A queer uprising 60 years before Stonewall: the 1905 Les Douaires riot

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 penal colony in Normandy, France. Rumors circulated about frequent sexual encounters among the detained boys.

The 1969 Stonewall riot marked a pivotal moment in LGBTQ+ resistance against police raids and became a cornerstone of the modern gay rights movement. Today, Pride events are held annually in late June to commemorate this uprising. However, Stonewall was not the first queer rebellion.

Recent research published in the Journal of Homosexuality uncovered a queer uprising in 1905 at Les Douaires, a youth detention center, occurring more than 60 years before Stonewall.

Queer Life in 19th-Century France

During the 19th century, an underground queer community flourished around bars and brothels in Paris. Same-sex relationships were also common in all-male institutions such as the military and prisons, though these were socially condemned.

At the same time, societal anxiety about queer sexualities grew, and they were increasingly pathologized as medical disorders.

Youth Penal Colonies and Same-Sex Relationships

Same-sex relationships had become widespread in certain French youth penal colonies, which held working-class youths aged 8 to 21 for periods ranging from months to years. Many were arrested for vagrancy or theft.

Within these colonies, including Les Douaires, youths were subjected to harsh conditions and forced labor in agriculture and industry.

"Les Douaires was a youth penal colony for detained boys in Normandy (northern France)."

This hidden history reveals an early instance of queer resistance, challenging the assumption that Stonewall was the first of its kind.

Author's Summary

The 1905 Les Douaires riot exposes an overlooked early queer rebellion in France, proving that LGBTQ+ resistance existed long before Stonewall.

The Conversation — 2025-11-07