“If you were just perceived to be gay in Orlando and you were out and about and behaved in a way where someone perceived you were gay – it was dangerous,” Wanzie said.
But Orlando entertainer and activist Michael Wanzie says it was a far cry of what it is today. And back in the 1970s, tolerance towards the gay community was beginning to change. That movement evolved through a rich history of LGBTQ establishments in Central Florida. The riots are seen as a turning point in the gay liberation movement, which led to more rights for the LGBTQ community today. In 1970s, 1980s LGBTQ establishments like Faces.
