Super Short Summary

Before Stonewall: The Making of a Gay and Lesbian Community by Andrea Weiss, a companion to the documentary directed by Greta Schiller, chronicles key figures and pivotal events in LGBTQ+ communities before the 1969 Stonewall riots. The book explores the periods of relative acceptance in the 1920s, the cultural backlash during the Great Depression, the gender role shifts during World War II, and the intense persecution during the McCarthy era, culminating in growing activism and social consciousness by the late 1950s and early 1960s. It includes sensitive topics such as discrimination, persecution, and the "Lavender Scare" purge of LGBTQ+ individuals from government positions.