Before Stonewall: How Black lesbians threw rent parties to fuel the fight for queer liberation [Video]

Long before Stonewall, a series of violent demonstrations by LGBTQ+ people against a police raid in 1969, sparked the modern fight for LGBTQ+ rights queer people were creating their own safe havens and communities through rent parties and secret gatherings in the early 20th century. But where did they find each other? How did they form community when queerness was unspeakable and outlawed?

It was in these times in our nation’s history where cities were sprawling up across the landscapes, hidden spaces, secret parties, and coded language became lifelines for LGBTQ people seeking connection in a heterosexist society. They forged their own communities through rent parties, sex work, shared living spaces, and the unifying power of music and nightlife.

But these stories have long been buried in the annals of history, hidden from mainstream narratives. That is, until now. Cookie Woolner, a punk rock drummer turned scholar, has unearthed these …