Before sharing information on the opening of the Island’s newest gay nightspot – Stonewall Bali, some historical insight on this name and its significance may be helpful.
Flashback: Stonewall Inn, Manhattan, New York, 28 June 1969
An angry 1969 uprising by patrons at the iconic Stonewall Inn in New York is credited with being a “watershed event” in the battle for LGBT rights in the USA and beyond. On 28 June 1969, the Stonewall Inn was rousted by New York Police, who were, at the time, in the habit of victimizing homosexuals and gay gathering places.
Customers at gay New York bars in 1969 were easy targets for unscrupulous police officers who would brutalize, coerce, and demand money from customers who, as members of a minority group, could be counted on to offer little resistance as they were preyed upon by the cops. In the early morning hours of 28 June 1969, all this changed as the gay customers at Stonewall Inn fought back against the police, greeting violence with violence, in what quickly escalated into a street riot.
A line now drawn in the sand, tensions grew in the days following the initial uprising, with continuing clashes between homosexuals and their sympathizers and the New York Police in other locations in New York. Indignant Manhattan residents reacted by forming or joining activist groups opposing discrimination based on sexual orientation. These groups aggressively lobbied the police for less high-handed and discriminatory treatment of sexual minorities. Within months of the Stonewall Inn Incident, three newspapers promoting LGBT rights were established.
28 June 1970, the anniversary of the Stonewall riots, is now the date used for gay pride marches in New York and around the world
Stonewall Bali – Making a Flamboyant Entrance to Seminyak, Bali
Stonewall Bali is the latest addition to the small but lively collection of gay bars and entertainment businesses dotting Jalan Camplung Tanduk (formerly Jalan Dhayana Pura), including Mixwell, F (Face) Bar, and Bali Joe Bar.
Commencing operations on 07 July 2023 with and via an appropriately named “Glam Opening” in mid-August, Stonewall Bali is pledging to present go-go boy dancers, drag shows, and the lively arts – all presented with a decidedly LBGT flare.
Quoted in the local online media, Andrew Saputra, operational manager of Stonewall Bali, elaborated on connections with the bar’s historical namesake: “We wanted a name that symbolizes unity and pays homage to the legacy of acceptance that the original Stonewall Inn stands for. Stonewall Bali is our way of creating a space that embraces diversity and love without limits.”
Reflecting the venue’s mission, Saputra continued: “Our vision was to create a space where people from all walks of life can come together and be themselves, free from judgment or prejudice. Stonewall is a sanctuary of belonging,” he added.
Stonewall Bali also operates a kitchen serving lunch and dinner.
Conforming to the business style of its competitors for the “pink dollar” in Seminyak and the somewhat uneasy detente the LGBT community shares with elements of Indonesian traditional society, expect Stonewall Bali to be daringly risqué but never crossing local lines defining vulgarity and legality.
Many businesses in Bali are decidedly “gay friendly.” Accordingly, both straight and gay customers are welcome at Bali’s business flying the rainbow flag,
Stonewall Bali
Jl. Raya Seminyak, Seminyak, Kuta,
Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361
Open daily from 3:00 pm until late
Telephone: 0811 3976 886
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