Press Release
LGBTIQ Activists from 20+ Countries Rally at Stonewall Inn with NYC Leaders One Month After Pride Flag Removal
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March 12, 2026
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Outright International's annual Advocacy Week brings human rights defenders from six continents to New York as rights face rollbacks in the U.S. and around the world.
NEW YORK, NY — Dozens of LGBTIQ human rights defenders from more than 20 countries gathered at the Stonewall Inn today alongside New York City Council members, community leaders, and local activists to show a display of global solidarity, one month after the Trump administration removed the Pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument.
The gathering took place during Outright International's annual Advocacy Week, which brings human rights defenders from around the world to the United Nations each year to meet with diplomats and UN officials and press for LGBTIQ equality on the global stage.
Council Member Justin Sanchez, co-chair of the New York City Council's LGBTQIA+ Caucus, affirmed the city's commitment to LGBTIQ equality. “Today’s gathering is a testament to Stonewall’s significance as a landmark for our city, our country, and the entire world in the fight for equality and pride. People travel from every corner of the globe to stand here to honor the history and to connect with other queer people and share their lived experience and celebrate who they are together. As a New Yorker, I'm so proud that this very special place is right here in our city.”
Assemblymember Harry B. Bronson also affirmed that “New York must continue to serve as an example for dignity, autonomy, and the right to live safely as your authentic self. As a LGBTQ+ New York State Assemblymember, I will continue fighting for rights and provisions that defend our community and protect our right to live authentically.”
Stacy Lentz, CEO of the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative (SIGBI) and co-owner of the Stonewall Inn, spoke to the urgency of the moment. "LGBTQ+ rights are under assault not just here in the U.S., but all around the world. That's why it's more important than ever that SIGBI and Outright stand in solidarity with activists globally, supporting the faces, spaces, and places that need us the most," said Lentz.
Maria Sjödin, Executive Director of Outright International, emphasized the significance of the gathering at a moment of global backlash. "When rights are rolled back anywhere, it affects LGBTIQ people everywhere. That is exactly why we bring human rights defenders from six continents to UN Headquarters each year because solidarity across borders is not optional, it is our strategy."
This year's Advocacy Week convenes activists from Australia, Belgium, Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Fiji, Georgia, Hong Kong, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
More than five decades after the Stonewall riots, activists continue to lead struggles for equal rights across the world. “Visibility is important, but it is certainly not more important than having food to eat and shelter to live in. Globally, our movement needs to shift its focus more toward social and economic rights. We must win the fight against the political and business elites who benefit from our exploitation and try to divide us,” Mari Kurtanidze, a queer activist from Georgia, asserted.Outright International thanks Stacy Lentz, the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative, and the Stonewall Inn for hosting this gathering, and the Ali Forney Center for connecting Outright with New York-based activists and legislators.
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