(♪)
Pepe Urquijo:
NEXT ON
 TRULY CALIFORNIA: 
(♪)
IN 1966,
DRAG QUEENS
FED UP WITH ABUSE
RIOTED AGAINST THE
SAN FRANCISCO POLICE.
Amanda St. Jaymes:
ALL THOSE PLATE GLASS WINDOWS
HERE WERE BUSTED OUT.
Pepe Urquijo:
AND INSPIRED A WAVE OF
TRANSGENDER ACTIVISM.
Amanda:
WE HAD TO FIGHT
FOR OUR RIGHTS AS...
...NOT GAY PEOPLE...
...BUT AS HUMAN BEINGS.
Pepe Urquijo:
A REVOLUTIONARY ACT
UNCOVERED,
IN SCREAMING QUEENS. 
(♪)
(♪)
(♪)
Jay Martin:
THIS IS GAY SAN FRANCISCO,
AN INSIDE LOOK
AT THE LIFE OF
SAN FRANCISCO'S
HOMOSEXUALS.
THEY NUMBER
90,000, AT LEAST,
ACCORDING TO POLICE
DEPARTMENT FIGURES.
THEY WORK TO CONCEAL THEIR
SEXUAL ORIENTATION BY DAY,
AND ONLY AT NIGHT
DO THEY SHOW
THEIR TRUE COLORS.
(♪ Saxophone Solo ♪)
(♪)
(♪)
THE CITY'S DOWNTOWN
TENDERLOIN DISTRICT
IS THE HOME GROUND OF THE
ALWAYS VISIBLE SEGMENT
OF THE CITY'S
HOMOSEXUALS AND
TRANSVESTITES.
THE DRAG QUEENS ARE HERE
AT TURK AND TAYLOR.
SO FREQUENT WERE
THE FIGHTS BETWEEN
SCREAMING QUEENS IN
THE 2 TO 3 AM PERIOD,
THAT POLICE,
EVEN IN PERMISSIVE
SAN FRANCISCO,
HAD HAD ENOUGH,
AND ASKED AN
ALL NIGHT CAFETERIA
TO CLOSE BY MIDNIGHT.
(♪)(Sirens)
(♪)
Susan Stryker:
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED
THAT NIGHT
AT COMPTON'S CAFETERIA HAS
BEEN ALL BUT FORGOTTEN.
IT WASN'T A "CAT FIGHT
BETWEEN SCREAMING QUEENS."
IT WAS A RIOT,
AND IT KICKED OFF
A NEW MOVEMENT
FOR HUMAN RIGHTS.
Amanda:
WE HAD TO FIGHT FOR
OUR RIGHTS AS...
...NOT GAY PEOPLE...
...BUT AS HUMAN BEINGS.
(♪)
(Sirens)
Tamara Ching:
WE FOUGHT FOR ONE CAUSE.
THE CAUSE THAT
WE FOUGHT FOR WAS
FOR OUR INDIVIDUAL
RIGHTS FOR FREEDOM.
(♪)
(♪)Male Announcer:
FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM
WAS PROVIDED BY:
ADDITIONAL FUNDING
WAS PROVIDED BY THESE
GENEROUS CONTRIBUTORS:
(♪)
(♪)
Susan Stryker:
THE 1969 STONEWALL RIOTS
IN NEW YORK
HAVE BEEN REMEMBERED
AS THE BEGINNING
OF GAY MILITANCY.
BUT THREE YEARS EARLIER,
ON A HOT AUGUST NIGHT
IN 1966,
DOZENS OF DRAG QUEENS
AND GAY HUSTLERS
MADE HISTORY
BY FIGHTING FOR
THEIR RIGHT
SIMPLY TO GATHER
AT A SAN FRANCISCO
RESTAURANT CALLED
GENE COMPTON'S
CAFETERIA.
THAT STORY HAS
NEVER BEEN TOLD...
...UNTIL NOW.
(♪)
Rev. Ed Hansen:
COMPTON'S CAFETERIA
WAS THIS HANGOUT.
IT WOULD BE
OPEN ALL NIGHT.
Tamara:
YOU COULD GO
TO COMPTON'S
AND WAS ITS OWN
LITTLE FAIRYLAND.
I REMEMBER
THE WAITRESSES WITH
THE LITTLE DOILY NAPKINS
ON THEIR CHESTS.
IT WAS BEAUTIFUL
BECAUSE IT WAS CLEAN.
Elliot Blackstone:
IN THE BACK
OF MY MIND,
I REMEMBER,
WHEN HELL WAS RAISED,
COMPTON'S WAS CERTAINLY
ONE OF THE SOURCES.
Felicia Elizondo:
EVERYBODY WOULD DIE
FOR WINDOW SEATS,
JUST TO SHOW OFF.
Amanda:
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
USED TO DRAG CROSSES
DOWN THE STREET
IN FRONT OF COMPTON'S,
AND TELL US WE WERE
GOING TO BURN IN HELL,
BUT WE
IGNORED THEM.
COMPTON'S
WAS FABULOUS.
IT WAS LIKE OZ,
LIKE SOMETHING LIKE
THE WIZARD OF OZ.
(Whirling Sounds)
Susan Stryker:
WHEN I FIRST CAME
ACROSS THE STORY
OF THE RIOT
AT COMPTON'S,
I HAD NO IDEA
HOW DEEPLY
IT WOULD
AFFECT MY LIFE.
(♪)
I HAD RECENTLY FINISHED
MY Ph.D. IN HISTORY,
COME OUT AS
TRANSSEXUAL,
AND STARTED
MY TRANSITION
FROM MAN TO WOMAN...
...ALL IN THE SAME YEAR.
I FELT ALONE
AT FIRST,
AND REALLY HUNGRY
FOR A COMMUNITY.
RESEARCHING
TRANSGENDER HISTORY
HELPED ME FIND THAT
SENSE OF BELONGING.
(♪)
(♪)
IN 1995, I STUMBLED
UPON A DOCUMENT
IN THE ARCHIVES OF
THE GAY AND LESBIAN
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
THAT DESCRIBED AN EVENT
I'D NEVER EVEN HEARD OF
THE RIOT AT
COMPTON'S CAFETERIA.
THE STORY HAD BEEN
WRITTEN DOWN
SEVERAL YEARS
AFTER THE FACT,
AND I WASN'T SURE
IF IT WAS ACCURATE,
OR EVEN TRUE.
BUT IF IT WAS,
THAT RIOT
MIGHT REPRESENT
THE TRANSGENDER
COMMUNITY'S DEBUT
ON THE STAGE OF
AMERICAN POLITICAL HISTORY.
I TRIED EVERY WAY I COULD
TO VERIFY THAT STORY.
I SCOURED
THE ARCHIVES,
LOOKING FOR CLUES,
AND I SEARCHED
THE STREETS
OF THE TENDERLOIN
FOR PEOPLE WHO
MIGHT REMEMBER
WHAT HAPPENED
THAT NIGHT.
IT WAS A WEEKEND
NIGHT I BELIEVE.
Susan Stryker:
WHEN I FINALLY PULLED
IT ALL TOGETHER,
THE STORY WAS
EVEN BIGGER
THAN I IMAGINED.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE
THE RESULTS OF A SIX-MONTH
PSYCHOLOGICAL PROJECT,
A RESEARCH PROJECT
THAT TOOK US
ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
IN MY OFFICE TODAY
I'M JAY MARTIN,
WE HAVE FOUR
CONTESTANTS
IN A RECENT
BEAUTY CONTEST.
NOW, FOR REASONS WHICH
WILL BECOME VERY CLEAR,
WE'RE GOING TO USE
FIRST NAMES ONLY.
THE REASON FOR USING
FIRST NAMES ONLY,
FOR THESE VERY, VERY
CHARMING CONTESTANTS,
IS THAT RIGHT NOW,
EACH ONE OF THEM
IS BREAKING THE LAW.
THE CONTEST IN WHICH
THEY WERE RUNNERS-UP
WAS A MASQUERADE.
ACTUALLY, IN THE
VERNACULAR,
IT'S CALLED
A "DRAG BALL."
(♪)
(♪)
Amanda:
IT WAS A PARTY TIME.
(♪)
IT WAS BEFORE THE WAR
REALLY GOT STARTED.
THERE WAS SO
MANY NIGHTCLUBS
AND BARS AND
EVERYTHING.
(♪)
IT WAS
QUITE FESTIVE.
(♪)
IT WAS LIKE
CAMELOT BACK THEN.
IT WAS STILL
WONDERFUL.
THERE WAS SO MANY
BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE
THAT CAME
THROUGH THERE...
...THAT, YOU KNOW,
YOU JUST MET PEOPLE
FROM ALL OVER
THE WORLD.
WE HAD HELL'S ANGELS
THAT CAME,
AND THEY WOULD
LINE THEIR BIKES
UP AND DOWN
THE STREET
AND PARTY WITH
THE GIRLS.
AND WE USED TO HAVE
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
BOYS COME TO SEE US,
JUST TO PARTY
WITH US.
AND THERE WAS NO, REALLY,
HERE WAS NO SEX INVOLVED.
WE JUST PARTIED.
YOU KNOW...
AND THEN OF COURSE,
THERE WAS SEX
INVOLVED SOME TIMES.
(♪)
THEN, A LOT OF
PEOPLE WERE OUT
WALKING AROUND
IN THE TENDERLOIN,
JUST WALKING,
LOOKING AROUND.
AND COMPTON'S
WAS THE PLACE,
ONE OF THE
PLACES TO BE.
