A Queer Uprising 60 Years Before Stonewall: The 1905 Les Douaires Riot
In the early 1900s, an increasing number of boys over 16 were sent to Les Douaires, a youth detention colony in Normandy, France. Rumors circulated about frequent sexual interactions among the detained boys.
The 1969 Stonewall riot is widely recognized as a crucial moment in LGBTQ+ resistance to police raids and a catalyst for the modern gay rights movement. Today, Pride events commemorate this pivotal uprising each June. However, Stonewall was not the first queer rebellion.
Recent research published in the Journal of Homosexuality reveals an earlier queer uprising that occurred in 1905 at Les Douaires—more than six decades before Stonewall.
Queer Life and Repression in 19th-Century France
During the 19th century, an underground queer community flourished in Paris around bars and brothels. Same-sex relationships were also common in single-gender institutions such as military barracks and prisons, though often disapproved of.
At the time, society's anxiety about queer sexualities grew, with these identities increasingly pathologized as medical disorders.
Youth Penal Colonies and Harsh Conditions
Same-sex relationships were particularly common in youth penal colonies housing working-class boys aged 8 to 21. These youths were often imprisoned for vagrancy or theft and subjected to forced agricultural and industrial labor under severe conditions.
Les Douaires was one such youth penal colony located in Normandy, northern France, specifically for detained boys.
"Les Douaires was a youth penal colony for detained boys in Normandy (northern France)."
Significance of the 1905 Uprising
The uprising at Les Douaires challenges the common historical narrative by highlighting early queer resistance long before the Stonewall riots, providing important context to LGBTQ+ history.
"My recent research, published in the Journal of Homosexuality, uncovered a queer uprising which took place in 1905, more than 60 years before Stonewall, at a youth detention site in France."
The riot reflects the resilience of queer communities even in oppressive environments and underscores the persistence of LGBTQ+ struggles throughout modern history.
Author’s Summary
This research uncovers a forgotten 1905 queer rebellion at a French youth colony, predating Stonewall and enriching understanding of early LGBTQ+ resistance.