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The History of Pride Month
Pride Month is celebrated every June as a tribute to those who were involved in the Stonewall Riots. With parades, festivals, and concerts going on across the globe, there’s always some way for you to get involved — as well as learn some important social history along the way.
On a hot summer’s night in New York on June 28, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay club in Greenwich Village, which resulted in bar patrons, staff, and neighborhood residents rioting onto Christopher Street outside. Among the many leaders of the riots was a black, trans, bisexual woman, Marsha P. Johnson, leading the movement to continue over six days with protests and clashes. The message was clear — protestors demanded the establishment of places where LGBT+ people could go and be open about their sexual orientation without fear of arrest.
Pride Month is largely credited as being started by bisexual activist Brenda Howard. Known as ‘The Mother of Pride,’ Brenda organized Gay Pride Week and the Christopher Street Liberation Day Parade a year after the Stonewall Riots. This eventually morphed into what we now know as the New York City Pride March and was the catalyst for the formation of similar parades and marches across the world.
Former President Bill Clinton was the first U.S. President to officially recognize Pride Month in 1999 and 2000. Then, from 2009 to 2016, Former President Barack Obama declared June LGBT Pride Month. In May 2019, Former President Donald Trump recognized Pride Month with a tweet announcing that his administration had launched a global campaign to decriminalize homosexuality, although critics have noted that actions speak louder than words.
The New York Pride Parade is one of the largest and most well-known parades to take place, with over 2 million people estimated to have taken part in 2019
Traditions for Pride Month
Pride Month is for everyone to embrace who they are and let the world know — in style! The rainbow aptly signifies the colorful activities and flavors of this month-long celebration. These include massive rallies, pride parades, parties, workshops, concerts, and countless more LGBTQ+ events to attract participants from all over. The Pride community takes huge pride in their movement, going all out for the festivities with elaborate costumes, makeup, and, of course, glitter — so that they sparkle for the whole world to see!
Commemorations and memorials are also held for members of the community who have lost their lives to hate crimes and HIV/AIDS. Campaigns and rallies aim to promote and preserve the history and well-being of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.