The Stonewall Riots occurred in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City in June 1969. Many consider these demonstrations to be the impetus that began the fight for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, Transgender, and QuestionedSexuality) not only in the United States but also in much of the world. Greater acceptance of homosexuals began a few weeks after the event, raising awareness and opening more businesses for LGBT use. What caused the Stonewall riots? The causes of the Stonewall riots were anti-gay laws, the corruption of the NYPD and a lack of media attention. There were many laws in place that restricted LGBT rights before the Stonewall Riots, with horrific consequences for those who violated them. The most infamous of these was a law in every state except Illinois that made gay sex punishable by prison time or a fine. This prison sentence could, on some occasions, be a life sentence, depending on the state and severity of the crime. Additionally, gay sex could result in castration in seven states. New York City had the strictest anti-sodomy laws in the country. Additionally, New York was home to the largest number of homosexuals. This resulted in a high rate of arrests. In 1966, approximately 100 or more men were imprisoned due to the NYPD's anti-gay efforts. New York City's anti-sodomy laws included a ban on homosexual behavior in both civic and independent institutions. Bars were often the only businesses that accepted openly gay customers. This was especially the case in the 1950s and 1960s, the time when the Stonewall Riots took place. While bars were the safest places for LGBT members to gather, they generally spelled bad news for such bars. In 1969, it was against the law in New Y... middle of paper... not covered by the media, and the Stonewall riots were the first large-scale movement for LGBT rights. Despite this, it still took some time for the movement to gain proper attention. An example of this is The New York Times newspaper, which did not allow its journalists to use the word “gay” until after 1987, nearly twenty years after the riots, and only covered the riots in an article three short paragraphs. The Stonewall Riots were a catalyst for the gay rights movement not only in the United States, but also around the world. The first Gay Pride marches took place in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York on June 28, 1970, the first anniversary of the riots. Furthermore, three LGBT newspapers were printed immediately after the demonstrations. In conclusion, the causes of the Stonewall riots were anti-gay laws, the corruption of the NYPD and the lack of media attention.