I chose to tackle this project to address a specific divide within the LGBTQ+ community; there are many who feel that this establishment is inherently disrespectful to memories of the Stonewall Riots, and to the queer community during the 1950s and 1960s at large, due to its continued functionality as an active bar open to all individuals. Stonewall has continued to be a “Friday night spot,” a hub of drag shows, a place where gay people and straight people alike can throw back tequila shots and argue over Whitney Houston’s legacy. This is seen by many as going against the sanctity of the space’s history, and causes anger in some elder members of the queer community when the topic is discussed. I went into my first observation at Stonewall with these thoughts at the back of my mind, but more or less with my mind made up. Following my experience here, my determination is only more solidified. Over the coming semester, I intend to argue that the continued use of the Stonewall Inn as a social space remains true to the heart of the establishment, and not only respects, but actualizes, the wishes of the individuals who rioted in June of 1969. Those brave souls who paved the way for the modern LGBTQ+ community to exist openly, myself included, fought for a safe, open space wherein they could peacefully coexist with the cultural norms. Fifty years later, that is the first impression Stonewall continuously gives, and the legacy it proudly maintains.