1 00:00:01,480 --> 00:00:07,200 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff You Should Know, a production of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 2: Hey, and welcome to the podcast. I'm Josh, and there's 3 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:15,840 Speaker 2: Chuck and Jerry's here too, and this is stuff you 4 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 2: should Know. It's one of our overlooked history editions. And Chuck, 5 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 2: this is your pick, and hats off to you, Wiggs 6 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:24,599 Speaker 2: off to you. 7 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 1: Yes, it was my selection to pass along to Livia 8 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:32,080 Speaker 1: to help us with. But this is a listener suggestion. 9 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 1: This came from gg Cowlin and big thanks to Gigi 10 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:39,839 Speaker 1: because I and I'm sure you will agree with me, 11 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:44,160 Speaker 1: found that not only is the story of the Compton's 12 00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 1: Cafeteria Riot interesting in and of itself, but sort of 13 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 1: the larger story, or a part of the story, is 14 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:58,840 Speaker 1: the fact that how we preserve history because Compton's Cafeteria 15 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 1: Riot happened in nineteen sixty six and was almost lost 16 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 1: to history. 17 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:06,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, I agree with all of that, which is. 18 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:08,679 Speaker 1: Crazy to think about something that happened in nineteen sixty 19 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:12,319 Speaker 1: six in San Francisco could be lost to history. But 20 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:14,680 Speaker 1: it almost was if not for the efforts of one 21 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 1: Susan Striker, one person like, yeah, this may have really 22 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,479 Speaker 1: gone away, Oh totally, I mean it had gone away, 23 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 1: and she managed to clutch together a bunch of just 24 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:29,840 Speaker 1: different tiny little scraps of mentions of it or. 25 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:33,319 Speaker 2: Put like the neighborhood and just just over the years 26 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 2: cobbled together all this little stuff and finally got an 27 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:39,319 Speaker 2: idea of it and was able to corroborate it like 28 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 2: it was Gonsville until Susan Striker came along. 29 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:45,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, and we'll talk about what Susan Striker did with 30 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:48,920 Speaker 1: this information. But hats off to you, Susan Striker and Digigi. 31 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 1: And here we go with the almost forgotten Compton's Cafeteria 32 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 1: riot story. 33 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 2: Yeah. And the reason why it's significant that it's almost 34 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 2: forgotten or it was forgotten for a while, that the 35 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 2: Stone Wall Uprising, which was a really great episode we 36 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:08,959 Speaker 2: did on that too. That's considered like the watershed moment 37 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 2: of gay rights in history, like the riot at the 38 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:17,800 Speaker 2: Stone Wall in that was it, that was what started 39 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 2: it all. The thing is, when you think of things 40 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 2: that way, it erases the stuff that came before that. Yeah, 41 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:27,800 Speaker 2: And one of the things that came before Stonewall was 42 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 2: the Compton's Cafeteria riot in San Francisco in nineteen sixty six. 43 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 2: And there wasn't a lot of difference between the two. 44 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 2: It was based on. It was a reaction and a 45 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 2: response to police harassment that had been building over the time. 46 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 2: It was a multi racial group of LGBTQ people like 47 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:51,160 Speaker 2: fighting back against the police that spilled out into the streets. 48 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:54,760 Speaker 2: Like it, it bore a striking resemblance to Stonewall. And yet, 49 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:57,639 Speaker 2: like you said, there are reasons that we'll talk about 50 00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 2: that it was just pushed into the dustbin of history. 51 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:06,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's very interesting. So as way of setting this up, 52 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:08,680 Speaker 1: we'll talk a little bit about the area at the 53 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:11,600 Speaker 1: time in San Francisco called the Tenderloin. This is in 54 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:17,760 Speaker 1: the nineteen sixties. The Tenderloin has long had a reputation 55 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 1: and even still does today in some ways. In the sixties, 56 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:24,920 Speaker 1: it was a place where you could go buy drugs 57 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 1: or deal drugs. You could go do some illegal gambling, 58 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:32,919 Speaker 1: you could get involved in set sex work on either side. 59 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 1: It was a neighborhood that didn't have a lot of money, 60 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 1: and it was a neighborhood that attracted transience people that teenagers, 61 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:45,920 Speaker 1: namely who were either run out of their hometown because 62 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 1: they were LGBTQ or maybe even run out of their 63 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 1: family or maybe even run out of a different neighborhood 64 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:56,920 Speaker 1: in San Francisco to sort of collect in the Tenderloin 65 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 1: where they could turn to sex work because they couldn't 66 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 1: get other jobs, and they could turn to each other 67 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 1: for support in community. 68 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, community developed of essentially what one of the people 69 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:16,839 Speaker 2: Susan Striker interviewed described as like the lowest drawing on 70 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 2: the ladder of not just society of like including LGBTQ society. 71 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:28,720 Speaker 2: At the time, these were unhoused, teenage street trans people 72 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:33,600 Speaker 2: and like they had no rights, they had no respect 73 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:36,240 Speaker 2: from anybody, and yet they still came together and looked 74 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 2: out for another, informed that community you were talking about. 