‘Together Always: United in Diversity - is a timely reminder that all human beings, regardless of who they are, whom they love, and how they see and define themselves, are born free and equal in dignity and rights.’
– Statement by the High Representative Joseph Borrell on behalf of the EU (16 May 2023)
The Stonewall riots were a series of gay liberation riots in New York City. The protests by members of the gay community started in the early hours of 28 June 1969 in response to a violent police raid at the Stonewall Inn in New York City. After that, tension between the police and protesters quickly erupted into more riots during the following days and weeks. Village residents organised into activist groups and demanded to live their sexual and gender identity openly without fearing legal and social consequences.
This series of protests is considered to be the watershed event in the gay liberation movement and the fight for LGBTIQ+ rights in the United States and gave rise to the concepts of pride parades and of Pride Month. The first gay pride marches were organised on 28 June 1970, exactly one year after the uprising, in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. Today, Pride Month, is dedicated to the celebration and commemoration of LGBTIQ+ pride, rights, and culture. It is typically celebrated in June and has, since its beginnings, spread outside of the United States. The European Institutions celebrate Pride Month to promote Human Rights for the LGBTIQ+ community and to combat discrimination.
On the occasion of these festivities, we would like to invite you to practice your interpreting skills with speeches you can find in the Speech Repository’s thematic sections on Human rights and Social Issues.