Global perspective Human stories

‘So freeing’ to come out as ‘a lesbian and a feminist’

‘So freeing’ to come out as ‘a lesbian and a feminist’

Download

Back in 1976 Linda Tyson came out as “a lesbian and a feminist”, she told UN News on the sidelines of the 2019 New York City LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] Pride March on Fifth Avenue, long before the UN-GLOBE joined the World Pride parade.

Pointing out that it was the same year the United States commemorated its bicentennial, she acknowledged that while the world’s consciousness was not very raised at that time, her experience was “so freeing”.

Fast-forward to 50 years after the infamous Stonewall Riots in Greenwich Village that kicked off the gay rights movement, and people today are still “coming out” of the closet “layer-by-layer”.

As the streets of Manhattan buzzed with excitement and pride, Ms. Tyson, now 69-year-old, told Liz Scaffidi about her early experience, when she walked in solidarity.

Audio Credit
Liz Scaffidi, UN News
Audio
3'55"
Photo Credit
UN News/Elizabeth Scaffidi