ABOUT US:

The Stonewall Initiative for Equal Rights is an organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and straight people of all nationalities who are committed to the fight for equality for l/g/b/t people and for the right for sexual and gender expression without repression, bigotry, and violence.

The Stonewall Initiative for Equal Rights was formed in 1996 in Los Angeles to mobilize against bigoted police raids on working class gay bars in Silverlake area of Los Angeles and other working class bars that were targeted in the eastern, primarily Latino, areas of the city.

Stonewall Initiative for Equal began mobilizing the community to hold a 1997 demonstration in Sunset Junction against the police raids. The largely Latino, Filipino and l/g/b/t community surrounding Sunset Junction at the time came out to support efforts by gathering hundreds of signatures to secure the demonstration permit that began a highly publicize campaign against the police raids that were taking place in the area. Other marches against the raids were organized in 1998.

With a grant from the Liberty Hill Foundation, SIER was able to carry out a massive “know your rights” campaign to assist gay men who were facing legal battles for arrests in gay bars.

Stonewall Initiative for Equal Rights was also among the first organizations to organize around the demand for same sex marriage rights.

From 2000 through 2006 SIER was active participating in Pride events, organizing meetings and film showings with other activists in the community.

In 2008 Stonewall Initiative for Equal Rights activists were instrumental in building demonstrations, rallies, press conferences and other activities in opposition to the passage of Proposition 8 in California and Amendment 2 in Florida. Again, after the California Supreme Court upheld Proposition 8 in 2009, SIER activists called for the community to take to the streets, understanding that militant street action is what gave birth to our movement and ultimately will be the strategy to win full equal rights.

The Stonewall Initiative for Equal Rights today has chapters in Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale and continues to bring together lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and straight people to educate and mobilize for full equality.

Sign up to get involved with the Stonewall Initiative for Equal Rights.