Beloved icon Lady Gaga surprised crowds with an impassioned speech at Pride Live‘s Stonewall Day Concert, a special event commemorating 50 years since the Stonewall Riots.
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Thousands gathered at New York City‘s Stonewall Inn on Friday to mark the June 28 rebellion against discrimination, a hugely significant moment in the modern gay rights movement.
Surprising her Little Monsters in the crowd, Gaga appeared onstage and delivered an emotional speech in the name of equality.
“I have thought a lot about what I wanted to say to all of you today. It’s been running through my head like a freight train. What is my intention? How can I inspire you? How can I inspire you the way you inspire me? How can I possibly portray my love for you? And the truth is, after a lot of thought, I came to this…” a clearly emotional Gaga said.
“Look around you, look at what you’ve done. You deserve a round of applause. It makes me cry, I am so emotional today. 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, you know that? I feel so honoured and privileged to even be asked to be here. I feel that privilege and that honour because today, what it truly is, is a celebration of all of you in every single way.”
“The universe brought us together in the spirit of kindness and we together, we’re a powerhouse,” she said.
“I really, really hope you celebrate every inch of who you are today. You were born this way and you are superstars.”
At the end of her speech, Gaga spoke out against violence and discrimination towards the trans community and implored her fans to vote in the next US election.
“This is my mothership, and you are my leaders and I will follow you. I surrender to all hatred because, you know what, I will kill it with kindness,” she concluded. “True love is when you would take a bullet for someone, and you know that I would take a bullet for you any day of the week.”
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Other high-profiled speakers at the event included RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Bob the Drag Queen, Alicia Keys, Conchita Wurst, Chelsea Clinton, and Donatella Versace.
Later on Instagram, Gaga captioned a picture from the event: “I couldn’t be more proud of every single person in that crowd and around the world today.
“This community inspires me so much. Your courage, your bravery, your relentless pursuit of kindness. Celebrate yourselves today, and hopefully every day. I love you.”