AND WE HAD QUITE
A TIME IN COMPTON'S.
IT WAS A
MEETING PLACE,
LIKE I SAID, A
WATERING HOLE FOR PEOPLE.
IT WAS
OPEN ALL NIGHT.
Susan:
COMPTON'S WAS A
WELL-ESTABLISHED
LOCAL RESTAURANT CHAIN
WITH SEVERAL
SAN FRANCISCO
LOCATIONS.
Rev. Ed Hansen:
COMPTON'S CAFETERIA
WAS THIS PLACE
THAT HAD BEEN
AROUND FOR YEARS,
I DON'T KNOW
HOW LONG,
BUT IT WAS FAIRLY
REASONABLY-PRICED FOOD,
AND A VARIETY
OF FOOD.
(♪)
Tamara:
I WOULD GET, LIKE, A
POACHED EGG ON TOAST,
AND JUICE,
AND BACON STRIPS,
FOR $1.99.
IT WASN'T A
BIG PLACE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY
PEOPLE IT SEATED.
FIFTY OR SIXTY,
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THIS WAS THE
FRONT HERE.
THESE DOORS WERE
SET BACK IN HERE
SO YOU HAD TO GO
THROUGH IN HERE
TO GET INTO
COMPTON'S.
(♪)
EVERYBODY THAT LIVED
IN THE TENDERLOIN
ATE AT COMPTON'S,
YOU KNOW, AND
IT WAS JUST PACKED.
(♪)
Aleshia Brevard:
I WOULD NOT HAVE GONE
TO COMPTON'S.
THE LIGHTS WERE VERY
BRIGHT, I THINK. (Laughs)
I THINK THEY WERE
THOSE NEON THINGS,
YOU KNOW...
FLUORESCENT LIGHTS!
VERY BAD ON
MAKE-UP.
(♪)
Elliot:
BOY, I WOULDN'T HAVE WANTED
TO RUN THAT COFFEE SHOP,
I TELL YOU.
SOMEBODY'D COME IN,
AND THEY'D BUY
A CUP OF COFFEE.
THEY'D SPEND HOURS
SITTING IN
THIS COFFEE SHOP,
WAITING FOR
THEIR FRIENDS
TO COME IN AND
TALK WITH THEM.
EVERY TIME THE
DOOR OPENED,
EVERYBODY LOOKED TO
SEE WHO WAS COMING,
úCAUSE YOU KNOW,
AS SOON AS THAT
DOOR OPENED,
EVERYBODY WANTED TO
PARADE THEIR FASHION.
Amanda:
IT WAS A
DELIGHTFUL TIME.
IT'S LIKE A
FAIRY TALE
THAT YOU
WOULDN'T BELIEVE.
BUT THERE'S
THE NIGHTMARE
OF THE TRUTH
OF IT ALL.
Jay Martin:
NOW, SIMONE,
YOU OPENLY ADMIT
THAT YOU ARE
A HOMOSEXUAL.
WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS
THINK ABOUT THIS?
WELL, I THINK MY PARENTS
REALLY DON'T KNOW.
YOU COULD SAY I LIVE
A DOUBLE LIFE,
THAT, ON WEEKENDS,
I DRESS UP LIKE A GIRL.
AND THEN WHEN I COME HOME
ON SUNDAY AFTERNOONS OR SO,
I LOOK LIKE A
NORMAL BOY
IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD.
Jay Martin:
DO YOU HAVE ANY
BROTHERS OR SISTERS?
I HAVE AN
OLDER BROTHER.
DOES HE KNOW THAT
YOU ARE A HOMOSEXUAL?
NO.
WHAT DO YOU THINK
HE'D DO IF HE FOUND OUT?
PROBABLY
KILL ME. (Laughs)
Rev. Ed Hansen:
BACK IN 1965 AND '66,
THAT YEAR I WAS
IN SAN FRANCISCO,
I DIDN'T KNOW
THE WORD
"TRANSGENDER"
AT THAT TIME.
SO IN TERMS OF
HAVING ANY KIND
OF HELPFUL CONCEPTS
OR UNDERSTANDING,
THERE WASN'T
MUCH THERE.
IT WAS JUST
THAT SOME LIKED
TO DRESS AS WOMEN
AND OTHERS DON'T.
AND SOME ARE EVEN
INTERESTED IN ENHANCING
THEIR BREASTS AND
TAKING HORMONES
AND SO ON TO TRY TO
BE MORE AS A WOMAN.
AND...
MY ENCOUNTERS
WITH THEM WERE
JUST AS I WOULD
WITH ANYBODY...
YOU KNOW, HERE'S
ANOTHER CHILD OF GOD,
SOMEONE TO
LISTEN TO,
TALK TO, AND WITHOUT
ANY JUDGMENT JUST LISTEN
TO THEIR STORIES AND
LET THEM TELL ME
WHAT THEY WERE
EXPERIENCING.
(♪)
(♪)
News Announcer:
EVERY GREAT CITY
OF THE WORLD
SEEMS TO HAVE AN
AREA GIVEN OVER
TO THE FLESHLY
NEEDS OF MEN.
IN SAN FRANCISCO
THIS AREA IS CALLED
 THE TENDERLOIN. 
IT IS A
MARKETPLACE OF VICE,
DEGRADATION
AND HUMAN MISERY.
(♪)
(♪)
Susan Stryker:
I LOOKED UP THE
WORD "TENDERLOIN"
IN THE DICTIONARY,
AND THE FIRST DEFINITION
WAS FAMILIAR:
"A PRIME CUT
OF MEAT."
BUT THE SECOND DEFINITION
SURPRISED ME:
"A VICE-RIDDEN
DISTRICT CONTROLLED
BY CORRUPT
POLICEMEN."
(♪)
THAT'S EXACTLY
HOW IT WAS
IN SAN FRANCISCO.
THE TENDERLOIN
LOOKED LAWLESS AND
OUT OF CONTROL...
...BUT THE POLICE
ACTUALLY RAN THE PLACE.
THEY ALLOWED
THE PROSTITUTION,
DRUG-DEALING,
AND GAMBLING
AND THEN DEMANDED
PAYOFFS FROM PEOPLE
INVOLVED IN
THOSE ACTIVITIES.
(♪)
Aleshia:
WELL, THE POLICE
CAME TO FINOCCHIO'S...
...NIGHTLY.
I DON'T
KNOW FOR SURE
THAT THERE WAS
LIKE, "PAYOLA,"
WHATEVER THAT WAS,
BUT THEY WERE
CERTAINLY WELL...
WELCOMED AND
WELL TAKEN CARE OF.
Susan Stryker:
FINOCCHIO'S BEGAN
IN THE 1920'S
AS AN ILLEGAL
TENDERLOIN SPEAKEASY.
THE CLUB MOVED UP
TO NORTH BEACH
WHEN PROHIBITION ENDED,
BUT ITS
BACKSTAGE CONNECTIONS
WITH THE OLD TENDERLOIN
VICE RACKET WERE KEPT
VERY MUCH INTACT.
Aleshia:
WE WERE...
ALLOWED TO WORK
BECAUSE OF
MR. FINOCCHIO'S
ASSOCIATION
WITH THE POLICE.
YOU KNEW...
YOU KNEW NOT TO
TAKE RISKS,
NOT TO OFFEND.
QUITE FRANKLY, I NEVER
MADE A GRATUITY
IN THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT,
BUT I WAS AWARE
THAT SOME PEOPLE DID.
SINCE I DIDN'T
GIVE IT TO THEM,
AND THEY DIDN'T
SPEND IT ON ME,
I'M NOT SURE
THAT IT HAPPENED.
BUT I CAN SAY
THAT HAVING BEEN
A POLICEMAN
FOR 26 YEARS,
I CAN CERTAINLY
UNDERSTAND SOME OF IT.
Susan Stryker:
THE TENDERLOIN
WAS WIDELY KNOWN
AS THE PLACE
TO GO FOR SEX,
DRUGS, AND
LATE NIGHT FUN.
WHILE OTHERS CAME AND
WENT WITH RELATIVE EASE,
TRANSGENDER PEOPLE LACKED
THE FREEDOM TO LEAVE.
Suzan Cooke:
THE POLICE WOULD
GIVE THE PEOPLE
WHO WERE OF
INDETERMINATE GENDER
THE MESSAGE THAT
THEY BELONGED
PRETTY MUCH IN
THE TENDERLOIN,
WHICH AT THE TIME WAS
KIND OF A GAY GHETTO,
A VERY SLUMMY
GAY GHETTO.
I THINK TRANSSEXUALS
FIND THE TENDERLOIN
MORE ACCEPTABLE,
SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY
ARE MORE ACCEPTABLE
IN THE
TENDERLOIN.
Susan Stryker:
WHY ARE THEY
MORE ACCEPTABLE
IN THE
TENDERLOIN?
WELL, BECAUSE
THEY'RE AMIDST
THEIR OWN KIND,
I GUESS.
THE TENDERLOIN WAS
POPULATED BY THE PIMPS
AND THE WHORES AND THE DRUG
ADDICTS AND THE DRAG QUEENS
AND-YEAH,
THAT ELEMENT.
AND I FELT VERY
COMFORTABLE THERE.
Amanda St. Jaymes:
TURK STREET
WAS OUR STREET,
AND THE BUILDINGS
THAT WERE ON IT,
THE HOTELS THAT'S
WHERE WE LIVED,
THAT WAS OUR HOME.
WE HAD NO OTHER
PLACE TO GO.
OTHER HOTELS
WOULDN'T RENT
TO THE QUEENS...
