Fifty-five years ago this month, a group of transgender women in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco fought back against police as they arrested patrons at Compton’s Cafeteria, a go-to hangout for temporarily avoiding the harshest harassment, discrimination and physical violence they faced on the streets. While the ultimate reason for their arrests is unknown, police frequently arrested those who dressed in clothing “opposite” to their sex, which was a crime at the time.
Fifty-five years ago this month, a group of transgender women in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco fought back against police as they arrested patrons at Compton’s Cafeteria, a go-to hangout for temporarily avoiding the harshest harassment, discrimination and physical violence they faced on the streets. While the ultimate reason for their arrests is unknown, police frequently arrested those who dressed in clothing “opposite” to their sex, which was a crime at the time.