Right to Dress in Public Spaces
From the mid-1960s to late 1970s, groups in the gay liberation movement worked to develop common language to argue for the community's rights. In Champaign-Urbana, the LGBTQ community had to first overturn discriminatory laws before fighting for legal protections.
The national gay liberation movement changed in 1969. On June 28, the LGBTQ community of the Stonewall Inn in New York fought back against the police, who entered to raid the bar, check people's identification, and arrest patrons. The community refused to comply with police, and the uprisings continued for days, covered by major media outlets and attracting hundreds of others to join in protest. The Stonewall Uprisings are recognized as a major event that propelled gay communities around the United States to actively fight for civil rights, despite ongoing discrimination.
Champaign and Urbana are two of the many cities around the nation that were impacted by the Stonewall Uprisings and expanding gay liberation movement. Before the 1970s, there were state and local laws that were used to harass and imprison the gay community, specifically people perceived as males dressed in clothing customarily designed for women.
Until the mid 1970s, Champaign and Urbana law prohibited people from wearing clothing "properly belonging to the opposite sex" and prohibited "any indecent or immoral act" in any public place. Although Illinois was one of the only states in which homosexuality itself was not illegal, these local laws were used to criminalize the gay community and make it clear that they were not welcome in public spaces.
In October 1971, after a night of dancing at the Illini Union and cocktails at The Crystal Room, two people in drag were arrested in Champaign on the charge of indecent conduct, otherwise called the "cross dressing ordinance." Police reports about the arrest say the suspect was stopped "because officers suspected a female impersonator. The subject's hair was normal, but his voice sold him out and he was arrested."
The LGBTQ community of Champaign-Urbana launched a campaign to repeal the two cities' "cross dressing ordinances." In December 1971, Champaign City Council amended the dress code so people of all genders could dress in any gendered clothing without legal repercussions. About three months later, Urbana City Council repealed their dress code.
Repealing Champaign and Urbana's "cross dressing ordinances" were monumental achievements by the cities and communities, as they meant that LGBTQ people could not legally be penalized for their choices of clothing and dress. The next step for the community was organizing for legal protections against discrimination in employment, housing, credit, and public accommodations.
For more information about nationalizing gay rights, check out Gerber/Hart Library and Archives' Digital Exhibit here.
For more information about the history of police persecuting people in drag, check out "How Dressing in Drag Was Labeled a Crime in the 20th Century" by Hugh Ryan.