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This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York City. On June 27, 1969 police raided the Stonewall Inn, a little bar in New York City's Greenwich Village. Police raids of known "homosexual gathering places" were a common occurrence in the 1950's and 1960's, and this raid was no different than any of the earlier frequent raids. Government sponsored persecution of homosexuals was a fact of those times and arrests of people just because they were thought to be homosexual was common place.

But there must have been "something in the air" the night of June 27, 1969; maybe it was years of pent up frustration; maybe it was anger at being persecuted for so long. Whatever the cause, The Stonewall Riots are generally recognized as the first time gay people stood together and fought back against the tyranny they had been subjected to for so many years. As the patrons were rousted out of the bar and the arrests were being made, soon a crowd of about 2000 gathered. And then it began...Angry words were shouted at the police and chants of "Gay Power" came from the crowd. Soon words turned to actions as the crowd began throwing things at the police like bottles and trash cans.

That night 13 people were arrested, many were injured, some severely beaten by the police and several police were injured. But that night was just the beginning. The next night and an even larger crowd gathered outside of the Stonewall Inn and the police sent in a riot control squad. Today, the Stonewall Riots are generally thought of as the birth of the modern day Gay Rights movement.

In the years since the Stonewall Riots, the LGBT community has come a tremendous distance in the fight for our equal rights and acceptance. We have fought hard to become accepted by, and even welcomed into, our neighborhoods. We have spent years showing the world that we are no different than anyone else. And the efforts have paid off immensely.

Our lives and relationships are portrayed widely in mass media, from TV to movies to news broadcasts. It is almost commonplace to have gay characters in mainstream TV shows and there are feature films about gay relationships. Many companies, municipalities and cities recognize domestic partners. Some states have even legalized same sex marriage or implemented civil union laws.

This is not to imply that our fight for acceptance is over. There is still much homophobia in the United States and throughout the world; teenage people still commit suicide because

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