75 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:43,360 Speaker 2: But they lived in really dire straits day to day, 76 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:47,440 Speaker 2: and yet they still formed that community. And the reason 77 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:49,720 Speaker 2: why they all kind of ended up in this the 78 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:53,279 Speaker 2: Tenderloin is because there was a few square block section 79 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:56,240 Speaker 2: of the Tenderloin that that was the only place they 80 00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 2: could live. And even there they got harassed. But like 81 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 2: if they straight out of it, they were beaten. They 82 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:08,320 Speaker 2: were You couldn't leave that area if you were trans 83 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:11,920 Speaker 2: in San Francisco at the time, And I think Susan 84 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:16,479 Speaker 2: striker compared it to a ghetto, essentially that there was 85 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:20,479 Speaker 2: a trans ghetto in San Francisco in the sixties. 86 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:24,960 Speaker 1: That's right, and just the mirriad people that were interviewed 87 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 1: from the time, it's clear that the cops basically could 88 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 1: do whatever they wanted in there. They could arrest someone 89 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 1: for quote unquote female impersonation. One was arrested. I believe 90 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:40,919 Speaker 1: Amanda Saint James, who was a transforman there ran a 91 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:45,960 Speaker 1: residential hotel, was arrested for obstructing the sidewalk I saw 92 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:48,560 Speaker 1: in this documentary that we're going to talk about later. 93 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 1: You know, any kind of cross dressing or drag. They 94 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 1: could arrest you for having the buttons on your shirt on. 95 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:01,920 Speaker 1: You know what they deemed the wrongs because you know, 96 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:06,000 Speaker 1: traditionally the buttons on like men and women's shirts and 97 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:10,880 Speaker 1: clothing is reversed. I never understood why was it to 98 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 1: draw a distinction between the two when you're shopping. 99 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 2: I think it's just to be difficult. 100 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 1: It may be a short step at some point, but 101 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 1: they would say like, oh no, your buttons are on 102 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:22,880 Speaker 1: the wrong side. You're impersonating a female, so let me 103 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:25,800 Speaker 1: crack your skull and throw you in a jail cell 104 00:06:25,839 --> 00:06:30,560 Speaker 1: where you will be abused more and by fellow inmates 105 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 1: and by the people who ran the jail. 106 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:35,039 Speaker 2: Yeah. And one of the reasons that this group of 107 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:37,719 Speaker 2: people were in such a pickle was not just because 108 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:40,280 Speaker 2: there was a small area of the world that they 109 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:44,039 Speaker 2: could leave. It's that they couldn't even work because they 110 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 2: couldn't get id that reflected their gender, the gender they 111 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:53,000 Speaker 2: identified with. If they wanted to work as the gender 112 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:56,359 Speaker 2: they didn't identify with, they could just go back to 113 00:06:56,400 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 2: their family that kicked them out in the first place. 114 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 2: So to be themselves, to live as themselves is the 115 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 2: way that they they they were who they were. They 116 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 2: really really suffered and paid for it and were very poor. 117 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:15,040 Speaker 2: Resorted to sex work almost across the board unless you 118 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 2: were really good at singing and dancing and you could 119 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 2: make a living that way. And even those people who 120 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 2: are successful at entertaining very frequently were stuck in that 121 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:27,280 Speaker 2: area of the tenderloin too. So it was a really 122 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:29,240 Speaker 2: it was a it was a tough position to be in. 123 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:30,880 Speaker 2: And I mean just the fact that they're like, well, 124 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:33,920 Speaker 2: if I want to be myself, it sucks that society 125 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:36,240 Speaker 2: treats me this way, but I'm going to be myself. 126 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 2: You really have to respect that. 127 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:42,760 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, totally. Within this community, there was a place 128 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 1: called Compton's Cafeteria which provided a haven late at night. 129 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:53,080 Speaker 1: So it was at one oh one Taylor Street, right 130 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 1: there in the Tenderloin, and it was a restaurant and 131 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 1: it was one of quite a few in San Francisco. 132 00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:00,240 Speaker 1: It is a small chain, local chain started up by 133 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:03,280 Speaker 1: a man named Gene Compton in the nineteen forties. This 134 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 1: one opened in fifty four, and it became a gathering 135 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:09,520 Speaker 1: place for these people late at night who were unwelcomed 136 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:12,840 Speaker 1: even at gay bars. It was very centrally located. It 137 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:15,480 Speaker 1: was clean, it was open twenty four hours, it was 138 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:17,800 Speaker 1: well lit. It was a place where they could go 139 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 1: and have coffee after you know, they got done with 140 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:23,440 Speaker 1: work or you know, doing whatever they were doing late 141 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:27,280 Speaker 1: at night. And what I really wanted more than anything 142 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:30,480 Speaker 1: when I was learning about the story was like I 143 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:33,199 Speaker 1: wanted to learn that Compton's Cafeteria was a bright spot 144 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:35,320 Speaker 1: in a haven where the owners would run the cops 145 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:38,480 Speaker 1: off and let these people do as they as they 146 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:41,960 Speaker 1: would and live in peace. Sadly, that was not the case. 147 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:45,960 Speaker 1: I didn't get the idea that they were just like 148 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:51,439 Speaker 1: completely unwelcome there. But they did call the cops here 149 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 1: and there over you know, over the years, and like 150 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:57,240 Speaker 1: you know, the cops would come down there and run 151 00:08:57,280 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 1: them out. So that was sort of a one discip 152 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 1: pointing spot for me. But that's you know, that's what happened. 