In the late 1900's, being LGBTQ+ was considered a mental illness. If you were looking for a book about gays you would find them in the criminal section. People were often sent to mental hospitals. This was society's attempt to make LGBTQ+ people “normal” but it just drove most of them insane. Gay bars were havens for LGBTQ+ people to be themselves. 

The Stonewall Inn was a popular and well-known gay bar. Stonewall was located on Christopher Street in New York City. The bar was run by the Genovese Crime Family, one of New York’s five families. Guards were often posted around the bar and one by the door. People would have to pay and bring alcohol to enter. The bar would use the alcohol and water it down then sell it. The bar had no license at all to sell alcohol. On the weekdays they would have to pay $1.00( $8.38 today) and on weekends were $3.00( $24.14 today)  Despite the poor conditions of the bar, patrons didn’t seem bothered at all.