THE DRAG QUEENS, OR
THE TRANSSEXUALS,
OR TRANSVESTITES.
SO THAT WAS
BASICALLY
WHY WE WERE PUT DOWN
IN THE TENDERLOIN.
(♪)
Susan Stryker:
YOU KNOW, IF YOU COME
AROUND ON THIS SIDE
OF THE BUILDING
AND LOOK UP,
YOU CAN STILL SEE,
RIGHT THERE,
EL ROSA HOTEL,
166 TURK STREET.
Amanda:
THE EL ROSA WAS
REALLY LIKE
A WAYWARD HOME
FOR GIRLS.
THERE WAS SO MANY OF
US THAT WAS THERE,
THAT OUR FAMILIES
HAD DISOWNED US.
THIS IS THE PLACE
WHERE AMANDA WAS
THE MOTHER QUEEN.
Amanda:
I MANAGED IT AT NIGHT.
WE ALLOWED THE GIRLS TO
BRING IN ONE GUEST A NIGHT,
FOR FIVE DOLLARS.
AND OF COURSE AFTER
MAMA DEL LA ROSA...
SHE WAS THE OWNER...
WOULD GO TO BED,
I'D LET THEM BRING
IN SEVERAL MORE,
SO WE COULD MAKE A
LITTLE EXTRA MONEY.
IT WAS A
WONDERFUL PLACE.
WE SPENT OUR HOLIDAYS
TOGETHER THERE.
WE BECAME EACH
OTHER'S FAMILY.
WE HELD ON
TO EACH OTHER.
THERE WAS A BEAUTY SHOP
THAT WAS OVER THERE
WHERE ALL THE GIRLS
GOT THEIR HAIR DONE,
WHERE THAT
CLUB 65 IS,
NEXT TO IT.
Susan:
THE PLACE THAT'S
THE NOVELTIES
AND GIFTS STORE?
RIGHT.(Car Horn)
YEAH, THAT WAS
THE CHUCKKERS'
AND THIS
WAS ROSSI'S,
HERE ON THE CORNER,
(♪)
WHICH WAS A
TRANSSEXUAL BAR.
AND OF COURSE,
ON THIS CORNER
OVER HERE,
WE HAVE WHERE
GENE COMPTON'S WAS.
AND IT WAS A
MAGNIFICENT CAFETERIA.
IT WAS A
GREAT TIME.
(♪)
Tamara Ching:
COMPTON'S WAS A GREAT
PLACE TO MEET,
BECAUSE IT WAS,
LIKE, CENTRALIZED.
RIGHT NEXT DOOR
WAS THE BATHHOUSE
FOR THE GAY MEN,
AND IT WAS CONVENIENT
TO THE CORNER,
IF YOU WANTED
TO HAVE A DRINK
AT THE CORNER BAR
YOU COULD.
OR YOU COULD
TIP-TOE DOWN
TO WOOLWORTH'S AND
GET MORE EYELASHES.
(♪)
(♪)
THERE WERE TABLES
OF DRAG QUEENS,
FEMALE IMPERSONATORS,
TRANSGENDERS,
HUSTLERS.
(♪)
(♪)
Suzan Cooke:
IT HAD BEEN A PLACE
WHERE PEOPLE
HAD GONE
AFTER THE BARS
HAD CLOSED,
AND IT WAS A HOTBED
OF PROSTITUTION.
(♪)
Amanda St. Jaymes:
MOST OF THE
TRANSSEXUALS
WERE PROSTITUTES
BECAUSE THEY
DIDN'T HAVE JOBS.
THERE WAS NO WAY
TO GET JOBS THEN.
Tamara Ching:
SEE, IT WAS
VERY POPULAR
BECAUSE WE WORKED ALL
THE STREETS FROM HERE
ALL THE
WAY DOWN.UH HUH.
DOWN TO
LEAVENWORTH.
WE NEVER
DID WORK...
NONE OF THE GIRLS
WORKED PAST LEAVENWORTH,
BUT THEY'D
WORK TURK,
EDDY, ELLIS,
O'FARRELL.
MASON? BACK
THIS WAY?
AND MASON,
UP TO MASON.
NEVER PAST
POWELL STREET.
ANY ON MARKET?
AHH...
OR WAS THAT MORE LIKE,
GAY MALE HUSTLING?
NO, NEVER.
NO TG'S HUSTLED
ON MARKET STREET.
THAT WAS
OFF LIMITS.
(♪)
Felicia Elizondo:
AS FOR ME AND
THE OTHER GIRLS,
WE NEVER THOUGHT OF
LOOKING FOR A JOB BECAUSE
MAYBE IN BACK
OF OUR HEADS
WE KNEW THEY WOULDN'T
HIRE US ANYWHERE.
ONLY THE PRETTY GIRLS
THAT WERE ENTERTAINERS,
OR SOMETHING
LIKE THAT.
MOST OF THE
GIRLS THAT WERE
FEMALE
IMPERSONATORS
WERE, LIKE,
YOU KNOW,
ON ANOTHER LEVEL FROM
THE GUTTER GIRLS
THAT WE WERE.
THEY WERE
EARNING A LIVING
AND THEY
WERE SNOBS.
(♪)
Aleshia:
I HAD THE FREEDOM...
TO BE A BIG
SISSY ON STAGE,
YES,
BUT I DID NOT
HAVE THE FREEDOM
TO LIVE MY LIFE
OUTSIDE,
OR OFF OF STAGE.
(♪)
HAD I NOT BEEN
BORN WITH THE FACE...
...AND I HAD
GREAT LEGS,
AND COULD SING
A BIT, YOU KNOW,
DANCE A BIT...
...ALL OF THOSE
ATTRIBUTES THAT
SUCH AN EMBARRASSMENT
WHEN I WAS GROWING UP
TOO PRETTY
TO BE A BOY,
THE COMPLEXION,
ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT
I HATED SO AS A CHILD
SAVED ME.
THAT'S EXACTLY
WHAT SAVED ME.
OR I'M SURE THAT,
YEAH, I'D HAVE BEEN
SELLING MY ASS
ON TURK STREET,
SAVING THOSE
PENNIES,
AND LOOKING
FOR A JOHN
TO TAKE ME
THROUGH IT.
(Church Bells)
I WENT OUT AND
TRIED TO GET A JOB,
IN MEN'S
CLOTHING.
NO...YOU'RE
TOO EFFEMINATE,
YOU'RE A
FAGGOT,
YOU'RE A SISSY,
YOU'RE THIS,
YOU'RE THAT.
SO I SAID,
WELL, GROOVY.
SO I PUT ON
THE CLOTHES
THAT I
USUALLY WEAR,
WHICH IS
GIRL'S CLOTHES.
I WENT OUT AND
TRIED TO GET A JOB
AS A WOMAN.YES?
THIS DOESN'T WORK.
YOU GET A JOB,
YOU WORK FOR
A DAY OR TWO,
A WEEK, A MONTH, OR
WHATEVER IT BOILS DOWN,
AND SOMEBODY COMES ALONG
THAT RECOGNIZES YOU,
WHO PREFERS TO BE
A HOOKER AND A TRAMP,
TURNS AROUND AND TURNS
YOUR NAME IN TO THE BOSS
AND SAYS, LIKE,
"SO-AND-SO IS
SUCH-AND-SUCH,"
AND THAT'S THE
END OF THAT JOB.
SO FINALLY YOU
REACH A POINT WHERE
YOU GET DISGUSTED WITH
THE WHOLE DAMN BIT
AND WHAT YOU DO
IS YOU TURN AROUND
AND YOU GO OUT
ON THE STREET.
AND YOU FIND OUT
YOU CAN MAKE
A HUNDRED BUCKS
A NIGHT AND YOU SAY
TO HELL WITH IT.
WHY SHOULD
I BE LEGITIMATE?
WHY SHOULD I BE
RESPECTABLE,?
WHY SHOULD I BE
ANYTHING?
(♪)(Church Bells)
Felicia:
WE SOLD OURSELVES
BECAUSE WE NEEDED
TO MAKE A
LIVING.
BUT WE SOLD
OURSELVES
BECAUSE WE WANTED
TO BE LOVED.
(Church Bells)
Rev. Ed Hansen:
I REMEMBER HAVING A
CONVERSATION WITH A HUSTLER,
A QUEEN HUSTLER,
DRESSED
IN DRAG,
SAYING THAT SOME
OF THEIR CUSTOMERS
ASSUMED THEY WERE A
FEMALE INSTEAD OF A MALE.
THEY WOULD RISK
VIOLENCE,
I MEAN, SOMEBODY
IN FACT WOULD...
BECOME VIOLENT
WITH THEM,
AND THERE WAS
THIS FEAR
THAT THAT WOULD BE THE
REACTION OF SOMEBODY.
(♪)
Felicia:
IT WAS DANGEROUS,
DRESSING UP
LIKE A GIRL,
AND STILL HAVING
MEN'S PARTS THERE.
IT WAS...
IT WAS...
IT WAS DANGEROUS
FOR ALL OF US.
SOME GIRLS WERE
GETTING BEATEN UP
FOR BEING MEN.
SOME GIRLS HAVE
BEEN KILLED
FOR BEING MEN.
(♪)
(♪)
Susan Stryker:
THE THREAT OF
VIOLENT DEATH
WAS VERY REAL.
I DISCOVERED
NEWSPAPER STORIES
ABOUT A SERIAL KILLER
WHO TARGETED
TRANSGENDER WOMEN
IN THE TENDERLOIN.
