Collecting thoughts about Kitty Genovese

The day we learned about the case, I tried to make a point that I didn't really have prepared at the time.  But I've collected those thoughts, and I'm going to try to make it now.

Kitty Genovese was fairly openly lesbian, which was a dangerous thing to be in the 1960's.  Police officers could, and frequently did, beat gay people.  Several states mandated that people wear a certain number of clothing items that conformed to the gender on their birth certificate (usually between three and five).   Essentially, it was terrifying, and her mere existence was an act of resistance.  (How's that on a tombstone?  "Survived as a gay person in the 1960's without pretending to be straight.")  Remember, this is when the Stonewall Riots happened.  I cannot emphasize enough how dangerous her life was.

Anyway, I had a point here.  Let's get to it.

On the night of the murder, several people considered, or even did, calling the police.  Here's an article on it.  One of Kitty's friends, Karl Ross, saw what was happening, then called a friend to ask for advice.  Ross was gay, and here's why this is important.  Any calls to the police put both himself and Kitty at risk.  Again, being gay was illegal, and the police (and most about everyone else) didn't like gay people, at all.  There was a decent chance that, even if the police responded, they would simply leave, or worse, and Ross wasn't the only person who knew that.

I mentioned that several people considered or called the police.  As it turns out, there were two calls to the police, both of which were ignored.  The image of Kitty Genovese dying alone is inaccurate, too.  She actually died in the arms of a close friend.  Essentially, our modern idea of the case is a result of bad initial reporting and a lack of information at the time of the case.  By the time we had correct information, it was too late, and the idea was solidified in people's minds.