Warrior Cross Cultural Center: Screaming Queens

Happy pride month, everyone! Though it's nearing the end of June, Stan State continues their celebration of LGBTQIA+ with a screening of the documentary Screaming Queens: The Riot at Compton's Cafeteria. The film followed interviewer Dr. Susan Stryker in her quest to learn more about the Compton Cafeteria riot, which happened in 1966 in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco. The riot occured due to police harassment towards the transwomen who patroned the Compton Cafeteria and viewed it as a safe haven as well as a place to build community. 

The film is insightful, showing what life looked like for transwomen in the mid 1960s in San Francisco, California. Even just a perceived male wearing lipstick could be viewed as a criminal offense, as it was "female impersonation." Jail time, harassment, and even death were very real concerns these transwomen had. These concerns continue to persist for many trans people in today's society as well.

​As we continue celebrating pride, it is important to remember, respect, and validate the hardships faced by those who have been in the community for so long. The Warrior Cross Cultural Center, or WCCC, did an excellent job at this, educating their guests and allowing them to discuss what they thought of the film or what they didn't know. To learn more about the WCCC, check out their webpage as well as their Instagram, @stanstatewccc

author

Andrea Wagner
Andrea Wagner is a graduate student and a writing tutor at Stan State, in addition to being an editor here at Penumbra Online.