Boycott Roland Emmerich's "Stonewall"

After the landmark decision by the Supreme Court to legalize same-sex marriage in the United States, and all of the progress the LGBT community has made, Roland Emmerich's "Stonewall" is a slap in the face. Based on the pivotal 'Stonewall Riots' in 1969 (the event that started the LGBT movement in this country), the film stars Jeremy Irvine (from 2011's "Warhorse"), Ron Perlman, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Joey King and Jonny Beauchamp.

One thing that's instantly noticeable about the cast, is how overwhelmingly white it is, which is not only just flat out ignorant, but historically inaccurate. People of Color not only have historically been huge players in the fight for LGBT rights, but People of Color specifically started the Stonewall Riots. Specifically a black Trans woman named Marsha P. Johnson. Johnson is credited by many with starting the riots. Curiously, Johnson is not a character in the film, and Irvine's character is not based on a real person; he has been created for the film.


In the film's trailer, Irvine's character throws a brick, thus starting the riots, which is used as the trailer's emotional climax. So not only have the filmmakers behind this film whitewashed a pivotal moment in LGBT history, but they would rather create a fictitious character than give credit to Johnson's amazing efforts.

Also absent is prominent community figure Sylvia Rivera, who along with Johnson, played a huge role in Stonewall. Rivera was a drag queen who regularly visited the Stonewall Inn, and helped found a group dedicated to aiding homeless Trans women of color.

As a member of the LGBT community, this offends me greatly. I am completely thankful to women like Johnson whose courageous efforts are still being felt throughout our world today. "Stonewall" is an obvious marketing ploy to capitalize on the recent developments in our community, with zero interest in honoring the amazing men and women who helped make today a reality. I implore you to read more about Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and the other amazing people of the LGBT movement that Hollywood is so hellbent on smudging out.

I also encourage everyone who has taken the time to read this post, to sign this petition to boycott the film. Of the 15,000 signatures needed, it currently has 14, 396.

If you are interested in the REAL story of Stonewall, check out "Pay It No Mind", a documentary about Johnson featuring interviews from those who had the pleasure of knowing her, archival footage and photographs. You can watch it on Youtube here.