Judy Garland Not a Gay Icon

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First I would like to express my support for the Supreme Court decision that looks like will lead to marriage equality. I do not think that the fall of western civilization is imminent, more equality is always better than less.

While I was watching a news story, I was surprised to learn that Judy Garland was a gay icon and my curiosity led me to do some research on it. The most compelling fact I discovered was that the Stonewall Riots started the day after her funeral. There is at least some evidence that suggests that her death indirectly contributed to the riots. Suppose when asked about her large gay following, she had made a negative comment about gays rather than saying "I couldn't care less. I sing to people." The question is, if Judy Garland was not a gay icon would the Stonewall Riots have happened? Would there have been another catalyst for the modern gay rights movement? What could that catalyst have been? Finally, what, if anything, changes in regards to the gay rights movement?
 
The question is, if Judy Garland was not a gay icon would the Stonewall Riots have happened? Would there have been another catalyst for the modern gay rights movement? What could that catalyst have been? Finally, what, if anything, changes in regards to the gay rights movement?

Stonewall Riots weren't special because they were riots or even the first riots. They were special because they took place close to newspaper offices and were given lots of media attention.

Stonewall was a mafia-run bar that wasn't exactly a central pillar of the community either.

So to answer your question: yes, as long as it takes place somewhere in New York.
 
I never quite understand why Judy Garland was a gay icon to begin with - why is it she has such a following? Nothing about Dorothy really strikes me as 'gay icon'.

As for a way to keep her from being a gay icon, why not have Shirley Temple not give up the role of Dorothy? Butterflies away Garland's career, and I really doubt paleo-conservative Shirley Temple being too LGBT friendly.
 
I never quite understand why Judy Garland was a gay icon to begin with - why is it she has such a following? Nothing about Dorothy really strikes me as 'gay icon'.

As for a way to keep her from being a gay icon, why not have Shirley Temple not give up the role of Dorothy? Butterflies away Garland's career, and I really doubt paleo-conservative Shirley Temple being too LGBT friendly.

It is not clear why she is a gay icon, beyond the fact that she made a gay friendly (for the time period) comment when she was asked about her large gay following.
 
It is not clear why she is a gay icon, beyond the fact that she made a gay friendly (for the time period) comment when she was asked about her large gay following.

Maybe because she's related to Liza Minnelli? Still, seems like quite a jump to take someone who made a kind off-handed remark and turn her into the symbol of a movement (the Rainbow flag came from 'somewhere over the rainbow').
 
POD: In 1964, Judy Garland narrowly survived a suicide attempt following a disastrous performance in Melbourne. (In OTL she did not attempt suicide at this time, though she had done so in the past.) She attributed her improbable survival to divine intervention, and became a born-again Christian while still in the hospital.

In 1969 she appeared at the "Rally for Decency" at Miami's Orange Bowl, a demonstration against Jim Morrison's recent simulated public masturbation, alongside Kate Smith, Jackie Gleason, and Anita Bryant. She sang a reworked version of "Over the Rainbow" which included references to God and heaven, and replaced "blue birds" with "angels".

Garland stole the show, so much so that Richard Nixon, on the advice of his adviser Pat Buchanan, began peppering his public remarks with nostalgic references to The Wizard of Oz. That Christmas, Judy Garland was invited to the Florida White House in Key Biscayne, and became a major supporter of Nixon's reelection campaign.

In 1973, the Mike Curb Congregation recorded a gospel version of "Over the Rainbow", confirming the song's Evangelical associations. By the mid-seventies, the song had become popular as a hymn. A 1976 theatrical revival of The Wizard of Oz proved a massive success in the south.

In 1977, Anita Bryant launched the Save Our Children campaign to repeal a Dade County ordinance banning anti-gay discrimination. She invited her friend Judy Garland to participate. After the successful repeal of the pro-gay ordinance, Judy and Anita led a crowd of supporters in a rousing rendition of "Over the Rainbow". Clips of the event were shown on national news broadcasts. Among supporters of gay rights, Judy Garland and Anita Bryant became known as the "Wicked Witches" (of the West and of the East, respectively).

