Some people, not all, may not know what Pride Month means or think it's a month full of parades and rainbows. Some background and info on this first day of June to kick off Pride Month! I really hope this doesn't get moved to the cave.
What is Pride Month?
Pride Month is a time for the LGBTQIA+ community and allies to come together in celebration, solidarity, activism, reflection, and support of all LGBTQIA+ people (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual).
While a Pride Parade or Pride March are often part of Pride celebrations, there’s more to this holiday than parades. Pride can be a meaningful time to learn about the historical and present struggles and exclusion of LGBTQIA+ people.
How did Pride begin?
Pride originated as a celebration of the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising (sometimes called the Stonewall Riots). In the early hours of June 28, 1969, police conducted a raid on a gay bar called the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City.
Unfortunately, during this time, being gay was a criminal offense. In fact, it was illegal to serve alcohol to a gay person until 1966. Raids on gay bars were standard procedure, but this raid would go down in history as the birth of the Pride movement.
Led by courageous transwomen, people at the Stonewall Inn protested the raid, leading to a six-day-long resistance. By just the second evening, thousands of protestors had gathered. Confrontation, violence, and escalation ensued for nearly a week. In the aftermath of Stonewall, many people became more engaged in activism and advocating for the equal treatment for LGBT people.
The first Pride march was held one year later, on June 28, 1970.
Pride Language Glossary
Language is ever-evolving – and that’s a good thing! Below, I am sharing a brief glossary of a few commonly-used words related to Pride Month.
- LGBTQIA: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer & Questioning, Intersex, Asexual & Agender
- Queer: Once used an an insult, “queer” has been reclaimed as a descriptive adjective that many people use proudly. The dictionary definition of queer as “strange; odd” is becoming much less common and can be demeaning to people who identify their sexual orientation as “queer.”
- Cisgender: Sometimes referred to as “cis,” a cisgender person is someone who identifies with the gender they were assigned at birth.
- Transgender / Trans: A transgender or trans person is someone whose gender identity does not align with the gender they were assigned at birth. Trans people may or may not take steps to transition.
Pride Flag FYI
The Rainbow Flag, the international symbol of LGBTQ+ community, was designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978. It used to be comprised of 8 colors, which were later cut down to six - red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet (removing hot pink and integrating turquoise and indigo into royal blue).
Every colour on the flag has its meaning:
- Red = life
- Orange = healing
- Yellow = sunlight
- Green = nature
- Blue = harmony
- Violet = spirit
LGBTQIA+ Famous Quotes:
- "It takes no compromise to give people their rights ... it takes no money to respect the individual. It takes no political deal to give people freedom. It takes no survey to remove repression." - Harvey Milk
- "There’s nothing wrong with you. There’s a lot wrong with the world you live in." - Chris Colfer
- "I think being gay is a blessing, and it's something I am thankful for every single day.' - Anderson Cooper
- "When all Americans are treated as equal, no matter who they are or whom they love, we are all more free." - Barack Obama
Happy Pride Month!
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