LGBTQIA+ Pride Month

June is LGBTQIA+ Pride Month

LGBTQIA+ pertains collectively to people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (or questioning their gender), intersex, asexual, (or their allies). LGBTQIA+ Pride Month takes place in June.

The month-long celebration is when the world’s LGBTQIA+ communities come together. They join to remember the history and struggle of the community for equal rights and recognition of its members as a distinct social group. Events celebrating diversity are held throughout the world during the month of June. Originally created to mark the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, its purpose and inclusiveness has expanded in the decades since. The rainbow flag is one of the symbols of pride. Wear a rainbow pin or awareness ribbon in honor of Pride Month.

Honoring the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan

LGBTQIA+ Pride Month is currently celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. The Stonewall Uprising was a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. In the United States the last Sunday in June was initially celebrated as “Gay Pride Day.” However, the actual day was flexible. In major cities across the nation the “day” soon grew to encompass a month-long series of events.

Wear a Rainbow Ribbon for LGBTQIA+Pride Month

LGBTQIA+ Pride Month focuses on eliminating prejudice everywhere it exists. It also celebrates the great diversity of the American people. Memorials are held during LGBTQIA+Pride Month for those members of the community who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS. The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the positive impact that LGBTQIA+ individuals have had on the world.

The History of Pride Month and Traditions

The first Pride march in New York City was held on June 28, 1970. It took place on the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. Primary sources available at the Library of Congress provide detailed information about how this first Pride march was planned. It also explains why activists felt so strongly that it should exist. The concept behind the initial Pride march came from members of the Eastern Regional Conference of Homophile Organizations (ERCHO). They had been organizing an annual July 4th demonstration (1965-1969) known as the “Reminder Day Pickets,” at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. At the ERCHO Conference in November 1969, the 13 homophile organizations in attendance voted to pass a resolution to organize a national annual demonstration, to be called Christopher Street Liberation Day.

By all estimates, there were three to five thousand marchers at the inaugural Pride in New York City. Today, marchers in New York City number in the millions. Since 1970, LGBTQIA+ people have continued to gather together in June to march with Pride and demonstrate for equal rights.

LGBTQIA+ Pride Month Celebrations

Today, celebrations include pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia and concerts, and LGBTQIA+ Pride Month events attract millions of participants around the world. Memorials are held during this month for those members of the community who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS. The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally. Wear a rainbow ribbon for LGBTQIA+ Pride Month.