Stonewall at 50: Uprising Sparked Growth of LGBT Protections

When New York City police raided the Stonewall Inn 50 years ago today, same-sex relations were illegal in all but one state. Employers could also discriminate against people for their sexual orientation without fear of legal consequence.

The uprising that followed the raid fueled a movement for LGBT rights that continues to this day in the courts and legislatures.

“Very quickly after Stonewall, activists in a variety of American cities and states began fighting for an extension of existing anti-discrimination laws to cover what was called ‘sexual preference’ at the time,” said Marc Stein, a historian at San Francisco State ...