Lady Gaga's powerful appearance at Pride Live’s Stonewall Day Concert, which was presented by United Airlines® and Z100 New York, on Friday afternoon (June 28) was a family affair for the pop titan.
Backstage of the event, Gaga and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, were by each other’s side as they walked the red carpet. Coincidentally, the two also bumped into another event guest: Chelsea Clinton. During their interaction, the trio exchanged warm smiles and pleasantries, before gathering together for group photos, with Clinton holding up a “Be Kind” shirt from the mother/daughter’s Born This Way Foundation.
After her red carpet appearance, Gaga took the stage in her rainbow-decked outfit to share some inspiring words with the LGBTQ community. "This is a celebration of all of you. Four million people in New York City to celebrate their Pride. I may not to some people, some people, I may not even be considered a part of this community even though I like girls sometimes. I would never degrade the fight you have all endured, the adversity that you have all been through to truly be seen, heard or the struggles that you have been through to love yourself and to seek that love from other people," the pop titan said at the event, which was held in the neighboring area from Stonewall Inn. "Honestly, I really, really love you. You are strong. You are so strong. You are so strong. You welcomed me into your community in the most beautiful of ways. My whole life changed because of you."
In case you aren't familiar, in the 1960s, it was still illegal in most states to be gay, with no laws protecting LGBTQI people from discrimination. There were no openly gay politicians or pop culture icons in America. The NYPD was notorious for its strict enforcement of anti-gay laws in the 1950s and '60s, and gay clubs in New York were routinely raided by police of the era. Named for the historic Stonewall Inn, where the riots began, the Stonewall uprising is credited with sparking a generation of activism in the LGBTQ community.
With the gay rights movement building momentum in the late-'60s, police raided the Stonewall Inn one night in late-June for the last time. Patrons tired of police harassment resisted officers. Fights between patrons and police broke out. Word spread through the neighborhood that police were trying to shut down the bar and a crowd gathered on Christopher Street outside the Stonewall. Crowds continued to press back against police, igniting a riot that swept through Manhattan. The ensuing six days of disorder and protest, centered around the Stonewall. Weeks later, organizers led a "gay power" march from Washington Square Park to Stonewall that, again, drew hundreds of demonstrators and press coverage in the city.
The following year, June 28, 1970, thousands returned to Greenwich Village for the first Christopher Street Liberation Day march, which morphed into the annual Pride parades celebrated today in cities around the world.
WorldPride 2019 is in full effect and iHeartPride is celebrating the monumental June celebration with all kinds of coverage. iHeartRadio, Z100 New York and 103.5 KTU are Presenting Media Sponsors for NYC Pride and we’re taking the milestone to heart with LGBTQ-focused coverage on everything from entertainment, politics and details on the summer festivities. After all, it does coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising. Stay tuned for more on World Pride 2019 and keep an eye out for our float in the Big Apple’s all accumulating parade on June 30!
Photo: Katherine Tyler for iHeartRadio