over 13,000 march participants and more than ten times that amount in cheering, rainbow flag-waving spectators. The only public officials who joined us in the historic "Spirit of Stonewall March" were U.S. Congressmember Jerrold L. Nadler, N.Y.C. Judge Karen S. Burstein and N.Y.C. Councilmember Thomas K. Duane. What a glorious day! And ours all started at The Stonewall! At the Gay Rally, we confronted some of the "Big Wigs" and demanded to be presented or there would be a real "riot", not the hyperbolic 'riot' to which they wrongly refer. Instead of being introduced, first we had to wait over an hour for a few dozen other speakers and "acts". Once we were finally brought on stage, it was with minimal introduction: "Here are the Stonewall survivors"!. "Survivors"? Survivors of what? We didn't survive; we created. So, we actually had to introduce our own S.V.A. STONEWALL Veterans' Association organization. We broadsided the huge stage to tremendous and thunderous applause. |
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 Roland 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, the "Stonewall Dutch Boy" (in traditional Hollandaise garb) is sixth, John (JOB) 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): Storme DeLarverie, Leigh McManus, Jeremiah Newton, Electra O'Mara, John Ranieri (in from Wisconsin), Sylvia Rivera, Jack Rojas, Rusty Rose, Richard Strahan (in from South Shore, New Jersey), Ivana Valentin, DaveWest, et al. |
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