The President of the United States, Barack Obama, has declared his administration’s wish to declare the first national park monument to recognize gay rights and honor the LGBT community for their struggle.
The national park to be designated will be located on a green space that surrounds Greenwich Village in New York City, to mark it as the birthplace of the gay liberation movement in North America.
The Village
The monument will be located in Greenwich Village and it will be the first one to be located by a bar with narrow streets surrounding it.
“The Village” as some may refer to it, is a neighborhood located on the west side of lower Manhattan. It has been labeled as the bohemian capital of the modern LGBT movement. It is most recognized for its colorful and alternative culture.
The neighborhood has been the location for new movements and ideas that include political views, artistic and cultural. Some people have categorized it as avant-garde because of the small art galleries and experimental theater that emerged during the 19th and 20th century.
Many famous artists have lived in “The Village” some of which include: Salvador Dalí, Andy Warhol, Walt Whitman and Anais Nin.
A first-ever national park that recognizes the LGBT community
On June 28, 1969, a series of protests started at the site after a police raided the Stonewall Inn, a location that was frequently attended by gay men. The protests lasted for six days and marked the start of the crackdown of the gay tabú.
According to the Washington Post, Federal officials that include the Secretary Sally Jewell and the National Park Service Director there will be holding listening sessions on May 9 to investigate the history of the location.
The Obama administration wants to designate the area as a National Park as soon as next month.
Rep. Jerrold Nadler has stated the importance of this movement “We must ensure that we never forget the legacy of Stonewall, the history of discrimination against LGBT community or the impassioned individuals who have fought to overcome it” Said Nadler in a statement.
President Obama also issued the statement assuring that it was a critical event in the nation stating that “all of us are created equal”
The monument comes at a time when the country has approved equal marriage, yet politicians in selected states are moving legal protections for gay, transgender, lesbian and bisexual residents of the country.
Source: Washington Post