153 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:04,120 Speaker 1: So that's the way we have to report it. 154 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 2: So the still I mean, even having to face that, 155 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:13,679 Speaker 2: like Compton's was the place you went to because like 156 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 2: I was saying, like even in the LGBTQ community, the 157 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:21,080 Speaker 2: trans community and the Tenderloin were not well thought of, 158 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:23,400 Speaker 2: Like they couldn't even go into the gay bars in 159 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:26,760 Speaker 2: the Tenderloin. They were limited also and where they could go. 160 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:29,559 Speaker 2: But one of those places they could go was Compton's 161 00:09:29,559 --> 00:09:33,640 Speaker 2: Cafeteria and go be themselves and like a real like 162 00:09:33,679 --> 00:09:36,640 Speaker 2: you could check in on one another, you could give 163 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:38,880 Speaker 2: each other tips to like steer clear of this guy 164 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:43,960 Speaker 2: in this car kind of thing. It was despite the 165 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:46,439 Speaker 2: setbacks and drawbacks of going there, it was a place 166 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 2: that they could go. Does that make sense? 167 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:51,880 Speaker 1: Yeah? And it was also a time, you know, we 168 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:54,080 Speaker 1: mentioned that they couldn't even go into certain gay bars. 169 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 1: It was a time where the LGBTQ community was starting 170 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:00,600 Speaker 1: to organize a little bit, starting to kind of speak 171 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:03,200 Speaker 1: up a little bit for like the most basic rights 172 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:06,319 Speaker 1: you could imagine. And it was it was through the 173 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:11,200 Speaker 1: lens though, of what were called homophile organizations. One was 174 00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:16,199 Speaker 1: called the Mattachine Society. These organizations where they were gay people, 175 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:20,040 Speaker 1: but they were like, hey, listen, I'm middle class, I 176 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:23,960 Speaker 1: have a great job, I am gay, and I just 177 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:27,240 Speaker 1: I just don't want to be harassed. So they they 178 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:30,520 Speaker 1: were organizing, but it wasn't like it wasn't like the 179 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:34,280 Speaker 1: kids on the streets, and they weren't They weren't rabbel rising, 180 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:38,160 Speaker 1: they weren't radical. In fact, within homophile organizations there were 181 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:41,160 Speaker 1: often disputes between some of the sort of you know, 182 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:46,720 Speaker 1: middle age more you know, not well healed, but sometimes 183 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:49,640 Speaker 1: well healed people sort of disagreeing with people in their 184 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:52,440 Speaker 1: own community. Some of these younger kids that were more radical, 185 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 1: they're like, we don't even want you in our group anymore, right. 186 00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:59,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, And those those homophile groups are they were the 187 00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:02,640 Speaker 2: ones they had the connections to say the press or 188 00:11:02,679 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 2: they had a working relationship with the police, department. They 189 00:11:07,240 --> 00:11:10,719 Speaker 2: were trying to show the rest of society they were 190 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:15,840 Speaker 2: respectable people living respectable lives, and so being inclusive of 191 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:22,080 Speaker 2: unhoused teenagers who were also sex workers kind of it 192 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 2: didn't really stand up to their argument. So they just 193 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:27,959 Speaker 2: pretended they weren't there. They excluded him, they kept him out. 194 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:33,760 Speaker 2: But what's cool is those same unhoused teenage trans sex 195 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 2: workers they were like, well, we'll go organize ourselves. And 196 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:40,360 Speaker 2: they were really, really fortunate to have in the neighborhood. 197 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 2: A couple of blocks away from Compton's a place called 198 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:47,160 Speaker 2: Glibe Memorial Methodist Church, probably one of the more progressive 199 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 2: churches in the United States of all time. There was 200 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:54,160 Speaker 2: a reverend named Cecil Williams. He was a Civil rights 201 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:58,960 Speaker 2: movement VET and he was very much interested in supporting 202 00:11:59,120 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 2: these trans kids who were just getting abused one way 203 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:06,839 Speaker 2: or another by every quarter of society, and he helped 204 00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:11,479 Speaker 2: them organize. Actually they organized into an organization called Vanguard. 205 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:14,120 Speaker 1: That's right, and Ceca Williams is still alive. My friend, 206 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:16,920 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, he's ninety four years old. 207 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:20,240 Speaker 2: I saw footage of him preaching and he looked pretty cool. 208 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:24,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, So that church was there and like you said, 209 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:29,600 Speaker 1: just to have any formal organization on your side for 210 00:12:29,720 --> 00:12:32,520 Speaker 1: these kids who are trying to radicalize the movement was 211 00:12:32,559 --> 00:12:35,600 Speaker 1: a really really big deal. So Vanguard had formed in 212 00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:40,080 Speaker 1: sixty five, and through the church and through Ceci Williams 213 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:44,000 Speaker 1: and Vanguard, they eventually would help get the Tenderloin recognized 214 00:12:44,080 --> 00:12:48,520 Speaker 1: as a War on Poverty target district in May of 215 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:52,640 Speaker 1: sixty six. Usually when these districts were recognized, it was 216 00:12:53,360 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 1: there were you know, impoverished communities, and usually racism was 217 00:12:58,080 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 1: sort of at the core of what they were facing. 218 00:13:00,559 --> 00:13:04,320 Speaker 1: But these kids basically stood up with Cecil Williams and 219 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:06,920 Speaker 1: they're like, well, no, it's we're suffering the same way, 220 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:09,680 Speaker 1: and so we should be recognized thusly, and they were 221 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:11,120 Speaker 1: in May of nineteen sixty six. 222 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:13,199 Speaker 2: Yeah, that was a big deal to get those kind 223 00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:16,760 Speaker 2: of grants, and that ended up there was like a 224 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:19,720 Speaker 2: center for the kids living on the street. There was 225 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:23,800 Speaker 2: a van that doled out medical services like it had 226 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:27,160 Speaker 2: a pretty good effect, as we'll see. Yeah, so you 227 00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:32,240 Speaker 2: said that there were times when Compton's Cafeteria would call 228 00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:36,720 Speaker 2: the police on their patrons, their trans patrons. Apparently that 229 00:13:36,920 --> 00:13:42,800 Speaker 2: really picked up after Vanguard. It became clear that these 230 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:45,600 Speaker 2: trans kids weren't just like keeping to themselves as much 231 00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:47,240 Speaker 2: as they could, that they were starting to have a 232 00:13:47,240 --> 00:13:50,000 Speaker 2: little bit of self respect, that they were organizing, that 233 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:53,160 Speaker 2: they were getting political. That's apparently when it really started 234 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:58,560 Speaker 2: to step up and the vanguard I think at one 235 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:01,360 Speaker 2: point picketed outside of Comptons. That was one of the 236 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:04,360 Speaker 2: things that they did. And that was a month or 237 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:09,240 Speaker 2: so before the riot happened. So you've got these trans 238 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:12,960 Speaker 2: kids organizing, starting to have like a certain amount of 239 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:16,400 Speaker 2: self esteem and self respect that's coming out of their community, 240 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 2: and that that usually leads to pushback from establishment, and 241 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 2: that's what happened. 