The LGBT movement in America began one night in late June on the streets of Greenwich Village, New York, in a bar called the Stonewall Inn. When police raided the place, gay men and women who had been made to live in the shadows of shame finally decided to fight back against the police, and to demand their civil rights. Bars and dance clubs were - and still are - places of refuge for LGBT people, and the music played on jukeboxes, from Judy Garland to Gloria Gaynor, has also been a vital aspect of the LGBT experience over the past five decades. Although the 1980s and 90s brought the AIDS crisis and anti-gay legislation that threatened the LGBT community, it only strengthened the resolve of activists - and artists - to push harder. Some musicians incorporated aspects of LGBT life into their lyrics. Others have furthered the cause of equality simply by coming out of the closet. This is a struggle that is not over, but with allies in popular culture like Lady Gaga, this episode shows the power of music to raise awareness and to preach tolerance.
Soundtracks: Songs That Defined History was broadcast on SBS ONE at Tuesday 2 June 2020, 05:00. This episode was initially placed on Sunday 1 October 2017.