This historical documentary offers a profoundly affirming portrayal of LGBTQ+ individuals and themes. It meticulously documents the pre-Stonewall experiences, giving voice and dignity to a marginalized community. The film frames societal challenges as external forces, celebrating the resilience and inherent worth of queer identity.

Before Stonewall documents the lives of gender non-conforming individuals and early trans identities in pre-Stonewall America. Through interviews and archival footage, it respectfully portrays their struggles against societal prejudice and legal challenges, while also highlighting their resilience and the communities they formed. The film's empathetic approach affirms the historical significance and worth of these experiences.

The film documents how mainstream Christian institutions and doctrines significantly contributed to the societal condemnation, legal persecution, and discrimination faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in the pre-Stonewall era. The narrative frames these religious viewpoints as a source of harm and oppression, without offering a counterbalancing positive portrayal of the religion's role in this specific historical context.