242 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:27,280 Speaker 1: That sounds like a great place for a break, my friend, 243 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 1: Thank you all right? Well, Josh sat it up perfectly 244 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:32,800 Speaker 1: and will be right back to knock him down right 245 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:58,680 Speaker 1: after this. I know why a bowling analogy happened just there, 246 00:14:59,120 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 1: I don't know. 247 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:03,040 Speaker 2: But it was great. I love your sports metaphors. 248 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:04,560 Speaker 1: Is bowling a sport? 249 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 2: Sure? 250 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:06,760 Speaker 1: Oh boy, I'm gonna get in trouble for. 251 00:15:06,760 --> 00:15:08,920 Speaker 2: That, Yes you are, I said, sure, everybody. 252 00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:15,000 Speaker 1: So this is how lost to time the Compton Cafeteria 253 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:19,440 Speaker 1: riot has been is they're not even positive. Still what 254 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:23,120 Speaker 1: the exact date was, Yeah, Striker did a lot of 255 00:15:23,160 --> 00:15:25,600 Speaker 1: research Susan Striker, who we mentioned and who will talk 256 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:30,040 Speaker 1: a lot more about in this segment. Eventually Striker narrowed 257 00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:33,360 Speaker 1: it down to August twenty seventh, which was a Saturday, 258 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:36,280 Speaker 1: the last Saturday of that month. But we can safely 259 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 1: say it was in August of nineteen sixty six, probably 260 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:42,320 Speaker 1: late August, very early in the morning, as in Saturday 261 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:46,560 Speaker 1: leading into Sunday. And the story is a lot like 262 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 1: like you said, it's a lot like Stonewall. The police 263 00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:51,640 Speaker 1: get called in because things are kind of rowdy. The 264 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 1: police get there, start being very physically aggressive with these people, 265 00:15:56,640 --> 00:15:59,640 Speaker 1: and then one of them through coffee in one of 266 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:03,640 Speaker 1: the cop faces, and it was on. After that, Basically 267 00:16:03,680 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 1: it went downhill pretty fast. Other patrons joined in, the 268 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:12,160 Speaker 1: cops started fighting back. The cops eventually go outside and retreat, 269 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:16,680 Speaker 1: wait for reinforcements. The management, you know, close the place up, 270 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 1: and the people inside started breaking the windows, They started 271 00:16:20,480 --> 00:16:23,160 Speaker 1: trashing the place, they flipped the tables over, they started 272 00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:26,840 Speaker 1: wrecking it, and you know, the cops showed on, showed 273 00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:29,800 Speaker 1: up en mass to deal with about sixty people or 274 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:33,440 Speaker 1: so that fought the police with their purses and throwing 275 00:16:33,520 --> 00:16:36,560 Speaker 1: high heels, and I think they destroyed a police car 276 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 1: by the end of the night and set a news 277 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:39,400 Speaker 1: stand on fire. 278 00:16:39,840 --> 00:16:45,520 Speaker 2: I saw potentially hundreds of people, like the nearby hotels 279 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:51,000 Speaker 2: like drained, the bars drained, like it went. It got serious, 280 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:53,280 Speaker 2: like after they left Compton's. 281 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:58,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, so unsurprisingly some of them were successfully arrested and 282 00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:02,840 Speaker 1: taking to jail, and Compton's, you know, for their part, 283 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:07,280 Speaker 1: basically said from now on, you know, they called them, 284 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:10,480 Speaker 1: you know, drag queen patrons at the time said you're 285 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:15,400 Speaker 1: not allowed here anymore, no more gay hustlers. Apparently there 286 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:18,680 Speaker 1: were there were pickets after that, Like the ensuing days 287 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:20,680 Speaker 1: were kind of a mess. They would some people would 288 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:23,119 Speaker 1: still go down and picket. They wouldn't be allowed in 289 00:17:23,119 --> 00:17:25,879 Speaker 1: the restaurant. They started closing at midnight instead of being 290 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:28,840 Speaker 1: twenty four to seven and just closed I think like 291 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:30,400 Speaker 1: five years after that permanently. 292 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:36,520 Speaker 2: Yes, but they they it had immediate effects. First of all, 293 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:39,239 Speaker 2: it took that kind of sense of organizing among the 294 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 2: trans kids in the Tenderloin. It like bolstered it. It 295 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:46,480 Speaker 2: gave them like a feeling like, oh, we actually can 296 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:50,240 Speaker 2: make things happen together, even if it was violent in 297 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 2: the face of police violence. And apparently it had an 298 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:58,480 Speaker 2: effect that they the police kind of stopped so casually 299 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:03,240 Speaker 2: harassing or beating or even kidnapping the trans kids in 300 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:07,080 Speaker 2: the Tenderloin after that, immediately after that, there was an 301 00:18:07,119 --> 00:18:08,040 Speaker 2: immediate effect. 302 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:12,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, for sure. They ended up having an ally in, 303 00:18:13,119 --> 00:18:20,240 Speaker 1: a community relations cop named Elliott Blackstone, who basically was like, 304 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:23,200 Speaker 1: you know, I would like to help you folks out. 305 00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:26,040 Speaker 1: I'm going to advocate for an end to these anti 306 00:18:26,119 --> 00:18:28,959 Speaker 1: cross dressing laws. You won't get harassed for dressing how 307 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:31,240 Speaker 1: you want to dress. I'm going to help you get 308 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:35,080 Speaker 1: the services that you need. Eventually, a public health unit 309 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:38,879 Speaker 1: called the Center for Special Problems started offering their support 310 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:43,119 Speaker 1: as well, including getting IDs that reflected their gender identities, 311 00:18:43,119 --> 00:18:45,040 Speaker 1: which is what you were talking about. That kept a 312 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:47,680 Speaker 1: lot of them from getting jobs, and that allowed many 313 00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:50,280 Speaker 1: of them to go get legal work, and you know, 314 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:51,639 Speaker 1: they could leave sex work behind. 