In honor of Pride weekend in New York City, Lady Gaga made a special appearance at the Stonewall Day event Friday afternoon.
The singer and A Star Is Born star, known throughout her career for her support of the LGBTQ community, gave a heartfelt speech in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots. On June 28, 1969, a brave group of queer bar patrons fought against a discriminatory police raid, sparking the gay rights movement in the US.
In a 15-minute speech, the “Born This Way” singer hailed the LGBTQ community for their bravery, and said that she’s ready to stand beside them and fight. “I am so emotional today,” Gaga told the crowd. “This community has fought and continued to fight a war of acceptance, a war of tolerance, and of the most relentless bravery. You are the definition of courage.”
The singer’s own sexuality has been a topic of debate. Gaga stated in 2009 that she identifies as bisexual, but has also used the “ally” label to define herself. In her speech at Stonewall, she set the record (not) straight: “I may not, to some people… I may not even be considered a part of this community,” she said. “Even though I like girls sometimes. I would never degrade the fight you have all endured, the adversity that you have all been through to truly be seen, to be heard, or the struggles that you’ve been through to love yourselves and to seek that love from other people.”
Gaga’s speech is a beautiful tribute to the bravery that was shown at Stonewall in 1969 and continues today. You can watch it above.
