Donatella Versace at Stonewall Day

Chief Creative Officer, Donatella Versace speaks at Stonewall Day celebrating #Pride. “I’m proud to be here with all of you, on such a historic day to honor and celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising. I’m here to add my voice to those who are still fighting to create a world in which every one is treated equally and with respect, a world in which we are all free to express ourselves and our different identities because that’s what makes us who we are. My brother Gianni was gay. I was the first person he came out to. I was a little 11 year-old girl, in one of the most conservative parts of Italy. I did not care who my brother loved. I cared only for his well-being and for his happiness. If a little girl from the South of Italy could understand that, then surely we can all try and be more understanding of each other, kinder to each other and embrace everyone who is different from us. I’m here to lend my voice to all those who aren’t listened to, who are bullied, who are discriminated against and who are persecuted. I’m here to tell them that they’re not alone and that there IS hope. It can appear today that the places where you and I live are considered accepting, however discrimination still exists, often under the surface and in too many places around the world, hate crimes and violence against LGBTQ+ people haven’t gone away. When I look out at all of you, I see the world as it should be, and as it can be. A world where we celebrate each other, where we wear our love on our sleeves – quite literally in my case – where we embrace and honor the legacy of our past to empower our future. I’m grateful to all of you for having me here today and for allowing me to be a part of the Stonewall celebration. Thank you so much.” Discover more: http://e-versace.com/pride #StonewallDay #StonewallAmbassadors #Stonewall50 #PrideLive #Pride