Forty years ago, a confrontation outside an unassuming bar in New York’s Greenwich Village proved to be a turning point in the fledgling gay rights movement in America.

In the early hours of 28th June 1969, officers from the New York Police Department’s Public Morals Squad arrived at the Stonewall Inn, intent on conducting what had become routine practice – extortion and harassment of the city’s gay community.

Few of the police officers or revelers present that night could have predicted the reprocussions the events of that night would have across America and the western world.

As the police attempted to make arrests a number of scuffles broke out and the situation quickly deteriorated into an all out sporadic riot lasting over the next number of nights. As one participating put it: “the fags were fighting back”.

The Stonewall Riots encapsulated the mood of the times, in an era of anti – Vietnam and civil rights protests the LGBT community was galvanized in their demand for equality. Exactly one year later, gay rights activists gathered in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles to commemorate the events of that June night and the Pride movement was born.

Last year Belfast Pride, like the New York confrontation forty years ago, galvanised a community into action. The condemnatory words of Iris Robinson ensured the biggest turn out at Pride we’ve ever had. (7000+). Politicians from all the mainstream parties, apart from Mrs Robinsons DUP, marched in solidarity as citizens of Belfast from all backgrounds, both gay and straight, expressed their offence at being compared to paedophiles.

Almost a year later and even the DUP seems to be edging towards the realisation that Pride and LGBT equality are undeniable facets of 21st century Northern Ireland. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that party’s candidate for Europe insist that she believed all of us, gay folk included, deserved to be treated equally under the law. It may well have been uttered begrudgingly, but it’s progress none the less.

And that short statement by Mrs Dodds, perhaps, shows the power of the Pride movement in Belfast. No one could doubt that the DUP attitude has softened following the unprecedented criticism directed at Iris Robinson last year. To tweak Reverend Paisleys 1973 maxim – there was a “queer backlash” last summer.

As we remember Stonewall forty years ago, we should celebrate how far we have come, whilst looking to the future with optimism. Our community is strong and our objectives are worthwhile. On Saturday 1st August we should march forward with Pride.

ANDREW THOMPSON

Chair, Belfast Pride