315 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:55,639 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean it had a significant impact, especially considering 316 00:18:55,800 --> 00:19:00,520 Speaker 2: that it was forgotten really quickly after that. That was 317 00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:05,879 Speaker 2: also given credit for establishing the National Transsexual Counseling Unit, 318 00:19:06,560 --> 00:19:09,800 Speaker 2: which is a support group for trans people, probably the 319 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:14,080 Speaker 2: first one in history, and it was a place where like, 320 00:19:14,119 --> 00:19:16,280 Speaker 2: if you needed a place to stay, they could tell 321 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:18,760 Speaker 2: you who to go ask. They could help you fill 322 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:21,919 Speaker 2: out applications for hormones and tell you what doctor to 323 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:25,080 Speaker 2: go to. It was a mail drop for some people 324 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:27,000 Speaker 2: who had just showed up and didn't have a place 325 00:19:27,040 --> 00:19:32,320 Speaker 2: to live yet. Like basically everything that supported unhoused trans 326 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:35,960 Speaker 2: kids in Tenderloin. In the Tenderloin in the late sixties, 327 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:42,000 Speaker 2: the Canceling Unit did. And again this Compton's Cafeteria riot 328 00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:46,240 Speaker 2: is directly responsible for not just saying like, hey, we 329 00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:50,560 Speaker 2: have these needs that are being completely unmet, where the 330 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:53,880 Speaker 2: police are beating us with impunity anytime they feel like it. 331 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:56,960 Speaker 2: I read. I read one story where this kid had 332 00:19:57,040 --> 00:19:59,359 Speaker 2: just shown up to San Francisco and one of the 333 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:02,159 Speaker 2: first things he's was another kid laying on the street 334 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:05,640 Speaker 2: in agony saying his ribs were broken. And the kid 335 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:07,840 Speaker 2: who'd just got into San Francisco was like, well, we 336 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:09,800 Speaker 2: got to call the police, and the kid with his 337 00:20:09,880 --> 00:20:11,920 Speaker 2: rib broken said, the police are the ones that did 338 00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:14,800 Speaker 2: this to me. And that guy, I think he was 339 00:20:15,040 --> 00:20:18,840 Speaker 2: one of the vanguard founders. He's like that just crystallized 340 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:23,320 Speaker 2: the situation for him almost immediately, but in responding to 341 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:25,800 Speaker 2: that with violence. It's sad that it took violence, but 342 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:28,920 Speaker 2: they finally stood up and said, no, we're done putting 343 00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:33,400 Speaker 2: up with this, and that actually had a positive impact 344 00:20:33,240 --> 00:20:37,639 Speaker 2: in drawing attention to their needs and then getting the 345 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:40,199 Speaker 2: city to start responding to those things at the very 346 00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:42,880 Speaker 2: least recognizing that they exist. 347 00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:49,200 Speaker 1: Yeah. Absolutely, boy, it would be a kettle of fire 348 00:20:49,400 --> 00:20:52,119 Speaker 1: as an episode. But I wonder if one day we 349 00:20:52,119 --> 00:20:58,200 Speaker 1: could tackle protests, nonviolent and violent protests, okay, through the years, 350 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:00,520 Speaker 1: because it is a fraught topic. 351 00:21:00,880 --> 00:21:03,440 Speaker 2: Supposedly. I don't know where I saw this, but I 352 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:06,960 Speaker 2: think I just saw it today. Something like fifty nine 353 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:13,320 Speaker 2: percent of nonviolent organizations are non violent movements succeed in 354 00:21:13,359 --> 00:21:17,760 Speaker 2: their goals, but only like a quarter of violent movements too. 355 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:21,399 Speaker 2: So usually you want to back the non violent ones 356 00:21:21,520 --> 00:21:24,320 Speaker 2: is if you're betting on it, if you're betting on 357 00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 2: outcomes of civil movements. 358 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:31,440 Speaker 1: So we mentioned forgetting about the riot and how that 359 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:34,400 Speaker 1: could happen in nineteen sixty six, not even that long 360 00:21:34,440 --> 00:21:40,160 Speaker 1: ago relatively speaking, historically speaking, I guess I should say, 361 00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:44,600 Speaker 1: and how does that happen? And here's how that happens. 362 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:49,080 Speaker 1: No one really wrote about it, even in San Francisco. 363 00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:54,959 Speaker 1: The straight quote unquote straight publications didn't write about it, 364 00:21:55,359 --> 00:21:59,639 Speaker 1: and largely the gay publications didn't even write about it much. 365 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:03,200 Speaker 1: I believe there were a couple of members of the 366 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:06,280 Speaker 1: local gay community who wrote about it. A gentleman named 367 00:22:06,320 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 1: Raymond brush Here wrote about it in the nineteen seventy 368 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:11,800 Speaker 1: two so this is five years later. 369 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:16,159 Speaker 2: He was a local, very very radical reverend who was 370 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:18,600 Speaker 2: also gay. I think he was a Vanguard founder too. 371 00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:20,960 Speaker 1: So he wrote about it in the nineteen seventy two 372 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:24,879 Speaker 1: Gay Pride program, so just in a program for a 373 00:22:24,920 --> 00:22:28,600 Speaker 1: Gay Pride event. And then a drag queen at the 374 00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:32,119 Speaker 1: time named Sandy Green mentioned it, just mention it in 375 00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:35,720 Speaker 1: a letter to the editor. Again, this is six years later. 376 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:40,879 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, five years later, I guess seven years Wow, 377 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:43,840 Speaker 1: we got pretty bad the seventy three issue of Gay 378 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:49,520 Speaker 1: Pride Quarterly. But it was not It wasn't even remembered 379 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:54,719 Speaker 1: in the LGBTQ community in San Francisco, forget about the 380 00:22:54,720 --> 00:22:58,080 Speaker 1: rest of San Francisco or America at large. And the 381 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:01,160 Speaker 1: question is like, why did own wall become the thing? 