LGBT culture in Los Angeles

Although often characterized as apolitical, “Los Angeles has provided the setting for many important chapters in the struggle for gay and lesbian community, visibility, and civil rights." Moreover, Los Angeles' LGBT community has historically played a significant role in the development of the entertainment industry.

LGBT culture in Los Angeles has deep roots in the Counterculture Movement of the 1960s. Although San Francisco is frequently imagined to be the epicenter of the mid-century Counterculture Movement, “Los Angeles endured the countercurrents of the 1960's as much as any other city in the country [...]” More specifically, LA’s Queer culture became visible and highly politicized in response to a string of violent bar raids that took place on Sunset Strip in the 60s.

The riots and protests subsequent to the raids on Sunset Strip in 1966 were preceded by a long history of violent outbursts between the Los Angeles Police Department and the public - also known as the Sunset Strip Curfew Riots. Draconian police tactics eventually led the LAPD to seek out and aggressively monitor bars with predominately gay clienteles, including the Black Cat Tavern and The Patch.

Protests reacting to these police raids - organized by P.R.I.D.E. (Personal Rights in Defense and Education) and SCCRH (Southern California Council on Religion and Homophile) - are still considered to be "the first gay protests in America to attract significant numbers," preceding the Stonewall Riots by two years.

In addition, The Advocate - the oldest and largest LGBT publication in the nation – was created in response to the riots on Sunset Strip as a tool to further ignite LGBT activism in LA and across state lines.

Other landmark achievements for the LGBT community in Los Angeles’ history that pre-date Stonewall include (but are not limited to):

Contemporary examples of LGBT culture and history in Los Angeles include (but are not limited to):

According to one study in 2007, 3.7% of adults in Los Angeles County identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. By race, the percentages were 5% of whites, 4% of African-Americans, and 2.8% of Latinos.

The City of West Hollywood is the thriving core of the LGBT community and nightlife, and as of 2014 its population was about 40% LGBT. It had the nickname "Gay Camelot." In addition it is known as "". LGBT businesses opened in West Hollywood because it was under the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department; the Los Angeles Police Department had a reputation of raiding LGBT businesses. In addition the presence of the design community also attracted LGBT culture. It was affected by AIDS in the 1980s. By 2014, as LGBT individuals had faced increasing acceptance in society, the city's identity has slowly shifted from being exclusively LGBT.

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Wikipedia