A Night at the Stonewall Inn

Stonewall Inn

The Stonewall Inn is located at 53 Christopher Street, between Waverly Place and West 4th Street. The original bar occupied two buildings, at 51-53 Christopher.

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Jackson Smith (far right) & Kevin Gamboa (second from right), Chicago, Illinois  

Smith: “As part of the younger generation of queer people, I feel like it’s very important to honor those who have come before us that have fought for our rights.” 

Gamboa: “Once we walked in, I just got chills all over and got kinda teary-eyed. It felt surreal being here.”

Downstairs bar 

Kurt Kelly, Owner 

“We’re the keepers of Stonewall history; that’s why we’re here. To bring out the history. To educate people. To educate youth, that the only reason they’re allowed to walk down the street and hold hands is because of what happened in 1969. A lot of them don’t realize that it was illegal to dance with the same sex.”

Front window

Kelly: “This is the gay church. This is where it all began, where Pride began. And this is where it lives. When marriage became legal in New York, the place went crazy. There were people all over outside. And standing at the door, a New York cop said congratulations and anything you want, just let me know. We’re here to help you.”

Mel Dota, Bartender 

David Mars, Riverhead, New York

“I’m actually gender fluid, so I’m both he and she. And I switch between the two. So right now, I’m she, but sometimes I’m both. I get a lot of negativity at home because my home is a small town and everyone knows each other. But the crowd here is like, that’s totally fine. I feel so comfortable coming out here and doing this; it’s such a relief for me.”

Hannah Moore, East Village, Manhattan

“It’s such a fun place to let loose and be around like-minded people. And like many places in New York, it’s a judgment-free zone. You can bring anybody here for a good time. The karaoke thing is a big bonus for me because I came to New York in pursuit of musical theater. So it brings me back to my theater people. It feels like home I guess.”

Jason Brooks, Winchester, England

“I found out about Stonewall when I was 16. I knew the history, which is amazing. If it wasn’t for that we probably wouldn’t be where we are today. So to go somewhere that you’ve heard and learned so much about and seen in films, it’s kinda…wow. It’s a very sublime moment for a gay man who’s been out for 20 years.”

Diana Rapp, Doorwoman, girlNATIONnyc 

Daniela Marelli, Rome, Italy

Kristine Bungay, DJ, girlNATIONnyc 

Lily Ali-Oshatz (right), Sunset Park, Brooklyn & Krista Partipelo, Ridgewood, Queens  

Ali-Oshatz: “We come here for community, to be a part of our ancestry and our history, and to keep it alive by showing up. There’s only so much you can do with Instagram and Facebook, until you actually share space with other queer folks and support a queer institution.”

Partipelo: “I like the happy hour vibe because it’s locals and so many different kinds of people here.”

Vanessa Repreza, North Bergen, New Jersey 

Sarah Greene (left) & Saleena Rockvoan

Joao Santos, Ridgewood, Queens

“Stonewall is one of my favorite places in the City. I come here for birthdays, holidays. I find that it’s a very soothing environment, so I love being here and how historical it is, and people that come in here respect that. Everyone here knows what it means for the gay community.”

Norma Alicea (left), Brooklyn & Maryann Tavarniti, Bayside, Queens  

Alicea: “It’s fun. I like to dance. You can just be free and move your body. It’s great energy and a great workout. You can dance all night without having any issues. You can be yourself.”

Hana, Co-founder/Owner, girlNATIONnyc  

“I like having a place for the girls to go. And people from everywhere, all over the world, of all ethnicities come and have fun. Straight, gay or bi, everyone’s welcome. I’ve met a lot of international people here—Dubai, Spain, Italy, Greece, Australia, London, you name it.”

girlNATIONnyc party

  
_See our [LGBTQ+](/lgbtq) and [WorldPride](/worldpride) guides for more on nightlife in NYC._

A Night at the Stonewall Inn

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