WHITE HOUSE TO CELEBRATE STONEWALL

American president Barack Obama has invited LGBT families, volunteers and activists to the White House next Monday in order to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots.

The 1969 Greenwich Village, New York, demonstrations are said have been the start of the modern gay rights movement.

Despite the LGBT community’s growing frustration with the president, it is unclear if he will address the guests on gay rights and his campaign promise to repeal the Defence of Marriage Act and the “don’t ask, don’t tell” military policy.

Writing in the New York Times’ The Caucus Blog, Sheryl Gay Stolberg reported that one person who was invited to the event said that the White House is billing it as a celebration similar to the festive affairs the administration holds on St. Patrick’s Day.

Another said that the invite requested that they bring a partner, adding “They want people to understand that their partners are welcome.”