Why Pride Month?
Stonewall Inn: Where it all started
Pride Month is meant to commemorate the riots that happened on Stonewall, in June 1969.
In case you’ve never heard about this historic event, here's a bit of context: It was a summer night in Greenwich Village, New York, when the cops burst into the Stonewall Inn, demanding to ‘check the sex’ of some of the bar’s customers by physical examination, arresting people and making them wait inside police vehicles. These actions didn’t go unnoticed, and the crowd (tired and angry at the police’s homophobia) stood up and fought, forcing the cops to retreat.
This incident was certainly not the first example of police’s mistreatment of LGBTQIA people in New York City (and around the world); it’s one of many examples of discrimination that took place (and still does) against the community. What made this moment different from others is the momentum it gained—it gave new power to the “Gay liberation” movement, and a year later, the first Pride Parade took place.
This first event was organized by bisexual activist Brenda Howard in New York on the 28th of June 1970 and it was originally named the “Christopher Street Gay Liberation Day,” referring to the street where the Stonewall Inn riots happened.
PHOTO BY DIANA DAVIES, THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
Pride in different parts of the world
What happened at Stonewall Inn was a catalyst for Pride marches all over the globe. The Pride parade doesn’t happen at the same time in every country, but the spirit is always the same. For example:
In Tel Aviv, Israel, Pride happens between June 6 and June 25 and the main march takes place on the last day.
In Copenhagen, Pride will take place from August 15 to August 22
In Madrid, marches this year will be happening from June 25 – July 3
In Paris, events will happen in Le Marais, Paris’ gay district on June 25
In Montreal, Pride Festival will take place from August 8 – August 14
Learn more about Parades around the world or find out when your local Pride will happen here.
Why is Pride important?
The significance of Pride can be different for every LGBTQIA identifying individual around the world, but there’s a message that gathers us all: Keep fighting for our rights.
Here go a few other reasons:
Remember the history of LGBTQ+ activists and what they did, even putting their lives in danger, to accomplish the reality we live in today. And there is SO MUCH MORE TO DO AND SO MUCH MORE TO FIGHT FOR.
March for a sense of community—to be together, see each eye-to-eye and remember WE’RE NOT ALONE.
To celebrate who we are and to show the world that THIS IS WHAT BEING PROUD OF YOURSELF LOOKS LIKE! No matter what anyone else has to say.
What are your reasons to be proud?
Make a post and share it with us on social media
at @mysexbio :)
This Pride Month, on My Sex Bio, we’ll be highlighting insights from significant LGBTQIA members of our community. Stay tuned to read what they have to share with us!
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