THIS GUY DID MORE THAN
JUST KILL HIS VICTIMS.
HE WOULD SLIT
THEIR THROATS,
RITUALISTICALLY
MUTILATE THEIR GENITALS,
AND THEN DUMP THEIR
BODIES IN AN ALLEY.
(♪)(Police Dispatch)
Tamara:
YOU'D HEAR
ABOUT MURDERS,
OR YOU'D
KNOW SOMEBODY.
BUT STILL,
THE NEXT NIGHT,
YOU DIDN'T CARE.
YOU HAD TO
MAKE YOUR MONEY.
(♪)
I THINK GOING
WITH A TRICK,
THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES
WITH THEM IS THE SCARIEST.
BECAUSE YOU
DON'T KNOW
IF YOU'RE GOING
TO GO TO JAIL,
OR IF SOMEBODY IS
GOING TO PULL A KNIFE,
OR A GUN ON YOU.
THAT'S WHY A LOT
OF THE GIRLS
WERE TAKING DRUGS
SO THEY COULD
WORK THE STREETS.
(♪)
Felicia:
WE JUST LIVED
FROM DAY TO DAY,
AND MET OUR NEEDS
FROM DAY TO DAY.
YOU DID WHAT YOU
DID TO SURVIVE.
Tamara:
WE ALWAYS HAD TO
LOAD OUR HANDBAGS UP.
I'D DRINK A PINT,
OR HALF-PINT OF
SOUTHERN COMFORT,
AND PUT THE EMPTY
BOTTLE IN MY BAG.
WHEN PEOPLE GOT
OUT OF LINE,
WE'D CRACK IT
OVER THEIR HEAD.
AND IF THAT DIDN'T
PUT THEM DOWN,
THEN WE TOOK OFF
OUR SHOE-HIGH HEELS.
BECAUSE IF THEY WERE
GOING TO MESS WITH US,
WE WEREN'T GOING TO
LET PEOPLE HURT US.
AND ESPECIALLY
THESE GIRLS
THAT HAD THEIR FACES
PUMPED UP WITH SILICONE,
IF YOU TOUCHED
THEIR FACE,
AND TRIED TO
HURT THEIR FACE,
THEY'LL KILL YOU.
Amanda:
YOU HAD TO BE EITHER
ABLE TO KICK ASS,
OR GET YOUR
ASS KICKED.
IF SOMEBODY WAS
ON YOUR TURF
YOU'D JUST LAY THEM OUT
AND KEEP WALKING,
AND KEEP YOUR EYE
ON YOUR BACK.
THAT'S HOW IT WAS
IN THE TENDERLOIN.
YOU HAD TO
BE THAT WAY.
Susan Stryker:
COMPTON'S WAS ONE
OF THE FEW PLACES
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
TO GET AWAY
FROM THE
CONSTANT VIOLENCE.
Tamara:
BASICALLY,
WE WENT THERE
TO GOSSIP ABOUT
WHAT WE DID,
AND TO LET
PEOPLE KNOW
THAT WE WERE ALIVE
WE SURVIVED
THE NIGHT.
Susan Stryker:
SADLY, EVEN THERE,
THE QUEENS WERE NOT
COMPLETELY SAFE.
WE GOT HARASSED
QUITE A BIT
BY THE POLICE
IN COMPTON'S.
A LOT OF TIMES THEY
WOULD JUST COME IN
AND PICK US UP,
IF WE WERE EATING,
FOR NO REASON,
AND PUT US IN JAIL FOR
FEMALE IMPERSONATION.
(♪)
I HAD ONE POLICEMAN THAT
HATED ME WITH A PASSION,
AND EVERY TIME
HE'D SEE ME, HE SAYS,
"GET IN THE
PADDY WAGON."
I'D SAY, "BUT I JUST
GOT MY HAMBURGER!"
AND HE SAYS,
"EAT IT MONDAY,
WHEN YOU GET OUT."
THE POLICE WERE
OUT TO GET US.
Tamara:
THE POLICE WERE
VERY, VERY BAD.
YOU COULD BE TAKEN
TO JAIL AT ANY TIME,
AT ANY SECOND,
FOR NO REASON
AT ALL.
IF WE HAD
LIPSTICK ON,
OR IF WE HAD
MASCARA ON,
OR IF OUR HAIR
WAS TOO LONG
WE HAD TO PUT
IT UNDER A CAP.
IF THE BUTTONS WAS
ON THE WRONG SIDE
LIKE A BLOUSE,
THEY WOULD TAKE
YOU TO JAIL
BECAUSE THEY
FELT THAT IT
WAS FEMALE
IMPERSONATION.
Woman #2 On Couch:
IT WASN'T TOO
MANY YEARS AGO,
WHEN I WENT TO THE
GROCERY STORE ONCE
AND GOT THROWN
INTO JAIL
FOR BEING A
FEMALE IMPERSONATOR.
AND, I'VE NEVER
FELT AS THOUGH
I WAS IMPERSONATING
A FEMALE.
I FELT,
I AM A FEMALE.
(♪)(Background Talking)
(♪)
Rev. Ed Hansen:
AS IS TYPICAL
FOR MOST OF US
THAT ARE
MIDDLE CLASS,
WHITE,
MEN OR WOMEN IN
OUR CULTURE TODAY
THAT LOOK
FAIRLY...USUAL,
WE DON'T GET TREATED
BY THE POLICE THIS WAY,
SO IT'S SORT OF LIKE
IT GOES-SCHWOOP!
RIGHT PAST US,
AND WE DON'T SEE IT.
BUT THOSE WHO
ARE ON THE STREETS,
WHO DRESS DIFFERENT,
ACT DIFFERENT,
IN THIS CASE IT WAS
THE DRAG QUEEN
KIND OF CROWD,
THEY WERE VERY
AWARE THAT THEY
SEEMED TO BE
TARGETED.
Suzan Cooke:
THE FIRST NIGHT
I GOT IN SAN FRANCISCO,
I WAS TAKEN
AND ARRESTED
FOR ONE OF
THOSE FAMOUS CRIMES,
OBSTRUCTING
THE SIDEWALK.
WHICH WAS MY
INTRODUCTION
TO THE INFAMOUS
TAC SQUAD,
WHICH WAS A
ROVING BAND
OF THUG COPS
WHICH PATROLLED
THE VARIOUS AND
SUNDRY NEIGHBORHOODS
IN SAN FRANCISCO,
AND GENERALLY MADE
LIFE UNPLEASANT
FOR PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T
PARTICULARLY FIT
THEIR DEFINITION OF WHAT
A DECENT HUMAN BEING WAS.
AND I WAS ONE OF
THESE PEOPLE
WHO LOOKED SO
IN-BETWEEN THAT
THE POLICE WERE
PROVOKED BY MY BEING.
I DON'T REMEMBER
POLICEMEN
BEING THAT
OBNOXIOUS.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN
THEY WEREN'T;
IT MEANS THAT
I DON'T REMEMBER THEM
BEING THAT
OBNOXIOUS.
Amanda St. Jaymes:
THEY'D DRIVE US ALL
AROUND NORTH BEACH,
AND ALL AROUND
THE TENDERLOIN,
BEFORE THEY'D EVEN
TAKE US TO JAIL.
THEN THEY'D
STRIP US,
WHEN THEY GOT US
IN THE DRUNK TANK,
YOU KNOW, THEY'D
SEARCH FOR DRUGS.
AND IT WAS A
LITTLE EMBARRASSING
BEING IN FULL DRAG,
(♪)
YOU WERE ISOLATED
ON A TIER WITH
OTHER TRANSSEXUALS,
YOU HAD NO
CONTACT WITH ANY
OF THE OTHER PRISONERS
ON THE OUTSIDE.
WE WERE IN LOCK-DOWN
MOST OF THE TIME.
AND IT WASN'T THAT
I HAD DONE ANYTHING WRONG,
IT WAS FOR
FEMALE IMPERSONATION.
I WASN'T
BOTHERING ANYBODY.
BUT I WAS DRESSING AS
A WOMAN THE WAY I FEEL,
AND SO THEY PUT
ME IN JAIL,
SHAVED MY HEAD
OR I REFUSED TO LET
THEM SHAVE MY HEAD
AND THEY PUT
ME IN THE HOLE,
IN LOCK-UP.
ONE GIRL WAS IN
THERE SIXTY DAYS,
IN THE HOLE,
BECAUSE SHE WOULDN'T LET
THEM CUT HER HAIR.
THAT'S HOW IMPORTANT
IT WAS TO US BACK THEN.
(♪)
YOU KNOW, IT WAS LIKE THEY
WERE TRYING TO HUMILIATE US,
THAT WE WEREN'T
HUMAN BEINGS
SO THEY SHOULD
HUMILIATE US.
(Whirling Sounds)
(Gunshots, Explosions)
Susan Stryker:
THE WAR IN VIETNAM
SHAPED EVERYTHING
THAT HAPPENED
IN THE 1960'S,
(Explosion)
AND IT CHANGED
AMERICAN CULTURE
IN SOME UNEXPECTED WAYS.
(Whirling Sounds)
(♪)
GENDER ITSELF BECAME
A FORM OF POLITICS.
(♪)
LONG HAIR AND LOVE BEADS
WERE SIGNS THAT SAID
A MAN OPPOSED
THE WAR,
WHILE A WOMAN
WEARING BLUE JEANS
WAS MAKING A
FEMINIST MANIFESTO.