382 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:04,359 Speaker 1: And there's a few reasons. One is that it was 383 00:23:04,400 --> 00:23:06,800 Speaker 1: in New York and it was the center of publishing, 384 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:11,159 Speaker 1: so that certainly didn't hurt a bit and media. Another 385 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:16,720 Speaker 1: is that these homophile groups that we talked about in 386 00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:19,640 Speaker 1: that kind of short three year span from sixty six 387 00:23:19,680 --> 00:23:23,400 Speaker 1: to sixty nine started to model themselves a little bit 388 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:28,119 Speaker 1: more after things like the Black Power movement and the 389 00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:31,239 Speaker 1: woman's rights movement, and we're a little more sort of 390 00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:35,439 Speaker 1: activist and action oriented than they were before when they 391 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:37,960 Speaker 1: were just in sixty six saying like, you know, can 392 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:40,520 Speaker 1: we just have rights like everyone else? Get a little 393 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:41,200 Speaker 1: more aggressive. 394 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:45,000 Speaker 2: And I saw it put in that there was more kindling, 395 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:47,520 Speaker 2: Like they were just starting to bring the kindling out 396 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:49,760 Speaker 2: at the time of the Compton riots, but by the 397 00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:52,880 Speaker 2: time Stonewall happened, there's a lot more kindling to go. 398 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:56,360 Speaker 1: Up, totally okay, And that's you know, that's another really 399 00:23:56,359 --> 00:23:56,879 Speaker 1: big reason. 400 00:23:58,040 --> 00:24:01,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's pretty pretty interesting stuff. Also, I think the 401 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:05,720 Speaker 2: fact that like it was almost purposefully, if not purposefully 402 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:10,000 Speaker 2: ignored or just kind of relegated to the sidelines by 403 00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:14,439 Speaker 2: the larger LGBTQ community in San Francisco, because you know, 404 00:24:14,600 --> 00:24:18,399 Speaker 2: it was a riot and that really again doesn't jibe 405 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:21,639 Speaker 2: with the idea that hey, we're just respectable, middle class 406 00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:24,639 Speaker 2: Americans who want to live a quiet, respectable life and 407 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:28,280 Speaker 2: be left alone. Rioting doesn't really kind of coincide with that. 408 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:31,680 Speaker 2: So when you put all those things together, it definitely 409 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:35,359 Speaker 2: makes sense that the Compton's Cafeteria riot kind of was 410 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:38,560 Speaker 2: lost to history. And the fact that it was written 411 00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:43,040 Speaker 2: about in just two places or it was mentioned directly 412 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:49,080 Speaker 2: is really significant. Like it really underscores what Susan Striker 413 00:24:49,160 --> 00:24:53,679 Speaker 2: did when she came up with the I guess the 414 00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:55,720 Speaker 2: detective work of putting the whole thing together. 415 00:24:56,880 --> 00:24:58,760 Speaker 1: I think that's another great spot for a break. 416 00:24:59,119 --> 00:25:02,080 Speaker 2: Oh man, I didn't even mean to do that. You're 417 00:25:02,119 --> 00:25:02,640 Speaker 2: just so good. 418 00:25:03,560 --> 00:25:28,120 Speaker 3: We'll be right back everybody. 419 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:31,760 Speaker 2: So, back in I think the early nineties, maybe even 420 00:25:31,840 --> 00:25:35,920 Speaker 2: ninety one, Susan Striker was she was wrapping up her PhD. 421 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:39,760 Speaker 2: At UC Berkeley. She was a trained historian. At the 422 00:25:39,800 --> 00:25:43,239 Speaker 2: same time, she was also transitioning to a woman, and 423 00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:46,679 Speaker 2: this is nineteen ninety one, so she's basically like, I 424 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:49,600 Speaker 2: might as well not even apply for jobs in academia 425 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:53,240 Speaker 2: because I'm not going to get one because I'm trans 426 00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:57,280 Speaker 2: so instead she started volunteering. She wanted to put her 427 00:25:57,320 --> 00:26:00,679 Speaker 2: historian chops to work, and she decided to volunteer at 428 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:03,720 Speaker 2: the Gay and Lesbian Historical Society in San Francisco and 429 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:08,199 Speaker 2: the Castro And it was there that I think she 430 00:26:08,280 --> 00:26:11,600 Speaker 2: first came across that nineteen seventy two Gay Pride Parade 431 00:26:11,960 --> 00:26:16,960 Speaker 2: program that Ray bro Shears wrote that mentioned the Compton's riot, 432 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:19,800 Speaker 2: and she's like, what is this guy even talking about 433 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:24,600 Speaker 2: six years later? I think I said, four eight ninety. 434 00:26:24,280 --> 00:26:28,120 Speaker 1: Two just terrible. Yeah, And you know, when you see 435 00:26:28,119 --> 00:26:32,800 Speaker 1: this documentary that I promised you were about to name it, 436 00:26:32,920 --> 00:26:37,920 Speaker 1: you can like Susan Striker is struck by the fact that, 437 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:39,879 Speaker 1: like she was just like I couldn't believe what I 438 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:43,119 Speaker 1: was reading, almost like how did I not know about this? 439 00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:47,280 Speaker 1: Like I'm an active member of this community and everyone 440 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:49,760 Speaker 1: knows about Stonewall, Like, how did I not even know this? 441 00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:52,240 Speaker 2: Well? She questioned that it might not have even been 442 00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:54,120 Speaker 2: a thing, or if it was a thing, that Bruce 443 00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:57,080 Speaker 2: Ears was maybe blowing it up out of proportion. 444 00:26:57,920 --> 00:27:02,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, but you know, if you know, obviously way pre Internet, 445 00:27:02,800 --> 00:27:06,040 Speaker 1: there's traditional media, and if traditional media didn't cover it 446 00:27:06,080 --> 00:27:08,679 Speaker 1: at all, the only thing you're left with is people 447 00:27:08,840 --> 00:27:12,919 Speaker 1: in oral history. So that's what Striker did. She at 448 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:14,920 Speaker 1: first tried to go to the city archive is to look 449 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:17,920 Speaker 1: for police records and arrest records, and the archives said, 450 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:21,080 Speaker 1: you know, in the sixteen seventies they basically shredded and 451 00:27:21,119 --> 00:27:24,919 Speaker 1: burned a lot of stuff because of police misconduct, so 452 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:27,960 Speaker 1: we don't have anything for that period or that event 453 00:27:27,960 --> 00:27:30,239 Speaker 1: at least, And so Susan Striker was like, all right, 454 00:27:30,280 --> 00:27:33,359 Speaker 1: I guess I got to start finding people, like literal 455 00:27:33,440 --> 00:27:38,400 Speaker 1: humans who were either there or were nearby and knew 456 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:41,399 Speaker 1: about it firsthand. And that was really hard to do. 457 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:43,320 Speaker 1: I mean, all of a sudden, it's like real detective 458 00:27:43,320 --> 00:27:45,760 Speaker 1: work going on because Susan Striker is having to track 459 00:27:45,800 --> 00:27:49,000 Speaker 1: these people down, these people that were living on the margins, 460 00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:51,000 Speaker 1: you know, fifty years ago I guess at the time 461 00:27:51,040 --> 00:27:54,320 Speaker 1: about forty years ago. So oh no, lessen that thirty 462 00:27:54,320 --> 00:27:59,600 Speaker 1: something years. I'm trying to think something like that. And 463 00:27:59,720 --> 00:28:01,600 Speaker 1: there were there are plenty of different stories, like in 464 00:28:01,640 --> 00:28:04,159 Speaker 1: one story, she found a trans woman who was a 465 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:07,840 Speaker 1: cook at Compton's but was put in a men's prison, 466 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:11,160 Speaker 1: was not allowed in interview, and ended up dying before 467 00:28:11,200 --> 00:28:15,520 Speaker 1: Susan Striker could speak to her, she thought about writing 468 00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:17,800 Speaker 1: a book and ultimately said, you know what I think 469 00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:19,720 Speaker 1: this should be. It'll get to more people if I 470 00:28:19,760 --> 00:28:22,840 Speaker 1: make a documentary out of this. So at long last, 471 00:28:22,840 --> 00:28:25,560 Speaker 1: we can say that the name of the documentary that 472 00:28:25,600 --> 00:28:29,320 Speaker 1: Susan Striker along with Victor Silverman made was called Screaming 473 00:28:29,400 --> 00:28:33,399 Speaker 1: Queen's colon the Riot at Compton's Cafeteria in two thousand 474 00:28:33,440 --> 00:28:37,679 Speaker 1: and five, which I watched on YouTube. That's great in 475 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:40,440 Speaker 1: full under an hour's like fifty five fifty six minutes, 476 00:28:40,880 --> 00:28:44,000 Speaker 1: but it's also dramatized, which I have not seen, but 477 00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:46,920 Speaker 1: I'm going to check it out tonight. And Netflix's showed 478 00:28:46,960 --> 00:28:50,520 Speaker 1: Tales of the City in twenty nineteen that I believe 479 00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:52,200 Speaker 1: Elliott Page stars in. 480 00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:53,760 Speaker 2: Oh, is that right? 