Mattachine members were also involved in demonstrations in support of homosexuals imprisoned in Cuban labor camps. In 1965, the gay rights protest movement was visible at the Annual Reminder pickets, organized by members of the lesbian group Daughters of Bilitis, and the gay men's group Mattachine Society. See also: Annual Reminder, Stonewall riots, and Gay pride
In 2019, New York and the world celebrated the largest international Pride celebration in history: Stonewall 50 - WorldPride NYC 2019, produced by Heritage of Pride commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, with five million attending in Manhattan alone. The events became annual and grew internationally. In 1970, pride and protest marches were held in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, and San Francisco around the first anniversary of Stonewall. The parades seek to create community and honor the history of the movement. Most pride events occur annually, and some take place around June to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City, a pivotal moment in modern LGBTQ social movements. The events also at times serve as demonstrations for legal rights such as same-sex marriage. Micky’s was closed for almost two years after an electrical fire in 2007.The Stonewall Inn, in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, the site of the June 1969 Stonewall riots, which spawned the gay rights movement and pride parades around the world, above and the 2011 New York City Pride March honored the legalization of same-sex marriage in New York that year, below.Ī pride parade (also known as pride march, pride event, or pride festival) is an outdoor event celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender ( LGBT) social and self acceptance, achievements, legal rights, and pride. It is believed to be the second liquor-licensed establishment after Prohibition and started becoming a gay hangout in the Fifties. Many people argued that the laws the ABC board was enforcing were out of date, noting for some were enacted more than four decades ago and don’t reflect the mores of today. The ABC investigation of Micky’s in 2013 and its decision in December of that year to close Here Lounge for a month on similar charges sparked outrage in West Hollywood’s gay community. Niemeyer said WHBT Inc., his company and the owner of Micky’s, is in good financial shape and that Micky’s will be back in business in November. “We are making attempts to mitigate the impact of this on our employees,” he said. “The main reason I fought it,” Niemeyer said of the ABC charges, “was there were 50 people caught in the crossfire.” Michael Niemeyer, the owner of Micky’s, said he was concerned about the impact of the one-month closing on Micky’s 50 employees. Owners of nearby businesses have expressed concern about the impact of the closing on them because Micky’s draws a large audience that also wanders in and out of other local bars and restaurants and shops.
The closing extends until just before Halloween, when West Hollywood’s Carnaval attracts hundreds of thousands of people to the gay nightlife district on Santa Monica Boulevard where Micky’s is located. The lewd conduct charges had to do with alleged contact between bar patrons and Micky’s go-go dancers, as well as go-go dancer “over-exposure.” The closing is a penalty levied by the ABC board against Micky’s after an investigation in 2013 of charges of lewd conduct and giving away alcoholic beverages for free. Micky’s, one of West Hollywood’s most popular gay bars, will be closed by the state Board of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) for the 30 days beginning Oct. The story has been changed to correct the error. In fact, Micky’s will be closed for 30 days beginning Oct. CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story said that Micky’s would be closed through all of October, including Halloween.