New Delhi: A beer at a New York bar may not seem like a diplomatic stop. But when that bar is the Stonewall Inn, a diplomatic visit comes with the history of one of the most significant sites of the LGBTQ+ rights movement.
Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten visited the landmark on Monday during his trip to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. Jetten, 39, became the Netherlands’ first openly gay prime minister in February and is the youngest person to hold the office.
Why Stonewall matters
The Stonewall Inn became a symbol of the LGBTQ+ rights movement after a police raid in the early hours of 28 June 1969. The raid triggered days of protests and clashes in the surrounding streets.
At the time, New York had laws restricting LGBTQ+ people from openly living and socialising, including a ban on serving alcohol to homosexual people.
Police raids on gay bars were common. But that night, patrons and people who gathered outside resisted, forcing police officers to retreat into the bar.
The uprising is widely regarded as a major catalyst for the modern gay rights movement. The Stonewall Inn and surrounding area are now part of the Stonewall National Monument, established in 2016.
Speaking at the bar, Jetten said he and others “stand on the shoulders of great people” who began the fight for equal rights there. Stonewall Inn co-owner Kurt Kelly told Jetten that the 1969 events are the reason Pride marches are held around the world today.
Jetten also spoke about the importance of preserving places associated with the movement.
“Historical grounds like these are important, and we will make sure we’ll never give up,” he said.
In a post on X, Jetten described Stonewall as the place where the 1969 riots took place “as a reaction to years of discrimination and police violence”, and called it a starting point for global LGBTQ+ activism. He also linked the visit to the Netherlands’ foreign-policy emphasis on human rights.
Also Read: The openly gay face of Germany’s far-right AfD. A lesbian with Sri Lankan partner
‘The emancipation of a community will never stop’
Later that evening, Jetten attended a reception hosted by the LGBTQ Victory Institute, which supports and trains LGBTQ+ people seeking public office.
Its CEO Evan Low pointed to Jetten’s election as an example of the importance of political representation.
“You can’t be what you can’t see,” Low said.
Jetten, scheduled to address the UN General Assembly Thursday, also stressed that LGBTQ+ rights cannot be treated as a struggle that has already been won.
“You have to understand that the emancipation of a community will never stop,” he said, adding that people must remain alert to “new threats” facing the community.
Jetten’s Stonewall visit came during his first year as the Netherlands’ openly gay prime minister and ahead of his UN General Assembly address.
Edited by Maryam Hassan