Larry Kramer is Boycotting 'Stonewall' Boycott

EDGE READ TIME: 2 MIN.

The movement to boycott the upcoming historic pic "Stonewall" received some major backlash from an unlikely source Friday, when ACT UP founder Larry Kramer chimed with this opinion via social media, saying those who say the film is "whitewashed" have no way of proving their claim.

Talking to activist Peter Staley's Facebook page, Kramer voiced his support of filmmaker Roland Emmerich, who has come under fire from activists who claim the trailer for "Stonewall," which was released last week, "whitewashed" transgender people of color out of the historical film.

Kramer wrote:

"Don't listen to the crazies. for some reason there is a group of "activists" that insists on maintaining their prime importance and participation during this riot. unfortunately there seems no one left alive to say "it wasnt that way at all", or "who are or where the fuck were you." as with so much history there is no way to "prove" a lot of stuff, which allows artists such as yourself (and me I might add) to take essences and attempt to find and convey meaning and truth. i sincerely hope this boycott your film shit peters out. we are not dealing with another "Cruising" here. keeping your film from being seen is only hurting ourselves. good luck and thank you for your passion. larry kramer

According to press notes, "Stonewall" is a drama about a fictional young man caught up during the 1969 Stonewall riots. Danny Winters (Jeremy Irvine) is forced to leave behind friends and loved ones when he is kicked out of his parent's home and flees to New York. Alone in Greenwich Village, homeless and destitute, he befriends a group of street kids who soon introduce him to the local watering hole The Stonewall Inn; however, this shady, mafia-run club is far from a safe-haven.�

As Danny and his friends experience discrimination, endure atrocities and are repeatedly harassed by the police, we see a rage begin to build. This emotion runs through Danny and the entire community of young gays, lesbians and drag queens who populate the Stonewall Inn and erupts in a storm of anger. With the toss of a single brick, a riot ensues and a crusade for equality is born.


by EDGE

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