Stonewall ‘09- a litany of sorrows: Rainbow Lounge Raid, Anti-Queer Assault, and the SF Pink Triangle Arson
Yup, I said 2009, not some date plucked from the past. Read ‘em and weep.
Happy fucking Stonewall 40 everyone.
(I’ve been doing some of my “brighter” or “happier” writing about the Stonewall anniversary primarily elsewhere, but wanted to pull these three sorrow and rage inducing events out and document them over here.)
The TX cops celebrated the Stonewall anniversary by raiding Fort Worth Bars- including the (Queer) Rainbow Lounge
(picture taken by Chuck Potter, from the Dallas Voice “Instant Tea” blog section)
The DallasVoice.com “Instant Tea” blog section has ongoing coverage, including a number of accounts and some pictures. Their coverage begins with Raid on Rainbow Lounge. Then, in chronological order, see this page and this second page.
Rather than trying to write a summary, I’m simply going to point readers to articles, blogs, and first person accounts (here, An eyewitness account from the Rainbow Lounge raid, for example)
The blog section also contains an Update on Chad Gibson, injured in Rainbow Lounge raid.
Mainstream ‘news’ coverage-
For what it’s worth here are several Star Telegram articles- Upset Fort Worth residents protest raid on gay nightclub

wfaa-tv
Stonewall Revisited?
Towleroad-
The Petrelis Files-
The Stranger/SLOG-
“It felt so very stonewall, but without the standing up for ourselves.
America Blog-
There are also a few diaries on the Daily Kos, this one has made the rec list-
Facebook-
The arson at Twin Peaks (San Francisco)

Also be sure to see the Pink Triangle homepage explaining the meaning behind the annual display, it serves as an
annual commemoration of the gay victims of the Holocaust and a reminder of the on-going inhumanity to repressed minorities going on now around the world
Perhaps when so called “Gay Rights Advocates” meet with Obama tomorrow they might care to mention the (literal) burning hatred we still face, and 40 years on, the violence and bullshit we still endure., not that I expect anything out of this White House, but those with access have a moral obligation to hold his feet to the fire, (so to speak.)
Couldn’t have said it better myself
Yeah the YouTube? Usually not so much with me, but this is a useful little thing to keep handy. Never know when you might have need of it, there are just so many occasions for use.
Music by Lily Allen, set to uploaded video collaborative montage, Big Fat Gay Collab, organized by Stevie. See this in particular, from the video description-
theres a disgusting amount of hate on the internet (especially on youtube!) directed at minority groups (especially the LGBT community) so i was inspired to organize this collab video. i never set out to “change the world” i simply wanted to make something light hearted to put a smile on the face of any hate-victim watching. you’re not alone! stevie loves you
![]()
the song is “f#ck you” by “lily allen” and i believe it was originally written about george bush. however, this video is not against bush. this is our interpretation of the meaning behind the lyrics and i think that our video gives a slightly different meaning to the lyrics and makes a different point than the original song had specifically intended. this video has nothing to do with george bush!
Definitely one for the ‘couldn’t have said it better myself’ files.
Here’s Stevie’s original request for collaboration video that led to the above-
No comments