56 years of Stonewall: Halle demonstrates for LGBTI rights and solidarity!

56 years of Stonewall: Halle demonstrates for LGBTI rights and solidarity!

On June 28, 1969, a historical uprising occurred in New York, which marked the birth of the "Gay Pride" and is still the central event of the LGBTI+movement. This year, exactly 56 years later, around 30 people found a political voice in Halle on Saturday to demonstrate against the commercialization of Christopher Street Days (CSDS) and other social grievances. The Solidarity Network Halle had organized this protest, which led through central parts of the city center, including Altstadttring, Marktplatz and Franckeplatz. As reports [dubisthalle.de] (https://dubisthalle.de/stonewall-jahrestag-demonstration-in-Halle-fuer-lgbti-right-traffic disabilities-afternoon-in-halleschen city), the demonstration remained peaceful despite the strong police force.

But what led to this demonstration? That day, the activists not only reminded of the Stonewall trouble that took place more than five decades ago, but also of the combats associated with the violence and oppression that many LGBTI+people still experience today. The riots were an answer to state repression that found its sad climax in the "Stonewall Inn" bar in 1969. Visitors made resistance, which led to further protests in the following nights, supported by the LGBTQIA+community and residents. This event is still considered a turning point in the struggle for legal equality and social justice, such as bpb.de.

continuing resistance and criticism

In the demonstration in Halle, speeches such as "Stonewall was a riot-We will not be quiet" and criticism of the accommodation of the LGBTI+movement by state institutions and companies was criticized. The activists warned that rainbow flags on products do not change the discrimination against queer people, and demanded a stronger focus on the roots of resistance to patriarchal, capitalist and militaristic structures. These points were impressively presented by a speaker and emphasized that the struggle must not only be managed individually but collectively to make permanent changes.

The organizers of the Halle demonstration also referred to the latest developments and the criticism of the Self-Determination Act for Transs, which is becoming increasingly under pressure in the political arena. This discussion reflects a broader trend that can be observed in many countries, where LGBTI+rights are increasingly being questioned. Many LGBTQIA+activists also shared the feeling that social conditions maintain systemic discrimination, as the group of stonewall.org.ork

a look into the past and the future

The Stonewall riots are not only part of a national, but also an international resistance to discrimination. In the past 50 years, the LGBTI+movement has fought its way through numerous challenges. The first CSDs in Germany took place in Bremen and Berlin in 1979. While many perceive the events today as great celebrations, the demand for equality and acceptance of the LGBTQIA+community remains an integral part of every demo.

and also if there has been progress in many areas, such as increasing visibility and legal equality, we must be aware that a significant number of people in Germany still have derogatory attitudes towards homosexuality. The ongoing violent acts, such as the tragic events in Oslo or the repression in Istanbul, clarify that the struggle for rights and recognition is far from over.