(♪)
(♪)
CHALLENGING TRADITIONAL
GENDER LAUNCHED
A SOCIAL REVOLUTION
THAT WOULD GIVE
TENDERLOIN QUEENS
NEW AMMUNITION
TO FIGHT THE
DISCRIMINATION THEY FACED
DISCRIMINATION
THAT DEEPENED
AS THE WAR IN
VIETNAM PROGRESSED.
Amanda:
IT CHANGED QUITE A BIT
ONCE THE
WAR STARTED,
AND THEY
STARTED SHIPPING
A LOT OF YOUNG MEN
THROUGH HERE.
WE PARTIED WITH
THOSE BOYS
THAT WENT OFF
TO VIETNAM.
MET A LOT
OF SOLDIERS
WHO CAME
THROUGH HERE,
AND THEY LEFT
SAN FRANCISCO
WITH A SMILE
ON THEIR FACE,
BELIEVE ME.
THEY HAD A
GOOD TIME,
AND WE SHOWED
IT TO THEM.
(♪)
Tamara:
I DECIDED TO DO MY
COUNTRY BY BEING A HO,
AND GIVING IT AWAY
TO OUR SERVICEMEN,
ROBBING FROM
THE RICH AND
GIVING TO THE POOR.
(♪)
Susan Stryker:
WARTIME IS ALWAYS
A BOOM TIME
FOR PROSTITUTION.
AS SOLDIERS
AND SAILORS
DESCENDED ON
THE TENDERLOIN,
POLICE CRACKDOWNS
INTENSIFIED
ESPECIALLY AT
DRAG QUEEN HANGOUTS
ALONG TURK STREET,
AT PLACES
LIKE ROSSI'S
AND THE
CHUCKKERS' CLUB.
(♪)
Amanda St. Jaymes:
THEY HAD A SIGN UP
OVER THAT SAID:
"ENTER AT
YOUR OWN RISK,
THIS PLACE...
THIS ESTABLISHMENT
IS DUE TO BE RAIDED
AT ANY TIME."
(♪)
Tamara Ching:
I REMEMBER
WHEN THE COPS
USED TO GO IN
THE BAR AND SAY
"YOU, YOU,
YOU AND YOU
COME WITH US."
(♪)
Susan Stryker:
AS POLICE RAIDS
ESCALATED
ALONG WITH THE WAR,
LIFE IN THE
TENDERLOIN
BECAME EVEN WORSE.
(Drilling Sounds)
(Trucks Sounds)
URBAN PLANNERS
AND DEVELOPERS
INTENT ON
RE-MAKING THE CITY
TORE DOWN NEARBY
NEIGHBORHOODS
(Smashes)
WHERE BLACK AND
WORKING-CLASS PEOPLE LIVED
TURNING THE
TENDERLOIN INTO
THE LAST POCKET OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
IN THE
CENTRAL CITY.
NEW PEOPLE
MOVING IN
SQUEEZED THE
QUEENS OUT
THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S
CHEAPEST ROOMS
LEAVING THEM LITERALLY
NO PLACE ELSE TO GO.
JUST THEN,
THE QUEENS FOUND
A NEW HOPE
IN A TOTALLY
UNEXPECTED DEVELOPMENT
(Church Bells)
THE SUDDEN
AVAILABILITY
OF A TRANSSEXUAL
IDENTITY.
THAT CHANGED
EVERYTHING.
I COME FROM A
RATHER SMALL TOWN,
A GOLD MINING COMMUNITY
IN FACT, YOU KNOW,
AND IT WAS A PLACE
WHERE BOYS
HAD TO BE BOYS,
BECAUSE THAT'S
ALL THERE WAS
FOR BOYS TO BECOME,
WAS BOYS.(Clears Throat)
(♪)
Felicia Elizondo:
ALL THIS AGONY
AND ALL THIS PAIN,
ALL THAT I HAD
BEEN GOING THROUGH,
I FINALLY PUT
A NAME TO IT,
WHERE I KNEW
WHERE I WAS GOING.
I DIDN'T KNOW HOW I WAS
GOING TO GET THERE,
BUT I KNEW THAT
THIS IS WHAT
I WANTED TO BE.
(♪)
Tamara:
I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE
WORD "TRANSSEXUAL"
BY READING
THINGS ABOUT
CHRISTINE
JORGENSEN.
SHE WAS A
HIGH CELEBRITY,
SO EVERYONE COULD
RELATE TO HER.
Susan Stryker:
CHRISTINE
JORGENSEN
WAS THE FIRST
FAMOUS AMERICAN
TRANSSEXUAL.
SHE MADE HEADLINES
IN 1952 WHEN SHE HAD
GENITAL
CONVERSION SURGERY
IN DENMARK.
(♪)
TRANSSEXUAL OPERATIONS
HAD BEEN CARRIED OUT
IN EUROPE SINCE
THE 1930'S,
BUT MOST AMERICAN DOCTORS
CONSIDERED THE PROCEDURES
UNETHICAL
AND REFUSED
TO PERFORM THEM.
THAT BEGAN TO
CHANGE A MONTH
BEFORE THE
COMPTON'S RIOT
WHEN A SAN FRANCISCO
MEDICAL REFORMER
PUBLISHED A
PATH-BREAKING BOOK.
DR. HARRY BENJAMIN
WROTE A BOOK CALLED
 THE TRANSSEXUAL
 PHENOMENON, 
WHICH WAS
PUBLISHED IN...
1966,
I BELIEVE.
HARRY BENJAMIN...
HMM...DOCTOR...HMM
HE GAVE HORMONES
TO EVERYBODY.
(♪)
Amanda:
OH, HARRY BENJAMIN
WAS A DELIGHTFUL
LITTLE GENTLEMAN,
AND HIS BOOK,
 THE TRANSSEXUAL
 PHENOMENON, 
WAS LIKE A
GUIDEBOOK FOR US.
Susan Stryker:
BENJAMIN BELIEVED A
PERSON'S GENDER IDENTITY
COULD NOT
BE CHANGED,
BUT THEIR
BODILY SEX COULD.
AS A RESULT
OF HIS WORK,
THE FIRST SURGICAL
SEX-REASSIGNMENT CLINIC
IN AMERICA WOULD OPEN
ON THE EAST COAST
LATER THAT YEAR.
MANY DRAG QUEENS
IN THE TENDERLOIN
BEGAN TO ENVISION
A NEW LIFE FOR THEMSELVES,
ONE THAT FIT BETTER
WITH WHO THEY
THOUGHT THEY WERE,
AND WHAT THEY
WANTED TO BE.
IF SOCIETY WOULD
LET ME LIVE MY LIFE
AS I WANT
TO LIVE IT,
WHICH IS AS A
RESPECTABLE,
NORMAL ORDINARY
WOMAN, PERIOD.UM-HMM.
I DON'T WEAR
MINI-SKIRTS.
I DON'T RUN AROUND
WITH MY HAIR
STICKING SEVEN
FOOT OFF MY HEAD
AND ALL THE REST
OF THE STUFF
THAT THE
QUEENS DO.
WHICH IS A
CATEGORY THAT
I AM CLASSIFIED IN,
AS BEING A
COMMON QUEEN, PERIOD.
WELL, YEAH,
THAT'S TRUE.
I CANNOT GET
AWAY FROM IT,
NO MATTER
WHAT I DO.
I AM PUT INTO
THIS CATEGORY.
I AM LABELED
AS THIS.
I WAS JUST
INTERESTED IN
GETTING MY
HORMONES,
GETTING OFF
THE STREETS,
GETTING AN
EDUCATION,
FITTING
INTO SOCIETY,
GETTING MARRIED,
AND HAVING
A LIFE.
(♪)
A "QUOTE,
UNQUOTE,"
SOME KIND OF
NORMAL LIFE,
RATHER THAN LIVING
IN THE TENDERLOIN.
(♪)
Felicia:
I THINK I LASTED
WITH MY BOYFRIEND
FOR ABOUT
TWO MONTHS.
HE LEFT ME FOR
A REAL GIRL,
AND THAT REALLY
HURT ME.
SO I CAME BACK
DETERMINED
THAT I WAS GOING
TO HAVE A SEX CHANGE,
AND HAVE
MY SURGERY.
(♪)
(♪)
Susan Stryker:
THE TRANSSEXUAL PATH
TO WOMANHOOD
OFFERED SOME
TENDERLOIN QUEENS
THEIR FIRST REAL HOPE
FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE,
AND UNLEASHED
IN THEM
AN UNCOMPROMISING
NEW ATTITUDE.
(♪)
Aleshia Brevard:
THE CLOSER I CAME
TO THE TIME
FOR HAVING
SURGERY,
THE MORE RISKS
I TOOK.
IT WAS ILLEGAL
TO DRESS LIKE A WOMAN,
BUT NOBODY WAS
GOING TO STOP US.
THE GIRLS
GOT TOGETHER
AND WE JUST
DECIDED THAT,
WE'RE
HUMAN BEINGS,
WE'RE ALLOWED TO DRESS
ANY WAY WE WANT TO,
WHETHER YOU
ACCEPT IT OR NOT.
(Humming)
Susan Stryker:
THE CIVIL RIGHTS
MOVEMENT FUELED
THE QUEENS'
NEWFOUND MILITANCY.
GLIDE MEMORIAL
METHODIST CHURCH,
A TENDERLOIN
INSTITUTION
JUST TWO BLOCKS
FROM COMPTON'S,
BECAME A CENTER
OF ACTIVISM
WITH THE ARRIVAL
OF A CHARISMATIC
YOUNG MINISTER
FRESH FROM
THE FRONTLINES
OF RACIAL STRUGGLE
IN THE SOUTH.
