Final answer:
The Stonewall Riots began with a police raid on the Stonewall Inn on June 28, 1969, sparking a watershed moment for the LGBTQ movement. The Ladder was a publication contributing to the discourse on homosexuality, though not physically present at the riots. The resistance to the police by the patrons of Stonewall Inn marked a significant escalation in the fight for LGBTQ rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Stonewall Riots, a pivotal moment in the LGBTQ movement, occurred on June 28th, 1969, when the police raided the Stonewall Inn in New York City. The Ladder, though not present as an object during the riots, was a publication by the Daughters of Bilitis and played a significant role in the history of homosexual representation, especially pre-dating the Stonewall era. Prior to the riots, LGBTQ individuals faced significant legal and societal challenges, such as the ban on serving gays in bars enforced by the New York Liquor Authority until a "sip-in" by the Mattachine Society prompted a policy reversal in 1966.
During the Stonewall riots, as police loaded arrested patrons into their vehicles, a handful of gay and lesbian patrons began to resist. Their actions, beginning with verbal protests, quickly drew in others from the Greenwich Village neighborhood. The confrontation escalated to physical resistance, resulting in the crowd hurling beer bottles and eventually barricading the police inside the bar. The riots continued for three days, inspiring the formation of the Gay Liberation Front and laying the groundwork for future pride festivals.