Madonna closes Pride celebrations in NYC: 'I’m so proud and honored to share this...with you'
As Pride Month wound down over the weekend, Madonna closed the celebrations with a bang in New York, performing on "Pride Island" at the city's Pier 97.
Attendees were celebrating 50 years of the U.S. gay rights movement, which began in June of 1969 at the Stonewall Inn in Manhattan's Greenwich Village.
"50 years, people!" Madonna told the crowd. “Fifty years of revolution. Fifty years of freedom and fighting. Fifty years of putting up with discrimination, hatred and ignorance ... Fifty years of blood, sweat and tears. Fifty years of not bowing down to fear. And we have been on this journey together and I am so proud and honored to share this historical event with you."
Madonna, who has been a superstar for almost 40 years and an LGBTQ supporter for just as long, added that "it's like I've been waiting my whole life for this moment!"
The singer famously lived in New York during her early years in music.
"Since I came to New York as a wee little girl, I have always been embraced by Queer Nation. I always felt like an outsider, but you made me feel like an insider, like a somebody ... So you must know how much I love and appreciate everyone here," she said.
Madonna's set opened with "Vogue" and continued with "American Life" before moving on to material from her new album, "Madame X."
She also gave a speech about gun control prior to her new song on that topic, "God Control," and she closed with "I Rise," an anthem of resistance.
You can watch fan-shot video of the entire performance on YouTube.