Rev Hansen:
CECIL WILLIAMS
WAS VERY ACTIVE
IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN
COMMUNITY.
BUT IT WAS WHEN
CECIL WAS MOVED
INTO THE POSITION OF
SENIOR PASTOR THEN,
IN THE
SUMMER OF '66,
THAT THINGS
RADICALLY CHANGED
IN THE LIFE
OF THE CHURCH.
(♪)
(♪)
BECAUSE THEY
HAD THIS MONEY
THAT WAS FROM
AN ESTATE,
THE GLIDE FAMILY,
IT GAVE THEM A
CERTAIN FREEDOM
TO DO SOME EXPERIMENTAL
MINISTRY PROJECTS.
AND THE CIVIL
RIGHTS MOVEMENT,
AND ALL THAT WAS
A PART OF THAT,
SEEKING JUSTICE
FOR PEOPLE,
WAS PART OF
THE INSPIRATION.
(Archive)
YOU MAY BE THOSE
WHO HAVE BEEN CALLED
TO TAKE AMERICA
TO A NEW TASK.
Rev. Hansen:
AT THAT TIME,
THERE WAS A CONCERN
ABOUT TRYING TO
REACH OUT TO WHAT
WAS THEN SOMETIMES
REFERRED TO AS
THE HOMOPHILE
COMMUNITY.
Susan Stryker:
PIONEERING
HOMOPHILE GROUPS
LIKE THE DAUGHTERS
OF BILITIS
AND THE
MATTACHINE SOCIETY
WERE EARLY ADVOCATES
FOR GAY RIGHTS.
THEY WORKED WITH
MINISTERS AT GLIDE
TO ESTABLISH SEVERAL
INNOVATIVE PROJECTS,
INCLUDING A
NIGHT MINISTRY
THAT SERVED
YOUNG PEOPLE
LIVING AND WORKING
ON THE STREETS.
Rev. Ed Hansen:
AS I BEGAN WORKING
LATE AT NIGHT,
A COUPLE OF
NIGHTS A WEEK,
WALKING IN THE
TENDERLOIN,
SOMETIMES WHEN I WOULD
WALK ON MARKET STREET,
WEARING MY
CLERICAL COLLAR,
AND VISITING WITH
SOME OF THE HUSTLERS,
OR ONE OF THE
DRAG QUEENS,
THAT YOU
KNOW WHERE,
WE WOULD WANT TO
HAVE A CONVERSATION,
I WOULD SUGGEST
WE WOULD GO TO COMPTON'S.
Susan Stryker:
OUTREACH TO
TENDERLOIN STREET YOUTH
WAS PART OF A BROADER
EFFORT BY GLIDE
TO QUALIFY THE
NEIGHBORHOOD
FOR NEW FEDERAL FUNDS
MADE AVAILABLE
THROUGH THE
GOVERNMENT'S
"WAR ON POVERTY"
PROGRAM.
(Archive)
THE SO-CALLED
"WAR ON POVERTY"
WAS CREATED TO PREVENT
WAR IN THE STREETS.
THE QUESTION
LOGICALLY FOLLOWS,
"WHAT'S THE POVERTY
PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHING?"
IN SAN FRANCISCO,
AREAS LIKE
HUNTER'S POINT,
THE
WESTERN ADDITION,
THE MISSION DISTRICT,
AND CHINATOWN
TEEM WITH
UNEMPLOYED MEMBERS
OF MINORITY GROUPS.
POVERTY PLANNERS
HAVE MOBILIZED
SOME THIRTY-FIVE PROGRAMS
IN SAN FRANCISCO.
ALL TOLD THEY WILL
SPEND MORE THAN
8.8 MILLION DOLLARS
THIS YEAR.
Elliot Blackstone:
YOU SEE, THERE WERE
POVERTY PROGRAMS
IN THE MISSION
AND IN CHINATOWN,
BUT THERE WAS
NOTHING REALLY
COVERING THE
TENDERLOIN,
AND THERE WERE
A LOT OF PEOPLE
IN THE TENDERLOIN
THAT BELIEVED
THERE SHOULD BE
A CENTRAL CITY
ANTI-POVERTY OFFICE.
(♪)
Susan Stryker:
THE FEDERAL
ANTI-POVERTY PROGRAM
WAS BASED ON THE
ASSUMPTION THAT
MINORITY GROUPS WERE
HELD BACK ECONOMICALLY
BY RACIAL
PREJUDICE.
TENDERLOIN
ACTIVISTS
ADDED A RADICAL
NEW TWIST:
THAT FIGHTING
DISCRIMINATION
AGAINST MINORITY
SEXUALITIES
SHOULD ALSO
BE PART OF
THE CIVIL RIGHTS
AGENDA.
Rev. Hansen:
THE VISION WE
WERE WORKING ON
AT THAT POINT
WAS THAT THERE
WERE MANY NEEDS
IN THE CENTRAL CITY
THAT ARE NOT BEING
ADDRESSED BECAUSE
THE PEOPLE THERE
DO NOT HAVE
THE POLITICAL VOICE,
THEY'RE NOT
ORGANIZED,
THEY'RE NOT SPEAKING
TO EACH OTHER
AND EXPRESSING
THEIR CONCERNS
IN ANY KIND
OF UNITED VOICE
THAT DRAWS
THE ATTENTION
OF THE POWERS
THAT BE.
AND SO WE KNEW
THAT FINALLY,
THESE PEOPLE OF
THE TENDERLOIN,
OF THE CENTRAL CITY,
HAD TO BE EMPOWERED
TO HAVE THEIR OWN VOICE,
AND SO WE WERE
GETTING THEM TOGETHER.
AND VANGUARD WAS
ONE EXPRESSION OF THAT.
(♪)
Susan Stryker:
VANGUARD WAS THE
FIRST OF A NEW BREED
OF MILITANT
GAY ORGANIZATIONS
TO EMERGE FROM THE
'60S COUNTERCULTURE.
IT FORMED
IN JULY, 1966,
AND MOST
OF ITS MEMBERS
WERE YOUNG HUSTLERS
AND DRAG QUEENS,
DRAWN FROM
THE STREETS
OF THE
TENDERLOIN.
VANGUARD WAS
AN ORGANIZATION,
AND THAT'S THE
KINDEST THING
I CAN SAY
ABOUT THEM.
THEY WERE AN
ORGANIZATION,
THEY CAME
TOGETHER
TO TRY TO
MAKE CHANGES.
WE HEARD
ABOUT VANGUARD,
BUT BEING A
PERSON OF COLOR,
I DIDN'T FEEL
LIKE I BELONGED.
WE JUST FELT
LIKE YOU KNOW,
IT WAS A BUNCH OF
WHITE RADICAL PEOPLE,
AND THEY'RE JUST
DOING WHATEVER
THEY WANT TO DO.
(♪)
Rev. Hansen:
SOME OF THE
HUSTLERS,
AND THE
DRAG QUEENS,
WERE THE ONES THAT
REALLY TOOK CHARGE,
THAT THIS WAS
THEIR ORGANIZATION.
THE "VANGUARD" NAME
THAT THEY CHOSE
I THINK REFLECTED
FOR THEM THAT
THEY'RE ON A
CUTTING EDGE,
AND THAT THEY
NEEDED TO STAND
FOR SOMETHING,
CREATE SOMETHING,
THAT WOULD GIVE
EXPRESSION
TO THEIR CONCERNS,
AND THEIR DIGNITY
AS HUMAN BEINGS,
AND THAT
TO DO THAT,
IN BASICALLY AN
OPPRESSIVE SOCIETY,
IN A SOCIETY
THAT SAID
YOU DON'T HAVE
A RIGHT TO EXIST,
WAS IN FACT TO BE
ON THE VANGUARD.
(♪)
Susan Stryker:
WHEN I LEARNED
THAT VANGUARD MET
AT COMPTON'S
CAFETERIA,
I FINALLY
UNDERSTOOD
THE DYNAMICS OF
THE CONFLICT.
THE MANAGEMENT
DIDN'T LIKE
THE "UPPITY" NEW
POLITICAL ATTITUDE
SOME OF ITS
CUSTOMERS
WERE STARTING
TO EXPRESS,
AND THAT FRICTION
LIT THE FUSE
THAT LED DIRECTLY
TO THE RIOT.
Rev. Hansen:
COMPTON'S HAD STARTED
NOT WELCOMING
THESE MEMBERS
OF VANGUARD,
THESE DRAG QUEENS
AND YOUNG GAY MEN,
AND OTHERS
THAT IDENTIFIED
WITH SOME DIMENSION
OF THIS COMMUNITY.
THERE WERE A
NUMBER OF PEOPLE
IN THE COMMUNITY
THAT RAISED ALL KINDS
OF BILLY-HELL
WITH COMPTON'S.
MOST OF IT WAS
BECAUSE OF HARASSMENT.
WE JUST GOT
TIRED OF IT.
WE GOT TIRED OF
BEING HARASSED.
WE GOT TIRED OF
BEING MADE TO GO
INTO THE MEN'S ROOM
WHEN WE WERE
DRESSED LIKE WOMEN.
WE WANTED
OUR RIGHTS.
SOMETIMES, POLICEMEN
WOULD COME IN,
AND THEY WOULD TALK
TO THE MANAGEMENT,
AND THE MANAGEMENT
WOULD SAY,
"SEE THOSE KIDS
OVER THERE?
WELL, THEY'VE BEEN
HERE FOR HOURS
AND THEY WON'T
BUY ANY FOOD."
