Memories of Stonewall & The Early Homophile Movement: Lilli Vincenz

Lilli Vincenz remembers the Stonewall Rebellion well. She was already an activist in the nascent "homophile" movement. As a member of The Mattachine Society, she helped organize pickets outside the White House to protest the treatment of gay and lesbian employees. She remembers hearing about, "Drag Queens throwing coins at the police and pulling out one parking meter. There was wonderful excitement in the air."

Lilli recounts her early depression at not knowing how or where to find other lesbians in the 1950s and the fateful trip she took Provincetown, Massachusetts, because she heard there were gay people there. She joined the Army to find lesbians, but eventually she was discharged for homosexual conduct. After the discharge, Lilli said, "I felt very free. I felt, I didn’t have to pretend anymore. It was very liberating." She immediately got involved with the gay rights movement and helped pave the way for gay and lesbian activists of today.

As the 40th anniversary of Stonewall approaches, Lilli Vincenz spoke with Lesbian Life about her early memories as a gay rights pioneer.
_{May 1967 Frank Kameny, Jack Nichols and Lilli Vincenz}