“The course of history was changed forever” by Stonewall, President Joe Biden remarked. Just a day after his debate with former President Donald Trump, Biden arrived in New York City on Friday to celebrate the opening ceremony of the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center. This event also marked the 55th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, a pivotal six-day series of demonstrations against police raids on gay bars.
In his brief comments, Biden celebrated the LGBTQ+ community, praising its members for their courage, which he said has inspired movements worldwide. “The course of history was changed forever” by events at the Stonewall Inn, he noted, marking a significant moment in the fight for gay liberation. “This beloved bar became the site of a call to cry for freedom, dignity, equality, and respect—a rebellion that galvanized the LGBTQ+ community across the nation and, frankly, around the world,” Biden said.
The Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center is the first LGBTQ+ visitor center within the National Park System. Organized by LGBTQ advocacy groups PrideLive, the center aims to serve as a living monument to those who have shaped the LGBTQ+ equality movement. President Obama designated the Stonewall National Monument a national monument eight years ago.
Biden attended the Stonewall event after delivering remarks at a rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, which was his first public appearance since his nationally televised debate Thursday evening with former President Donald Trump. Biden said he was inspired by the bravery of the LGBTQ+ community. “Your courage and contributions enrich every part of American life. They set an example, I’m not exaggerating, for the entire world. That’s what this center, this monument, this month is all about,” Biden said.
The president was joined on stage by musician and gay rights activist Sir Elton John. “As President Biden has reminded us today, we face one of those seminal moments: Do we stand up for our vision and our values, or let misinformation and senseless scapegoating turn back the clock?” John asked. “No f—— way. No. In this moment, too, we must take pride and fight on.”
Against the historic backdrop of Greenwich Village, the Stonewall Inn stood as a beacon of resilience on June 28, 1969, when the Stonewall Rebellion took place. The president was joined at the new visitor center by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and other Democratic leaders. Just after the debate, President Biden made an appearance at the Stonewall Inn for the new monument dedication. He told the cheering crowd, “It’s your love for each other and your community that brought this center to life.”
Biden warmly hugged Gov. Hochul and then danced over to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who yelled, “He’s the best! He’s a fighter!” “When there are assaults on LGBTQ rights across America, we are the vanguard, we are the fighters,” Hochul said. “The torch has been passed to us as New Yorkers. Passed to the next generation.”
Legendary singer, songwriter, and pianist Elton John was also in attendance for the ceremony. “I can say as a proud English, gay man, that this is one of the greatest honors of my life to be here today,” he said. “The fight for freedom and equality is an ongoing one.”
The center pays homage to the Stonewall Rebellion while serving as a space for learning about LGBTQIA+ and the ongoing struggle for freedom. “I think it’s the missing piece of the monument. Having the visitor center, someone can go and then come to the actual Stonewall Inn and then go out in the park. So it’s all completed now,” said Kurt Kelly, co-owner of the Stonewall Inn.
This center has been in the works since President Barack Obama designated the Stonewall National Monument in 2016. Biden’s stance on LGBTQ+ issues has evolved throughout his decades of public service. As a U.S. senator, he voted in 1996 for the Defense of Marriage Act, which forbade federal recognition of same-sex unions. Then, more than a decade later, Biden as vice president declared in 2012 on “Meet the Press” that he supported gay marriage, upstaging his boss, President Obama, who had not yet stated his position on the issue. Obama said he supported gay marriage shortly thereafter.
As president, Biden has acted to protect the rights of gay and transgender people, such as reinstating antidiscrimination provisions eliminated by then-President Donald Trump. Biden also ended a ban on transgender people serving in the military. The Democratic incumbent will then headline an evening Pride Month fundraiser with LGBTQ+ advocates.
Biden arrived in New York after rallying supporters at a post-debate event in Raleigh, North Carolina. He has other fundraisers Saturday on New York’s Long Island and Red Bank, New Jersey, before a scheduled return to the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland.
In addition to the president’s visit, the Christopher Street subway station was renamed in honor of the Stonewall National Monument. MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber was part of the unveiling ceremony. The No. 1 train stop will be known moving forward as “Christopher Street – Stonewall National Monument Station” in observance of the 1969 Stonewall Inn uprising. The state legislature passed a bill renaming the station during its last session, and Gov. Hochul is expected to sign it into law to coincide with Pride weekend.
Friday’s events come ahead of the NYC Pride March on Sunday.
Source: ABC News, WABC-TV
