Urbanisation was an underlying force in creating the ability of homosexual people to form communities and create the conditons for gay liberation. The LGBT communities kept their sexuality very secret, and often travelled to places like New York where they could live more anonymous lives and form their own communities. Greenwich village, on Manhattan Island became this place for them, where they could begin to form these communities in secret. Greenwich village, otherwise known as “The Village” became very important to the LGBT communities as they were able to form a sense of community within the village. They lived as neighbours in the geographic neighbourhood area, and there were many sexual outlets, and places such as gay bars and cafes where they could gather, as well as Oscar Wilde’s bookshop, founded in 1967, which is the world’s oldest gay and lesbian book store. Throughout the USA, San Francisco also served as a place of acceptance and community for the LGBT. There are a few other cities in other countries which also formed a similar function, these were, London, Manchester, Paris, Sydney, Inner city Auckland, and following a bit later, Ponsonby and Grey Lynn area, in Auckland. This increasing visibility of urbanisation led to increased persecution, and a crackdown by police on homosexuals.
In the United States, few attempts were made to create counter-culture groups supporting gay and lesbian relationships until after World War II, however, before the war, gay life flourished in urban centers such as Greenwich Village and Harlem. The disruptions of World War II gave formerly isolated gay men and women the chance to meet as soldiers, war workers, and other volunteers.