The Stonewall Monument in Christopher Park, New York City, saw thousands congregated to voice their discontent over recent changes made by the National Park Service (NPS), who announced the removal of all mentions of transgender and queer identities from the monument’s webpage, a decision attributed to an executive order from President Donald Trump that prohibited official recognition of transgender individuals within U.S. government agencies.
Activists expressed their confusion and anger online, noting that the NPS replaced the acronym LGBTQ+ with LGB, omitting essential recognition of the transgender community, including historical figures such as Zazu Nova, who have been stripped of their identity as a “black transgender woman,” now simply referred to as a “black woman.”
The demonstration, timed to coincide with Valentine’s Day, began around noon and attracted a crowd of over 1,000 participants. As the hours progressed, the number of attendees at the Stonewall site continued to swell, underscoring the resonance of the issue within the community and beyond.
The Stonewall Riots, which serve as a cornerstone in LGBTQ+ history, took place from June 28 to July 3, 1969, in response to systemic oppression and harassment faced by the homosexual and gender nonconforming communities. The riots ignited at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar situated in Greenwich Village, following repeated raids by law enforcement. The moment marked a pivotal shift, as patrons began to resist the harassment they faced, leading to confrontations that lasted for several days.
Notable figures emerging from those historic events include Marsha P. Johnson [pictured] and Silvia Rivera, both of whom were transgender women and key figures in the riots. Zazu Nova is also credited by many as having played a significant role, with her being alleged to have thrown the “first brick” during the uprising.
As the protests unfolded today, there was a palpable sense of urgency among attendees to reclaim the historical significance of the Stonewall Monument in light of recent efforts to marginalise the identities at its heart. The actions of the NPS, coupled with the ongoing political climate surrounding LGBTQ+ issues, have reignited discussions about representation and recognition within national history.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.ktvq.com/us-news/lgbtq/governments-stonewall-website-removes-transgender-and-queer-references – This article corroborates the removal of transgender and queer references from the Stonewall National Monument website, highlighting the change from LGBTQ+ to LGB and the backlash from LGBTQ+ advocacy groups.
- https://abcnews.go.com/US/transgender-references-removed-stonewall-national-monument-website/story?id=118804553 – This report confirms the National Park Service’s decision to eliminate references to transgender people from the Stonewall National Monument website, replacing LGBTQ+ with LGB, and notes the criticism from New York Governor Kathy Hochul.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative references recent events and actions by the National Park Service, suggesting it is relatively current. However, specific dates for these changes are not provided, which could indicate it might not be the most up-to-date information.
Quotes check
Score:
0
Notes:
No direct quotes are present in the narrative.
Source reliability
Score:
6
Notes:
The narrative originates from the Anarchist Federation, which may not be considered a mainstream or traditionally reliable source for factual reporting compared to major news outlets.
Plausability check
Score:
8
Notes:
The claims about protests and changes to the Stonewall Monument’s webpage are plausible given the ongoing political climate surrounding LGBTQ+ issues. However, specific details about the National Park Service’s actions and their timing could not be verified.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative appears to address recent events but lacks specific dates and direct quotes. The source is not a traditional news outlet, which affects reliability. While the claims are plausible, further verification is needed for a definitive assessment.
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