481 00:28:54,280 --> 00:28:57,200 Speaker 1: I think I saw Elliott Page in the cast, but 482 00:28:57,280 --> 00:28:58,720 Speaker 1: I didn't dive too deeply yet. 483 00:28:59,120 --> 00:29:04,920 Speaker 2: So there's an Unsung History podcast episode that interviews Susan 484 00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:07,400 Speaker 2: Striker and that she kind of goes into detail about 485 00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:11,160 Speaker 2: putting this whole history together and it's kind of thrilling actually, 486 00:29:11,680 --> 00:29:15,200 Speaker 2: Like it turns out one of her cohorts at the 487 00:29:15,280 --> 00:29:21,080 Speaker 2: Gain Lesbian Historical Society was a geographer and helped put 488 00:29:21,120 --> 00:29:24,840 Speaker 2: the like create a map of this vanished area in 489 00:29:24,880 --> 00:29:27,760 Speaker 2: the tender Loin together, so she started to have like visual, 490 00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:30,800 Speaker 2: like a visual idea of where these things were happening. 491 00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:32,960 Speaker 2: And when she was able to finally talk to people 492 00:29:32,960 --> 00:29:36,280 Speaker 2: who were there, she knew that this thing actually had happened, 493 00:29:36,320 --> 00:29:38,800 Speaker 2: because she didn't she didn't say, hey, here's all the 494 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:41,360 Speaker 2: stuff I found out. Is this right? She was like, 495 00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:43,520 Speaker 2: have you ever heard of this? And then they would 496 00:29:43,520 --> 00:29:45,640 Speaker 2: give her all the same information that she already had. 497 00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:49,440 Speaker 2: She knew that she was definitely onto something. So it's 498 00:29:49,480 --> 00:29:53,240 Speaker 2: definitely worth checking out. It's a great, great episode. And 499 00:29:53,320 --> 00:29:56,640 Speaker 2: definitely watched Screaming Queen's too. And the name I think 500 00:29:56,760 --> 00:30:01,600 Speaker 2: Chuck was in that there's an initial newsreel about the 501 00:30:01,640 --> 00:30:04,680 Speaker 2: tenderloin the red light district down there. Yeah, and they 502 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:08,200 Speaker 2: mentioned how Compton's Cafeteria recently had to start closing at 503 00:30:08,200 --> 00:30:10,840 Speaker 2: midnight and they chalked it up to a sidewalk fight 504 00:30:10,920 --> 00:30:13,520 Speaker 2: between screaming queens as how they put it like they 505 00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:15,560 Speaker 2: just basically made it sound like it was a cat 506 00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:18,280 Speaker 2: fight that got out of hand. The police weren't even involved. Wow, 507 00:30:18,680 --> 00:30:21,800 Speaker 2: And and That's how they explained how Compton started closing 508 00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:25,080 Speaker 2: at midnight. So even then, like this is an old newsreel, 509 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:28,640 Speaker 2: even when like right after it happened, it was being ignored. 510 00:30:29,080 --> 00:30:32,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, like yeah, that's really hard to believe, but also 511 00:30:32,480 --> 00:30:36,640 Speaker 1: easy to believe in some ways, sadly, So these days 512 00:30:36,680 --> 00:30:39,520 Speaker 1: you can you can still go over to one on 513 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:42,280 Speaker 1: one Taylor Street. That building is still there. It is 514 00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:46,120 Speaker 1: obviously not the restaurant any longer. It is still a 515 00:30:46,160 --> 00:30:49,640 Speaker 1: home for many trans people, and the tenderloin itself is 516 00:30:49,680 --> 00:30:53,640 Speaker 1: still still has that sort of that sort of spirit 517 00:30:53,680 --> 00:30:58,400 Speaker 1: and undercurrent there people are. You know, it's sort of 518 00:30:58,400 --> 00:31:01,840 Speaker 1: how San Francisco is treated. Both this area and this 519 00:31:02,040 --> 00:31:06,239 Speaker 1: riot is really interesting for a progressive city because they 520 00:31:06,240 --> 00:31:08,640 Speaker 1: haven't done the right thing in many cases over the years. 521 00:31:10,560 --> 00:31:12,520 Speaker 1: Some people have tried. In twenty fifteen, there was a 522 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:17,360 Speaker 1: developer name called Group I that proposed building a hotel 523 00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:23,040 Speaker 1: and retail project there with a nonprofit space a couple 524 00:31:23,040 --> 00:31:27,160 Speaker 1: of blocks away from the location at Compton's, and you know, 525 00:31:27,240 --> 00:31:31,280 Speaker 1: different people were on board and then like within the 526 00:31:31,280 --> 00:31:33,320 Speaker 1: gay community and then we're like, no, I don't think 527 00:31:33,320 --> 00:31:38,080 Speaker 1: we should do this here because it's a historical area 528 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:40,960 Speaker 1: and we should just preserve it as that. And I 529 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:42,880 Speaker 1: think that's just sort of like a lot of people 530 00:31:42,920 --> 00:31:45,200 Speaker 1: are fighting back against that in general in San Francisco 531 00:31:45,320 --> 00:31:46,520 Speaker 1: kind of no matter what the cause. 532 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:50,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, for sure. So they finally, I guess they went 533 00:31:50,560 --> 00:31:52,680 Speaker 2: along with it, or it just was going to happen 534 00:31:52,720 --> 00:31:54,800 Speaker 2: one way or another, but they got some concessions out 535 00:31:54,840 --> 00:31:58,560 Speaker 2: of the developer and the city, and one of the 536 00:31:58,600 --> 00:32:01,160 Speaker 2: things that was that came out of it was that 537 00:32:01,240 --> 00:32:06,120 Speaker 2: the area Taylor Street that Compton's Cafeteria used to be along, 538 00:32:06,560 --> 00:32:11,320 Speaker 2: they renamed it Gene Compton's Cafeteria Way. And at first 539 00:32:12,040 --> 00:32:14,960 Speaker 2: everybody was like, Okay, that's a compromise because we wanted 540 00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:19,120 Speaker 2: it called Compton's Cafeteria Riot I guess way, and the 541 00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:21,040 Speaker 2: city was like, no, we're not putting Riot on an 542 00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:23,760 Speaker 2: actual official street sign. So they said, well, we'll call 543 00:32:23,800 --> 00:32:26,920 Speaker 2: it Gene Compton's Cafeteria Way. And then later on they're like, no, actually, 544 00:32:26,920 --> 00:32:30,040 Speaker 2: that's a terrible name for it because it commemorates one 545 00:32:30,080 --> 00:32:33,440 Speaker 2: of the people who was anti trance, who like got us, 546 00:32:33,440 --> 00:32:37,400 Speaker 2: who kicked us out of his cafeteria routinely. Why would 547 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:39,360 Speaker 2: we want to commemorate him. We wanted to commemorate this 548 00:32:39,480 --> 00:32:45,760 Speaker 2: uprising instead, and they finally changed it to what did 549 00:32:45,760 --> 00:32:46,440 Speaker 2: they change. 550 00:32:46,200 --> 00:32:51,680 Speaker 1: It to, Well, they dropped the name Compton's because they 551 00:32:51,680 --> 00:32:54,080 Speaker 1: didn't want to honor someone who they said, you know, 552 00:32:54,080 --> 00:32:55,960 Speaker 1: would frequently call the cops on them. 553 00:32:55,920 --> 00:32:58,680 Speaker 2: Right, So, I can't remember what they named it. I 554 00:32:58,680 --> 00:33:01,960 Speaker 2: think it might be like trans under Corridor Way or 555 00:33:01,960 --> 00:33:04,240 Speaker 2: something like that. And the reason why is because there's 556 00:33:04,280 --> 00:33:08,840 Speaker 2: a transgender cultural district there now. And do you remember 557 00:33:09,280 --> 00:33:13,920 Speaker 2: our colleague, she was a trans woman, Raquel Willis. 