Early in the morning of on 28 June 1969 the police again raided the Stonewall Inn in Christopher Street, Grenwich Village, New York. It was just more harassment of the trannies, gays and lesbians who had to hide their illegal activities in illegal bars.

This night, however, was different. We fought back. While the police were escorting those they had arrested to the paddy waggons a riot brok out. Coins, beer cans and later bricks were thrown at the police. Cars were overturned. The riots continued the next night.

We celebrate this event as the birth of the modern Gay and Lesbian PRIDE movement. In those 40 years we have been fighting for equal rights.

We have come a long way since 1969 and have lots of cause for celebration. We are no longer classified as mentally ill. It is not illegal to have sex with a member of the same sex in most countries. We have recognition of our relationships. We have legal protections from discrimination.

But we are not yet equal. There are still rights given to heterosexuals that we are unable to claim. We are denied equal recognition of our relationships. In some countries we are killed if we are lesbian or gay. There is stil a lot of homophobia. We do not have equal rights and so must continue the fight.