Marking the Stonewall Riots

In the night between June 27^th and 28^th in and in front of the Stonewall bar in New York, there were violent riots of the LGBT people (http://www.civilrights.org/archives/2009/06/449-stonewall.html), which resulted with a public protest of thousands of people, against the homophobia, inequality, and violence inflicted upon LGBT people, and against the lack of protection by the State. Since then, LGBT communities throughout America, and later on throughout the most of the Western hemisphere, are marking the day when LGBT people stood up in their defense and asked for equality. These protests, on which LGBT people openly show who and what they are, are called Pride marches. In Macedonia today, 50 years after Stonewall, someone can’t stand the happening of cultural and social events, let alone pride marches. But, it is the Stonewall riot that teaches us that visibility is the only way to protect ourselves. And that is why, my dear lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender, intersex people, supporters, and all of you that “stand out of the norm”, we won’t stop here! The fight continues and we will reach equality, because we are right! I wish you all, happy Pride Day!

Kocho Andonovski

Program Director

LGBTI Support Centre –

Helsinki Committee for Human Rights of RM