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Here's why 21,000 people are boycotting this film about the gay rights movement

A new film about the 1969 Stonewall riots is being accused of ‘whitewashing’ history.

OVER 21,000 PEOPLE have signed a petition to boycott a new film about the early days of the LGBT rights movement.

Stonewall, starring Jeremy Irvine and Jonathan Rhys Myers, purports to tell the story of the 1969 Stonewall riots, which kicked off the gay rights movement in the US.

RoadsideFlix / YouTube

However, people are accusing the film of ‘whitewashing’ history.

What are they mad about?

Screen-Shot-2015-08-08-at-6.58.37-PM-786.666666667x393 YouTube YouTube

People are angry that Marsha P Johnson, a black transwoman who eyewitnesses say was one of the first to start rioting, appears to have been left out of the film, along with other black and trans activists.

In the trailer for the film, a character played by white actor Jeremy Irvine is apparently shown to incite the riots.

The petition reads:

It is time that black and brown transwomen and drag queens are recognised for their efforts in the riots… From the preview alone, we know that will not be happening.

Many members of the gay community are saying that while they’re grateful for the story to be made into a film, they’d prefer it to be told correctly:

What do the filmmakers say?

Director Roland Emmerich has defended the casting on Facebook:

When this film – which is truly a labour of love for me – finally comes to the theatres, audiences will see that it deeply honours the real-life activists who were there… We are all the same in our struggle for acceptance.

To anyone with concerns about the diversity of the #StonewallMovie. I saw the movie for the first time last week and can assure you all that it represents almost every race and section of society that was so fundamental to one of the most important civil rights movements in living history. Marsha P Johnson is a major part of the movie, and although first hand accounts of who threw the first brick in the riots vary wildly, it is a fictional black transvestite character played by the very talented @vlad_alexis who pulls out the first brick in the riot scenes. My character is adopted by a group of street kids whilst sleeping rough in New York. In my opinion, the story is driven by the leader of this gang played by @jonnybeauchamp who gives an extraordinary performance as a Puerto Rican transvestite struggling to survive on the streets. Jonathan Rhys Meyers' character represents the Mattachine Society, who were at the time a mostly white and middle class gay rights group who stood against violence and radicalism. I felt incredibly nervous taking on this role knowing how important the subject matter is to so many people but Roland Emmerich is one of the most sensitive and heartfelt directors I've worked with and I hope that, as an ensemble, we have not only done such an important story justice but also made a good movie as well. Jeremy _jeremyirvine _jeremyirvine

Lead actor Irvine has also defended his character in an Instagram post, saying:

I can assure you that [the film] represents almost every race and section of society that was so fundamental to one of the most important civil rights movements in living history.

“I felt incredibly nervous taking on this role knowing how important the subject matter is to so many people… I hope that we have not only done such an important story justice but also made a good movie as well,” he continued.

When can we see it for ourselves?

Roland Emmerich - Cover Photos | Facebook Facebook / Roland Emmerich Facebook / Roland Emmerich / Roland Emmerich

The film is out in the US on September 25 - the Irish release date is yet to be announced, so reserve your judgement until then.

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Author
Valerie Loftus
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