COMPTON'S
STARTED SAYING
"WE DON'T
WANT YOU HERE,"
AND STARTED
KICKING THEM OUT,
AND SO THESE
MEMBERS OF VANGUARD,
THEY FELT THAT
THEY WERE NOT
BEING TREATED
FAIRLY,
AND IT WAS A
GRAVE INJUSTICE,
AND SO THEY
ORGANIZED,
AND PICKETED
COMPTON'S,
TO EXPRESS
THEIR OUTRAGE
AT WHAT WAS DONE.
AND OF COURSE,
COMPTON'S DIDN'T
LIKE THAT.
THEY TRIED,
VANGUARD TRIED.
AND THEY
DIDN'T WIN.
AND I DIDN'T
SUPPORT THEM
THAT STRONGLY,
UNFORTUNATELY
FOR THEM.
I POINTED OUT
TO THEM AT THE TIME,
PICKET LINES
VERY SELDOM DO
ACCOMPLISH MUCH.
(♪)
(♪)
Susan Stryker:
VANGUARD'S
JULY 18TH PICKET
TO PROTEST
DISCRIMINATION
AGAINST DRAG QUEENS
AND HUSTLERS
WAS THE GROUP'S FIRST
MAJOR POLITICAL ACTION.
WHEN IT FAILED TO
RESOLVE THE CONFLICT,
THE STAGE WAS SET
FOR A MORE DRAMATIC
CONFRONTATION
IN THE DAYS AHEAD.
Elliot Blackstone:
THERE WERE WAYS
THAT WE COULD HAVE
CALMED THINGS DOWN
A LOT BETTER (Giggles)
THAN THEY WERE.
THERE WAS
UNNECESSARY VIOLENCE.
YOU DON'T TELL
A POLICEMAN,
"GET AWAY
FROM ME,
THIS IS MY
RESTAURANT,
I HAVE A RIGHT
TO BE HERE."
THE TRANSSEXUALS
GOT BOLDER
BECAUSE IT WAS TIME
TO MAKE A MOVE.
WE HAVE AN OLD
EXPRESSION
IN THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT,
AND THAT IS,
"CLUBS ARE TRUMP."
WELL, CLUBS
WERE TRUMP THEN.
(♪)
(♪)(Background Talking)
Amanda:
THEY COME
DOWN THERE
TO RAID COMPTON'S
TO BEGIN WITH,
THAT'S WHAT IT
WAS ALL ABOUT.
(♪)(Door Opens)
(Footsteps)
Elliot:
WHAT HAPPENED THEN,
WAS THE SITUATION
GOT A LITTLE BIT
OUT OF HAND.
(♪)
Susan Stryker:
THE DOCUMENT THAT
LAUNCHED MY RESEARCH
IN THE
FIRST PLACE
SAID THE
FIGHTING STARTED
WHEN A POLICEMAN
GRABBED ONE
OF THE QUEENS,
AND SHE THREW HER
COFFEE IN HIS FACE.
Amanda St. Jaymes:
SOMEONE HAD THROWN
COFFEE IN HIS FACE.
(Glass Crashing)
AND THERE WAS
TABLES TURNED OVER.
Susan Stryker:
COMPTON'S
ERUPTED.
(Glass Shattering)
PEOPLE STARTED
THROWING EVERYTHING
THEY COULD GET
THEIR HANDS ON
(Background Talking)
AT THE POLICE.
(Glass Breaking)
OH, THE
SUGAR SHAKERS
WENT THROUGH
THE WINDOWS
AND THE
GLASS DOORS.
(Glass Breaking)
I THINK I PUT A
SUGAR SHAKER
THOUGH ONE OF
THOSE WINDOWS.
Susan Stryker:
THE HUSTLERS
KICKED THE POLICE
AND PUNCHED THEM,
AND THE DRAG QUEENS
BEAT THEM
WITH THEIR
HEAVY PURSES.
THE COPS
RETREATED OUTSIDE
TO CALL
FOR BACKUP,
BUT CAFETERIA
CUSTOMERS
MAYBE SIXTY
IN ALL
POURED INTO
THE STREETS
THROUGH THE
BROKEN DOORS
AND WINDOWS,
AND KEPT
FIGHTING
(Police Sirens)
AS THE PADDY
WAGONS PULLED UP.
Amanda:
ALL THOSE PLATE
GLASS WINDOWS HERE
WERE BROKEN OUT.
(Police Sirens)
AND OF COURSE THEY
HAD THE PADDY WAGONS,
AND THEY WERE
PUTTING PEOPLE
IN THE
PADDY WAGONS,
AS THEY
WOULD COME OUT,
AND START FIGHTING.
Susan:
WHAT HAPPENED?
I MEAN, WHAT
DID PEOPLE DO?
DID THEY RUN
AROUND...?NO, THEY
FOUGHT.
JUST, LIKE,
ALL UP AND
DOWN THE STREET?
ALL UP AND
DOWN THE
STREET,
THEY WAS
OVER HERE...
Susan Stryker:
BEFORE IT WAS OVER,
A POLICE CAR
WAS DESTROYED,
THE CORNER NEWSSTAND
WAS SET ON FIRE,
AND YEARS OF
PENT-UP RESENTMENT
BOILED OUT
INTO THE NIGHT.
IT WAS THE FIRST
KNOWN INSTANCE
OF COLLECTIVE,
MILITANT,
QUEER RESISTANCE
TO POLICE HARASSMENT
IN UNITED STATES
HISTORY.
Amanda:
THERE WAS A
LOT OF JOY
AFTER IT
HAPPENED.
A LOT OF THEM
WENT TO JAIL,
BUT THERE
WAS A LOT OF,
"I REALLY DON'T
GIVE A DAMN,
THIS IS WHAT
NEEDS TO HAPPEN."
THESE YOUNG ADULTS
JUST, I THINK,
TOOK A GREAT DELIGHT
IN THE FACT
THAT THEY COULD COMBINE
THEIR EFFORTS TOGETHER
TO ADDRESS SOME OF
THEIR CONCERNS,
AND MAYBE TOGETHER
DO SOME THINGS
THAT THEY COULDN'T
DO OTHERWISE.
Susan Stryker:
COMPTON'S
STARTED CLOSING
AT MIDNIGHT
AFTER THE RIOT,
AND BUSINESS NEVER
QUITE RECOVERED.
A PORNOGRAPHY SHOP
TOOK ITS PLACE
WHEN THE RESTAURANT
FOLDED IN 1972.
THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY
MOVED ON, TOO,
IN MANY WAYS,
THE CIRCUMSTANCES
OF THEIR LIVES
HAD BEEN
FOREVER CHANGED
BY WHAT HAPPENED THAT
NIGHT AT THE CORNER
OF TURK
AND TAYLOR.
THERE WAS A
BIG CHANGE,
AND I WAS
KIND OF LIKE,
OKAY...
WE CAN DRESS LIKE
WOMEN ALL THE TIME.
WE DON'T
HAVE TO BE
LITTLE EFFEMINATE
HAIR FAIRIES ANYMORE.
WE CAN BE WHO
WE ARE INSIDE.
Amanda:
THE COPS JUST
LEFT US ALONE,
SO WE JUST
DID OUR THING.
WE BOUGHT OUR
WOMEN'S CLOTHES,
WE TRIED OUR
CLOTHES ON
IN THE
WOMEN'S STORE,
IN THE
DRESSING ROOM,
WHICH THEY WOULDN'T
LET US DO IT BEFORE.
SO, IT WAS
JUST A MATTER
OF COMING
TOGETHER.
AS LONG AS
THE POLICE KNOW
THAT YOU AREN'T
ACTUALLY HOOKING,
AND RUNNING
THE STREETS,
AND SO FORTH
AND SO ON,
WHEN THEY REALIZE
THAT WE ARE SINCERE
IN OUR BELIEFS,
OF GOING THROUGH
THE OPERATION
AND
BECOMING WOMEN,
BOTH PHYSICALLY
AS WELL AS MENTALLY,
WELL, THEN THEY SORT
OF LEAVE US ALONE.
THEY DON'T
BOTHER US.
THEY ALLOW US
TO LIVE OUR LIVES.
(♪)
Susan Stryker:
POLICE TREATMENT OF
TRANSGENDER PEOPLE
BEGAN TO CHANGE
AFTER THE RIOT
WHEN ELLIOT BLACKSTONE
EMERGED AS AN
UNLIKELY ADVOCATE FOR
TRANSGENDER CONCERNS.
Elliot:
WELL, MY JOB WAS NOT
TO MAKE ARRESTS.
MY JOB WAS TO GET
PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND
HOW TO LIVE
THEIR LIFESTYLE
ALONG WITH THE
REST OF THE CITY.
I THINK THAT'S VERY
IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE.
IF THEY WANT
TO BE LEFT ALONE,
THAT THEY HAVE THE
RIGHT TO BE LEFT ALONE.
THAT'S ME.
THAT'S NOT
THE OFFICIAL
POLICE
DEPARTMENT LINE.
(♪)
Suzan Cooke:
ELLIOT WAS A HARD ONE
FOR US TO FIGURE OUT,
BECAUSE HERE
HE WAS,
THIS
POLICE OFFICER
WITH POLICE COMMUNITY
RELATIONS
IN SAN FRANCISCO.
I KNEW VERY, VERY
LITTLE ABOUT SEXUALITY,
EXCEPT THAT I
ENJOYED SEX.
BUT OTHER
THAN THAT,
I DIDN'T KNOW
MUCH ABOUT IT.
(♪)
I'D NEVER HEARD OF
TRANSSEXUALS BEFORE.
