President Biden was in New York Friday for the grand opening of the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center on the 55th anniversary of the historic riots that birthed America’s gay rights movement.
The 81-year-old, still licking his wounds after his abysmal performance during Thursday’s presidential debate with Donald Trump sent shockwaves across the country, was joined by Gov. Kathy Hochul and legendary musician Elton John at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village.
The 1969 Stonewall Riots “marked a turning point for civil rights in America and inspired the hearts of millions of people around the world,” Biden said, adding that it “remains a symbol of a legacy and leadership in the LGBTQ+ community.”
In his remarks, John urged the community to continue fighting.
“Fifty-five years ago, in this sacred spot of the Stonewall Uprising, gay activists stood strong and ignited a movement that has changed history for the better.
“As President Biden has reminded us today … do we stand up for our vision and our values, or let misinformation and senseless scapegoating turn back the clock? No f–king way,” the “Tiny Dancer” singer, 77, said to audience applause.
Hochul earlier welcomed Biden and aimed to “celebrate this moment in history.”
“It was exactly two years ago we gathered here with this hope and a dream of being able to have a facility — the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center,” the governor said.
“We talked about it, we fought for it, we made sure it would happen. And two years later, my friends, we have made the magic happen.”
Ava Golden, 23, a consultant from Manhattan and Biden admirer, was at the event in part to see the president speak.
She admitted the debate was “concerning” but insisted the incumbent wouldn’t lose her vote.
“I don’t think his performance last night speaks for who he is as a candidate necessarily. We can’t have another four years of Trump so whatever deters that from happening I think will be good.”
Former President Barack Obama designated Stonewall Inn as a national monument in 2016.
The newly opened $3.2 million visitor center will be part museum and part educational space, aiming to showcase the historic struggles the LGBTQ community has faced.
Its opening, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the June 28, 1969, uprising, comes ahead of New York City’s Pride March on Sunday.
Biden’s own views on gay rights have transformed considerably over the decades.
While serving as a US senator, Biden voted in support of the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996, which declared that states were not required to recognize same-sex marriage.
The act also enshrined into the law the definition of marriage as only between a man and a woman.
As Obama’s vice president in 2012, he said in an off-the-cuff moment on “Meet the Press” that he supported gay marriage, a stance even his then-boss had yet to publicly adopt.
In his time as president, Biden ratcheted up his support for LGBTQ rights, reinstating antidiscrimination laws abandoned by Trump and ending the ban on transgender people serving in the US military.
The Stonewall Riots, also known as the Stonewall Uprising, started when NYPD officers raided the Greenwich Village gay club, dragging employees and patrons outside.
The violent incident sparked six days of protests in the area around the Christopher Street bar as demonstrators and cops clashed.