558 00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:15,280 Speaker 1: Oh, yeah, sure. 559 00:33:15,360 --> 00:33:18,600 Speaker 2: I read an article about this new cultural district that 560 00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:21,440 Speaker 2: she wrote in I Think Out magazine. It's pretty good. 561 00:33:21,440 --> 00:33:25,680 Speaker 2: That's yeah, it was great too. So it's probably the 562 00:33:25,720 --> 00:33:29,440 Speaker 2: first transgender cultural district in the entire world, and it's 563 00:33:29,520 --> 00:33:32,360 Speaker 2: very appropriately in the Tenderloin because this is like kind 564 00:33:32,400 --> 00:33:36,160 Speaker 2: of like where a lot of the ground zero was 565 00:33:36,200 --> 00:33:41,080 Speaker 2: for the trans community in America. And this this cultural 566 00:33:41,120 --> 00:33:45,960 Speaker 2: district has like a I think an entrepreneurial incubator. It 567 00:33:46,040 --> 00:33:50,880 Speaker 2: helps people looking for housing and jobs. It's it's everything 568 00:33:50,960 --> 00:33:54,280 Speaker 2: that you would kind of want as a start for 569 00:33:54,400 --> 00:33:58,440 Speaker 2: a community that's just now starting to have its needs met. 570 00:33:59,320 --> 00:33:59,800 Speaker 3: That's great. 571 00:34:00,320 --> 00:34:01,080 Speaker 2: I think so too. 572 00:34:01,640 --> 00:34:04,720 Speaker 1: What if when they when the city said, oh we 573 00:34:04,760 --> 00:34:06,520 Speaker 1: can't have the name right on a street sign, what 574 00:34:06,560 --> 00:34:09,000 Speaker 1: if they were like, what about quiet right boulevard on 575 00:34:09,080 --> 00:34:12,000 Speaker 1: Russian Hill? You're awfully quiet about that one. 576 00:34:12,200 --> 00:34:15,040 Speaker 2: Is there really a quiet right boulevard? I got you 577 00:34:15,200 --> 00:34:17,840 Speaker 2: for okay, and the fact that you placed it in 578 00:34:17,920 --> 00:34:21,040 Speaker 2: Russian Hill is what got me. That was well done. Oh, 579 00:34:21,080 --> 00:34:22,440 Speaker 2: thank you, very well done. 580 00:34:22,640 --> 00:34:23,120 Speaker 1: All right? 581 00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:26,319 Speaker 2: Okay, Well, if you want to know more about the 582 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:29,920 Speaker 2: Comptence CAF tier, you're right. Definitely go watch Screaming Queens 583 00:34:31,000 --> 00:34:33,480 Speaker 2: and go listen to that episode of Unsung History. And 584 00:34:33,520 --> 00:34:36,360 Speaker 2: thanks a lot, Gigi for the idea, great one, And 585 00:34:36,480 --> 00:34:39,160 Speaker 2: since I thank gg, that means it's time for listener mail. 586 00:34:42,360 --> 00:34:45,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, and you know that makes the overall gullible score 587 00:34:45,520 --> 00:34:48,600 Speaker 1: Josh four hundred and sixty three. Chuck one. 588 00:34:49,360 --> 00:34:52,279 Speaker 2: Hey, at least it's not a big goose egg for you. 589 00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:53,880 Speaker 1: I got points on the board. 590 00:34:54,360 --> 00:34:57,279 Speaker 2: That was a sports metaphor, right. 591 00:34:57,200 --> 00:35:02,440 Speaker 1: That's right, followed by a following a quiet riot shout, 592 00:35:02,480 --> 00:35:04,680 Speaker 1: which is probably not something you expected to hear in 593 00:35:04,719 --> 00:35:05,400 Speaker 1: this podcast. 594 00:35:05,880 --> 00:35:07,359 Speaker 2: No, but they hold up. 595 00:35:07,880 --> 00:35:11,800 Speaker 1: All right, I'm gonna call this Handburger. Then, quite frankly, 596 00:35:11,800 --> 00:35:13,799 Speaker 1: the only reason I'm reading it is because of that word, 597 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:16,680 Speaker 1: because I think it's hysterical what this guy says. This 598 00:35:16,760 --> 00:35:20,040 Speaker 1: from Danny. Hey, guys, just finish to the latest episode, 599 00:35:20,760 --> 00:35:23,040 Speaker 1: and the listener mail Sam mentioned he was hesitant to 600 00:35:23,040 --> 00:35:25,279 Speaker 1: try the show because the title of the show sounded condescending, 601 00:35:25,719 --> 00:35:28,440 Speaker 1: as if it was suggesting that he should already know 602 00:35:28,480 --> 00:35:30,120 Speaker 1: certain things at this point in his life. I've heard 603 00:35:30,120 --> 00:35:32,520 Speaker 1: you mention this about other people. It always cracks me up, 604 00:35:32,520 --> 00:35:36,279 Speaker 1: because that's exactly why I started listening. It started about 605 00:35:36,280 --> 00:35:37,960 Speaker 1: seven years ago. The person I was dating at the 606 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:40,920 Speaker 1: time would constantly hooke fun and belittle me for not 607 00:35:40,960 --> 00:35:44,880 Speaker 1: knowing certain things. So one day I, huh, that's abuse. 608 00:35:45,400 --> 00:35:48,000 Speaker 1: It is abuse. So one day I literally typed stuff 609 00:35:48,040 --> 00:35:51,879 Speaker 1: you should know into Google, hoping to find a list 610 00:35:51,920 --> 00:35:54,480 Speaker 1: of things that I ought to know. Awesome, true story 611 00:35:54,600 --> 00:35:57,359 Speaker 1: is what this guy says. What I found instead, Thank God, 612 00:35:57,480 --> 00:36:00,120 Speaker 1: was your show. Admittedly, it took me a while to 613 00:36:00,160 --> 00:36:02,360 Speaker 1: realize you two weren't simply performing a public service to 614 00:36:02,400 --> 00:36:06,120 Speaker 1: the world informing idiot boyfriends of their obvious knowledge gaps 615 00:36:06,120 --> 00:36:09,839 Speaker 1: and remedying the situation. It probably wasn't until the Jackhammer's 616 00:36:09,840 --> 00:36:13,480 Speaker 1: episode that I asked myself, should I really know this? 617 00:36:13,680 --> 00:36:14,719 Speaker 2: That's an abuse too? 618 00:36:15,200 --> 00:36:17,799 Speaker 1: That it's Danny. Uh. This is the best part though, 619 00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:19,600 Speaker 1: needless to say, but I'm gonna say it anyways. The 620 00:36:19,640 --> 00:36:22,320 Speaker 1: relationship did not work out. What I learned, though, is 621 00:36:22,320 --> 00:36:25,120 Speaker 1: that everyone has some knowledge gaps. So what if I 622 00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:28,040 Speaker 1: thought it was a handburger rather than a hamburger. 623 00:36:29,840 --> 00:36:30,960 Speaker 2: I think that's important. 624 00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:33,120 Speaker 1: There's no ham and you eat it with your hands. 625 00:36:33,160 --> 00:36:34,120 Speaker 1: That's what Danny says. 626 00:36:34,480 --> 00:36:37,520 Speaker 2: It makes sense, but everyone else calls it a hamburger 627 00:36:37,600 --> 00:36:41,839 Speaker 2: so or a steam tam is steamedam right? 628 00:36:42,640 --> 00:36:45,680 Speaker 1: I'm only going to call them handburgers from now on, though. 629 00:36:45,719 --> 00:36:47,759 Speaker 2: Yeah, because it makes a really love peace for why 630 00:36:47,800 --> 00:36:49,840 Speaker 2: you would call it a handburger. 631 00:36:50,239 --> 00:36:53,080 Speaker 1: Or that I didn't know IV stood for intravenous? What 632 00:36:53,160 --> 00:36:55,040 Speaker 1: am I a doctor who gives a rip? 633 00:36:56,360 --> 00:36:57,799 Speaker 2: I like Danny. 634 00:36:58,239 --> 00:37:00,000 Speaker 1: All that to say, thanks for doing what you do, guys, 635 00:37:00,080 --> 00:37:01,480 Speaker 1: for teaching me stuff I want to know, as well 636 00:37:01,520 --> 00:37:03,200 Speaker 1: as some things I probably should know. Keep it up 637 00:37:03,280 --> 00:37:04,560 Speaker 1: until the bitter end, Danny. 638 00:37:05,360 --> 00:37:08,839 Speaker 2: Thanks a lot, Danny, that was an excellent email and 639 00:37:09,280 --> 00:37:10,640 Speaker 2: we're glad that you're on board. 640 00:37:10,840 --> 00:37:13,560 Speaker 1: I wonder what Danny thought i'veys did for I don't know, 641 00:37:13,600 --> 00:37:16,359 Speaker 1: or if it was like ivy or something. Right, He's 642 00:37:16,400 --> 00:37:18,799 Speaker 1: like four, like, why are you gonna put ivy in 643 00:37:18,840 --> 00:37:19,200 Speaker 1: my arm? 644 00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:22,920 Speaker 2: Uh? Where was I? Oh? Yeah? If you want to 645 00:37:22,920 --> 00:37:24,920 Speaker 2: be like Danny and send us a rock and email, 646 00:37:25,239 --> 00:37:27,359 Speaker 2: we would love to hear from you, wrap it up, 647 00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:29,840 Speaker 2: spank it on the bottom, send it off to stuff 648 00:37:29,880 --> 00:37:35,040 Speaker 2: podcast at iHeartRadio dot com. 649 00:37:35,200 --> 00:37:38,080 Speaker 3: Stuff you Should Know is a production of iHeartRadio. For 650 00:37:38,160 --> 00:37:40,040 Speaker 3: more podcasts my heart Radio, visit 651 00:37:40,120 --> 00:37:43,360 Speaker 1: The iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to 652 00:37:43,400 --> 00:37:44,280 Speaker 1: your favorite shows.