President Biden praised the LGBTQ community in his Stonewall speech on Friday, the day after his first presidential debate with former President Trump.
Friday marked the 55th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, protests against a police raid at the Stonewall Inn that are widely considered the beginning of the gay rights movement in the U.S. Biden traveled to New York City to mark the anniversary and to attend the opening of the new Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center at the end of Pride Month.
“This beloved bar became a cry for freedom, dignity, equality and respect — an insurrection that galvanized LGBTQ+ communities across the country and, frankly, around the world,” Biden said.
He added that after the demonstrations “the course of history was changed forever.” A new memorial, installed in Greenwich Village to mark the site of the 1969 riots, is open to the public. CBS report.
“You marked a turning point for civil rights in America,” Biden said on the site. “To this day, Stonewall remains a symbol of the legacy of leaders in the LGBTQ+ community, particularly trans women of color who, for generations, have been at the forefront of realizing the promise of America for all Americans.”
Biden also received support from other Democrats during his visit to Stonewall.
The president’s voice grew hoarse and he stumbled over his thoughts at times during Thursday night’s debate, causing some Democrats to panic about their prospects in November, and White House and Biden campaign officials on Friday sought to play down the notion that Biden would step aside or withdraw from the race.
At the start of his Stonewall speech, Biden walked from the stage to find New York Governor Kathy Hockal (D), who jumped up and hugged him, and then when Biden asked if Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) was there, she ran up onstage and hugged him too.
“He’s the best! He’s a warrior!” Gillibrand yelled on her way off the stage.
Biden concluded his speech by introducing legendary musician Elton John, an advocate for the LGBTQ community and owner of a charity that works to protect people with AIDS.