In 1978, Save Our Children came to California to campaign for the Briggs Initiative, which would ban gays from teaching in public schools. In an appearance on Juana Samayoa's News Talk, Harvey Milk called on California voters to "send Dorothy and her little dog back to Oz". After the surprise defeat of the Briggs Initiative, Garland became disenchanted with politics and parted company with Bryant.

Though a pariah in Hollywood, Garland continued to enjoy niche popularity. In 1985, she opened the Rainbow Theater in Branson, Missouri. She headlined and managed the theater until shortly before her death in 2003 at the age of eighty-one. Her eulogy was delivered by Billy Graham.
 
why not have Shirley Temple not give up the role of Dorothy? Butterflies away Garland's career,

Shirley Temple never had the role of Dorthy.According to the documentary at the end of the Wizard of Oz tape my children watch frequently, the producers thought that she was not up to the role. I saw Shirley Temple interviewed and she said she really wanted the role. I think even without the Wizard of Oz, Judi Garland still is a star and probably a gay icon.
 
Stonewall Riots weren't special because they were riots or even the first riots. They were special because they took place close to newspaper offices and were given lots of media attention.

Stonewall was a mafia-run bar that wasn't exactly a central pillar of the community either.

So to answer your question: yes, as long as it takes place somewhere in New York.

The Mafia ran gay bars?
 
The question is, if Judy Garland was not a gay icon would the Stonewall Riots have happened? Would there have been another catalyst for the modern gay rights movement? What could that catalyst have been? Finally, what, if anything, changes in regards to the gay rights movement?

First of all, Stonewall did not happen at all because of Judy Garland. That is blatantly untrue. So little honestly would have changed.
 
POD: In 1964, Judy Garland narrowly survived a suicide attempt following a disastrous performance in Melbourne. (In OTL she did not attempt suicide at this time, though she had done so in the past.) She attributed her improbable survival to divine intervention, and became a born-again Christian while still in the hospital.

In 1969 she appeared at the "Rally for Decency" at Miami's Orange Bowl, a demonstration against Jim Morrison's recent simulated public masturbation, alongside Kate Smith, Jackie Gleason, and Anita Bryant. She sang a reworked version of "Over the Rainbow" which included references to God and heaven, and replaced "blue birds" with "angels".

Garland stole the show, so much so that Richard Nixon, on the advice of his adviser Pat Buchanan, began peppering his public remarks with nostalgic references to The Wizard of Oz. That Christmas, Judy Garland was invited to the Florida White House in Key Biscayne, and became a major supporter of Nixon's reelection campaign.

In 1973, the Mike Curb Congregation recorded a gospel version of "Over the Rainbow", confirming the song's Evangelical associations. By the mid-seventies, the song had become popular as a hymn. A 1976 theatrical revival of The Wizard of Oz proved a massive success in the south.

In 1977, Anita Bryant launched the Save Our Children campaign to repeal a Dade County ordinance banning anti-gay discrimination. She invited her friend Judy Garland to participate. After the successful repeal of the pro-gay ordinance, Judy and Anita led a crowd of supporters in a rousing rendition of "Over the Rainbow". Clips of the event were shown on national news broadcasts. Among supporters of gay rights, Judy Garland and Anita Bryant became known as the "Wicked Witches" (of the West and of the East, respectively).

In 1978, Save Our Children came to California to campaign for the Briggs Initiative, which would ban gays from teaching in public schools. In an appearance on Juana Samayoa's News Talk, Harvey Milk called on California voters to "send Dorothy and her little dog back to Oz". After the surprise defeat of the Briggs Initiative, Garland became disenchanted with politics and parted company with Bryant.

Though a pariah in Hollywood, Garland continued to enjoy niche popularity. In 1985, she opened the Rainbow Theater in Branson, Missouri. She headlined and managed the theater until shortly before her death in 2003 at the age of eighty-one. Her eulogy was delivered by Billy Graham.

Imaginative... but Creepy... and yet, Inspiring, ...somehow...
 
It would likely not effect the overall course of politics or the gay rights movement. Stonewall had much more to do with explosive anger at mistreatment by the cops.
 
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