1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites
Live TV
Latest audioLatest videos
In focus
Floods in GermanyEU elections 2024Israel
Society

Stonewall - Paving the Way to Gay Pride

May 25, 2021

The battle for the rights of LGBTQI+ people began over half a century ago in New York City. A police raid on a gay bar, the Stonewall Inn, in June 1969, triggered days of rioting.

https://p.dw.com/p/3tupN
USA 2019 World Pride NYC and Stonewall 50th LGBTQ Pride day in New York
Image: Reuters/L. Jackson

 A year later, the first Gay Pride parade made its way through the streets of Manhattan.

USA New York Gay Pride Parade
Image: picture-alliance/newscom/UPI Photo/J. Angelillo

Since 1970, June has been considered Gay Pride Month. In many countries the LGBTQI+ community celebrates Christopher Street Day, which is named after the street where the Stonewall Inn was located. Loud and proud demonstrators mark the anniversary of when lesbians, gays, queers, transsexuals, transgender people, and drag queens took to the streets to fight for their rights.

New York City Polzisten gehen gegen Gay Power march vor
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo

Back then, they wanted to be freed from the taint of illegality straight society had imposed on their sexual orientation. They wanted to be themselves and no longer be forced to live on the fringes of society. During the Stonewall riots, street children, residents, lesbians, gays and drag queens took part in the unrest. They occupied the bar and Christopher Street.

Istanbul Gay Pride 2014
Image: Reuters

A movement grew from this incident that changed society over the course of the decades, in Western democracies at least. Nevertheless, the fight is far from over, with homosexuality still deemed a crime - even a capital offense - in some countries. 



Broadcasting Hours: 

DW English

FRI 25.06.2021 – 01:15 UTC
FRI 25.06.2021 – 04:15 UTC
SAT 26.06.2021 – 15:15 UTC
SUN 27.06.2021 – 19:15 UTC
MON 28.06.2021 – 09:15 UTC

Cape Town UTC +2 | Delhi UTC +5,5 | Hong Kong UTC +8
Lagos UTC +1 | Cape Town UTC +2 | Nairobi UTC +3 
San Francisco UTC -7 | Edmonton UTC -6 | New York UTC -4
London UTC +1 | Berlin UTC +2 | Moscow UTC +3

DW Deutsch+

MON 28.06.2021 – 09:15 UTC

Vancouver UTC -7 | New York UTC -4 | Sao Paulo UTC -3