Craig Rodwell and the Fight for Gay Rights.
After his parents split when he was young and his mother, unable to care for the child any longer, shipped him off to boarding school, Craig Rodwell was left in a foreign and unfamiliar land. The boarding school Rodwell’s mother had chosen was called Chicago Junior School, a Christian Science-affiliated institute known for its harsh disciplinary measures. Rodwell, frustrated by the severe and rigid environment surrounding him, began to rebel. His rebelliousness took many forms, but chief among them was his sexuality. It was in this boarding school where he first experienced same sex relations, much to the chagrin of the schools staff. He was punished greatly for his actions and for the rest of his time there he stayed closeted, deeply afraid of his own sexuality. However this would all change when he graduated and moved to New York City. There he met people who were open, free and many of them gay. Unlike the confined nature of his boarding school, the homosexuals he met in New York were welcoming and assured him that his sexuality was no sin. This newfound community only strengthened Rodwell’s rebellious nature and drove his desire to gain rights for all homosexuals. Through protests, literature and compassion, Rodwell spent the rest of his life fighting to reveal the truth, that homosexuality was no sin but a normal and beautiful feature. Despite being less well known than other gay activists today, Craig Rodwell was a vital figure in the fight for gay rights and his actions helped pave the way for the legalization of same sex marriage in 2015. He created the Gay Pride Parade, which is celebrated across the world, he founded the Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop, the first strictly gay and lesbian bookstore in America, and he took part in some of the most famous and successful gay rights protests, such as Stonewall.
I came out as gay in 2016. When I first came out, I was shocked by how easy it felt. There seems to be an aura of horror surrounding the coming out process, backed up by nightmarish stories of parents disowning their LGBTQ children, but my experience was smooth and supportive. Surprisingly, however, the difficult part of this decision came after I told my parents. Even though my parents were accepting, I began to feel a massive weight of nervous energy. I knew those around me were accepting, but I began to question the morality of my decision. I began to believe that I’d made a mistake and that somehow after coming out I was now a sinner. For days I was uncomfortable in my own skin and deeply nervous about my future. What saved me from this gauntlet of ethics was literature. One day my father brought home a pile of used books. To my surprise the books were all written by gay authors (a deliberate move on my fathers part), and they chronicled the authors own experiences and tribulations as gay men and women. These books had a massive effect on me. Not only did they make me feel more comfortable in my own skin, but they prompted me to begin writing myself. This experience also led me to research more about gay literature, which is where I stumbled across Craig Rodwell. On November 24, 1967 Rodwell founded the Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop, the first bookstore devoted strictly to gay and lesbian authors. The store become a focal point of the New York City gay rights movement and offered a place of solace and support for homosexuals. Jim Down, a history professor and writer for the Atlantic, wrote concerning the store, “For many queer people in the 1960s, the search for books, which offered some clues about homosexuality, was how they navigated their way out of the closet”(The Atlantic).” Based on my own experience, I could clearly imagine the influence this store and it’s books had on so many people. Though we’ll never know it’s entire impact, The Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop was a vastly important store that aided the fight for gay rights.
Craig Rodwell was a vital figure in the fight for gay rights and his many accomplishments paved the way for the legalization of gay marriage in the U.S. Rodwell’s best known achievement was his creation of the Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop in 1967. This bookstore, located in New York City’s Greenwich Village neighborhood was the world’s first bookshop to be dedicated strictly to gay and lesbian authors. During a time where the issue of gay rights was still extremely controversial, the bookstore was a haven for all LGBTQ+ citizens. It was a safe space for those in New York City who didn’t have one. The bookstore also was proof that gay men and women were just as talented as anyone else, disproving an argument commonly launched at the community during this time. Rodwell’s store inspired and protected homosexuals for 43 years, from 1967 until finally closing its doors in 2009. Three years after the creation of his bookshop, Rodwell and three other gay activists came in front of the Eastern Homophile organization and proposed a Pride March. This idea, first carried out in 1970, would bloom into a yearly worldwide event that celebrates the millions of LGBTQ+ people worldwide. These marches are key in spreading pride among the gay community and as President Obama said in an address in 2016, “Pride is not only important, it is vital” (Obama). As well as spreading pride, Rodwell’s parades have been key in the advocacy of the gay rights movement and have in many cases had profound affects on social and political policies. Parades in South Africa, Spain and Vietnam, among many others, have all had success leading to increased public acceptance and legalized gay marriage in all 3 countries.
Before either the bookstore or his Pride Parade, Rodwell had fought back against the oppressive government through protesting. In the early 60s he was one of the most outspoken and rebellious advocates of the gay rights movement. Rodwell was a radical in a largely cautious homophile movement. He led hundreds of picketing protests across NYC and influenced many more LGBTQ+ citizens to begin rioting as well. Rodwell was also a major participant in the deeply important Stonewall riots, which according to the Harvard Gazette “Rose the Gay Liberation Front, a more radical version of the Mattachine Society unafraid to use confrontation to push reform” and “Represented a shocking change of consciousness for the world”(Harvard Gazette). Rodwell would die in 1993 due to stomach cancer and never get to see the change he fought so hard to bring. However his efforts for equality shall never be forgotten by myself and so many other gay people today who benefit from his fierce fight for fairness.
Anyone who does significant research will clearly be able to grasp the massive impact of Craig Rodwell. However from an ignorant standpoint one may assume that Rodwell had limited significance because he was not a politician or a leader, but a bookstore owner. Unlike contemporaries like Harvey Milk who held significant political power, Rodwell never held any major authority and only owned a small business. This argument makes little sense though as Craig Rodwell was much more than just a bookshop owner. He was a figurehead of the gay rights movement who organized and participated in some of the most influential and effective protests the movement ever saw. Though Harvey Milk was extremely important in his own right, Rodwell had a much bigger impact when it came to picketing and protesting, and Milk never led or organized marches the way he did. Also, The Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop was much more than a bookstore. It was a safe haven for an oppressed group that offered advice and kindness to those in need. Nevertheless, both men were greatly important in their two separate ways and their impact must both be admired, not compared.
To conclude, Craig Rodwell was an incredible activist whose many feats paved way for the legalisation of gay marriage in 2015. He was a selfless protector of a vulnerable community, who dedicated his entire life planting the seeds for change. As a gay man myself living 30 years after Rodwell’s death, I’m eternally grateful for him and his contemporaries. Without their heroic actions millions of people including myself would be living lives unfulfilled. Rodwell deserves to be remembered just as clearly as Harvy Milk, Audre Lorde or any other gay activist as his actions have been crucial in the war for equality.
Work cited:
Downs, Jim. “Before Stonewall, There Was a Bookstore.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 1 July 2019, www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/06/how-craig-rodwells-bookshop-created-stonewall/592435/.
Obama, Barack. “Presidential Proclamation — LGBT Pride Month, 2016.” National Archives and Records Administration, National Archives and Records Administration, 31 May 2016, obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/05/31/presidential-proclamation-lgbt-pride-month-2016.
Editors at LGBTQ Historic Cities. “Craig Rodwell Residence.” NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project, 13 Oct. 2018, www.nyclgbtsites.org/site/craig-rodwell-residence/.
Walsh, Colleen. “Harvard Scholars Reflect on the History and Legacy of the Stonewall Riots.” Harvard Gazette, Harvard Gazette, 1 July 2019,
Images Cited:
McDarrah, Fred W. Gay Pride March 1970. New York City, 28 June 1970.
Sargeant, Fred. Craig Rodwell 1969. New York City, 12 Mar. 1969.
