In 1978, it was a place for protests and political organizing, ultimately blocking Initiative 13 to uphold gay and lesbian rights. It was the location for the first Seattle Pride parade in 1974. Occidental Park in the heart of Pioneer Square was also iconic for the queer community. Both time periods are so essential because you wouldn’t have had things like Pride here in Seattle in the ’70′s which started in Pioneer Square if it wasn’t before the decades before,” said Barr. “Queer history matters so much more before Stonewall and after. In the late ’60s the police payoffs were ultimately exposed to the FBI and legislation was passed to stop the harassment. You couldn’t succeed, you have to get really popular to succeed, so it’s this other form of harassment,” said Barr. “They are doing this other thing that caused a lot of instability for the bars.
At the time, same-sex dancing was not legal, so these establishments like many others would pay off police. In the 1930s, bars and clubs started to open including the Double Header, the Casino and Six Eleven Tavern. It had this reputation of being things like seedy… but in reality, it’s opening that door,” said Barr.īarr notes Pioneer Square became a gathering place for the LGBTQIA community. But that’s the opening, that’s when you can have a little bit more freedom to make a bar in a basement where gay (people) and lesbians are gathering. “It’s not being treated well, the city kind of doesn’t care about it. Pointing out the transformation of the neighborhood and the stories of their disappearance. Before the pandemic, Barr was also giving walking tours to those seeking a more in-depth experience to understand how the city’s “first neighborhood” developed into a queer community in the late 1800s. The Trans Women of Color Solidarity told The Independent: “We support the response of Seattle Human Rights Commission and support the statements of orgs, leaders and individuals in our community who know us and KNOW truly what this event is about.On a quest to reach a wider audience, Barr created “Pioneer Square and the Making of Queer Seattle,” an interactive digital story map. Along with their reply, it contained Ms LeFevere and Mr Lipson’s telephone number clear to everyone to see, which was met with criticism. “It’s a push for people to start listening to people of color in our community, start hearing what they’re saying, and really to believe them and to step up and say, ‘What can I do to help eradicate these issues in our community?” she told NBC News after its debut.Īlong with replying, the Seattle Human Rights Commission shared their exchange of messages on social media on 18 June. She edited it by adding a black and brown stripe to the original pride flag that came out in the 1970s. To reflect the different experience of people of colour have of being a part of the LBGT+ community, Amber Hikes designed a new flag in 2017.