READ EVERYTHING I COULD
GET MY HANDS ON,
ON THIS SUBJECT,
AND ABOUT
HOMOSEXUALITY,
AND I...BEGAN
TO UNDERSTAND
THE PEOPLE
A LOT BETTER.
(♪)
Suzan Cooke:
HE WAS A MENTOR,
AND HE WAS
INSTRUMENTAL
IN GETTING LAWS AGAINST
CROSS- DRESSING CHANGED,
AND THE LIKE.
(Archive)
Elliot:
AND ANYONE HEREAFTER,
WHO GETS UP AND SAYS
SOMETHING NICE ABOUT ME,
I'M GONNA KICK THEM
IN THE SHIN.
Susan Stryker:
AS PART OF
HIS JOB
WITH
COMMUNITY RELATIONS,
ELLIOT BLACKSTONE
BEGAN TO COORDINATE
A NETWORK OF
TRANSGENDER ACTIVISTS
AND ALLIES WHO
CAME TOGETHER
AFTER THE RIOT TO TACKLE
MANY OF THE PROBLEMS
TRANSGENDER
PEOPLE FACED.
Elliot:
WE GOT PROGRAMS
STARTED
FOR TRANSSEXUALS,
AND THEN WE BEGAN
TO GET THESE PEOPLE
IN CONTACT WITH OTHER
COMMUNITY SERVICES.
WE HAVE NO IDEA OF
HOW MANY PEOPLE
ARE SUFFERING
IN THE PRIVACY
OF THEIR HOMES,
OR OFFICES,
OR SCHOOLS,
BECAUSE THEY ARE
TRANSSEXUAL,
BECAUSE THEY...
Susan Stryker:
DR. JOEL FORT
PIONEERED
INNOVATIVE SERVICES FOR
TRANSGENDER PEOPLE
AT A UNIT OF
SAN FRANCISCO'S
PUBLIC HEALTH
DEPARTMENT
CALLED THE
CENTER FOR
SPECIAL PROBLEMS.
Ron Lee:
...TREATMENT TO
THESE INDIVIDUALS
AT THE CENTER
FOR SPECIAL
PROBLEMS,
TO HELP THEM DEAL
WITH THE PROBLEMS
THEY RUN INTO
IN THE
EVERYDAY COURSE
OF LIVING...
Susan Stryker:
THE CENTER
PROVIDED ID CARDS
THAT REFLECTED
THE NEW GENDER
OF THEIR
TRANSSEXUAL CLIENTS.
THIS WAS ESPECIALLY
IMPORTANT AT A TIME
WHEN STATE-ISSUED ID'S
COULD NOT BE AMENDED
AFTER A
CHANGE OF SEX.
Suzan:
IT WAS A
BASIC ID CARD.
AND IT SERVED
ITS PURPOSE,
ALTHOUGH IT DID
IDENTIFY YOU
AS BEING
UNDER TREATMENT
FOR THE
SPECIAL PROBLEM
OF TRANSSEXUALISM.
Susan Stryker:
WITHOUT
IDENTIFICATION,
TRANSSEXUALS WERE
UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS
WHO STRUGGLED TO
FIND LEGAL EMPLOYMENT.
WITH IT, THEY
COULD PURSUE JOBS
AVAILABLE
TO THEM THROUGH
THE WAR ON POVERTY'S
  TRAINING PROGRAMS.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
PAID FOR MY EDUCATION,
AND I APPRECIATED IT,
BECAUSE I GOT
TO GO THROUGH
THE NEIGHBORHOOD
YOUTH CORPS
TO GET MY EDUCATION
AS A CLERK TYPIST,
AND THEN TO GO ON
TO BE A SECRETARY.
IT MADE A
BIG DIFFERENCE.
IT MADE ME REALIZE
THAT I COULD ACHIEVE,
AND GET ANYTHING
I WANTED TO.
Susan Stryker:
IN 1968,
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
MEDICAL CENTER
OPENED A
NEW CLINIC
FOR SURGICAL SEX
REASSIGNMENT...
THE FIRST IN THE
SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA.
(♪)
LOCAL ACCESS TO
TRANSSEXUAL SURGERY
FINALLY ALLOWED
MANY FORMER QUEENS
TO MOVE ON
WITH THEIR LIVES.
Suzan Cooke:
I WENT AND
SAW DR. BENJAMIN
AND DR. BENJAMIN
TOLD ME ABOUT
THE STANFORD
PROGRAM,
WHICH WAS
JUST STARTING
AT THAT
PARTICULAR POINT,
AND OFFERED
TO HELP ME
GET IN TO THE
STANFORD PROGRAM.
I WAS CUTE
AND SINCERE,
AND EARNEST
AND INTELLIGENT,
AND EVERYTHING THEY
WERE LOOKING FOR
AS THEIR IDEAL
CANDIDATE.
(♪)
Aleshia Brevard:
AFTER SURGERY,
WELL, I'M VERY
FOND OF SAYING,
THAT LIFE BEGAN.
MORE THAN I EVER
EVEN DREAMED
OR ANTICIPATED
THAT IT COULD BE,
I'VE COME
INTO MY OWN.
AND I THINK THAT'S
THE GREATEST REWARD
THERE HAS BEEN.
THEN I WAS ABLE
TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL,
AS ALESHIA,
AND AS A WOMAN.
I WAS A
GOOD STUDENT.
I WAS ABLE
TO FOCUS.
I WAS ABLE
TO BLOSSOM,
TO BE MYSELF.
(♪)
(♪)
Susan Stryker:
EARLY TRANSGENDER
ACTIVISM WAS PART
OF A LARGER
TRANSFORMATION
OF GENDER
CONVENTIONS
THAT BEGAN IN
THE 1960'S
IT WAS PART OF THE
SAME SOCIAL UPHEAVAL
THAT GAVE US
UNISEX FASHIONS
AND RADICAL
FEMINISM,
GLAM ROCK AND
GAY LIBERATION.
THE RIOT AT
COMPTON'S
WAS AN UNSUNG
EPISODE
IN THAT
MOMENTOUS SHIFT.
Tamara Ching:
THE GAY MOVEMENT STARTED
IN THE TENDERLOIN,
BASICALLY,
IN THE 60'S,
WHEN WE DECIDED
TO FIGHT BACK.
THIS WAS EVEN
PRE-STONEWALL.
WE DECIDED
TO FIGHT BACK
BECAUSE WE WERE TIRED
OF BEING HARASSED
BY THE POLICE,
OR TO BE USED
AS SCAPEGOATS,
AS BEING CALLED
DERELICTS
AND DEGENERATES.
SO WE STUCK UP
FOR GAY PEOPLE,
AND WE WERE ALL
ONE COMMUNITY.
Rev. Ed Hansen:
THESE THINGS THAT
WE WERE ENABLING,
AND ENCOURAGING,
LIKE VANGUARD,
WERE PERHAPS HELPING
TO AWAKEN THAT,
FIRST OF ALL,
YES, WE CAN
LOVE OURSELVES.
AND WE CAN
AFFIRM OURSELVES,
AND YES WE HAVE
A RIGHT TO EXIST.
AND WE CAN GRAB
HOLD OF THAT,
AND CLAIM THAT.
AND AS THE
HEALING HAPPENS
IN PEOPLE'S LIVES,
THAT'S WHEN WE
CAN BEGIN TO SEE
THE LARGER
PICTURE.
(♪)
Susan Stryker:
I'M SO PROUD
OF THOSE WOMEN
WHO FOUGHT
AT COMPTON'S
ON THAT HOT
AUGUST NIGHT
BACK IN 1966.
LEARNING ABOUT
THEIR LIVES
TAUGHT ME LESSONS
I NEVER LEARNED
IN GRADUATE SCHOOL
ABOUT HOW POWERFUL
HISTORY CAN BE.
(♪)
TRANSGENDER
PEOPLE TODAY
NEED TO CHANGE
A WORLD THAT
STILL DENIES US MANY OF
OUR BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS.
(♪)
KNOWING WHAT
HAPPENED THAT NIGHT
AT COMPTON'S
BRINGS THE POWER
OF OUR HISTORY
TO BEAR
ON THAT STRUGGLE.
(♪)
(♪)
Amanda St. Jaymes:
OUT OF COMPTON'S
CAME SOME
VERY BEAUTIFUL,
BEAUTIFUL WOMEN.
WE FELT GOOD.
AND THAT'S THE MOST
INTERESTING PART OF IT,
BECAUSE ONCE YOU FEEL
GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF,
NOBODY
CAN HURT YOU.
NOBODY CAN
COME IN
AND TURN
ANYTHING AROUND
THAT YOU
DON'T WANT.
I DON'T LOOK
AT MY LIFE
AS BEING TRAGIC,
OR HAVING A
LOT OF TRAGEDY.
OR IF I DID,
I JUST LOOKED
AT IT AS,
"THIS A JUST A
STEPPING STONE,
KEEP MOVING."
THAT'S WHY,
LIKE I SAID,
IF I EVER
WROTE A BOOK,
I WOULD CALL IT
 "WILD IS THE WIND." 
BECAUSE THAT'S
HOW I FELT.
THE WIND JUST
WOULD SWEEP...
...SWEEP YOU AWAY
AND YOU COULD
NEVER GET CAUGHT.
AND YOU JUST
KEEP FLYING ON,
LIKE YOU'RE JUST
OUT THERE,
AND YOU'RE YOURSELF.
(♪)
(♪)
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(♪)
(♪)
(♪)
(♪)
(♪)
