(Photo Credit: thejakartapost.com)

New York City’s Pride Parade is One of the Largest in the Movement’s History

New York City’s pride parade on Sunday, June 30th, was one of the largest gatherings in the gay-rights movement’s history. Participants commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, in which patrons at the Stonewall Inn gay bar clashed with New York City police on June 28th, 1969.

Celebrities like Lady Gaga and Madonna performed at the event. Lady Gaga, who has a large and devoted fan base in the LGBT community, riled up the crowd with a rousing speech about gay empowerment.

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

“This is a historic day. You should be so, so proud of yourselves,” Lady Gaga said to cheers. “This community has fought–and continued to fight–a war of acceptance, a war of tolerance and the most relentless bravery. You are the definition of courage, do you know that?… I really, really hope you celebrate every inch of who are you today. You were born this way, and you’re superstars.”

The New York City Pride Parade took place on the last day of June, which is celebrated as Pride Month around the world. Many cities throughout the U.S. and abroad hosted huge pride events throughout the month of June, which included parades, rallies, film festivals, and conferences on the ongoing battle for LGBT rights.