In many parts of the world, June is known as Pride Month, with celebrations recognising the LGBTQ population and their battle against discrimination and social exclusion. Regular streets around the world are painted in rainbow colours, with joyful festivals and a plethora of pride marches filled with love. Take a look at some of the places in India where pride month is celebrated with zeal.
Pride month is not only a month-long celebration, but also an opportunity to peacefully protest and raise political awareness of current issues affecting the LGBTQ community. Parades are a prominent feature of Pride month, and there are many street parties, community events, poetry readings, public speaking, street festivals and educational sessions all of which are covered by mainstream media and attracting millions of participants.
The New York Pride Parade is one of the most well-known and largest parades in the world, with an estimated 500,000 spectators by the time it celebrated its 25th anniversary.
Pride Month is significant because it heralds the beginning of significant change within the LGBT+ community, as well as societal ramifications.
Although attitudes and injustice still remain, we have come a long way since the riots of 1969 and by continuing in this long standing tradition we continue to raise awareness, improve the attitudes of society and encourage inclusiveness.
What happened during the Stonewall Riots?
The riots were sparked by a raid at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, in the early hours of the morning. The LGBT community protested the raid with a series of spontaneous, often violent demonstrations, calling for the establishment of places where gays and lesbians could come out and be open about their sexual orientation. There should be no fear of being detained in such places.
The riots served as a spur for LGBT rights, and two gay activist groups started in New York within six months. Many homosexual rights organisations have sprung up in the years since the event. Not just in the United States, but all across the world.
LGBTQ+, or Gay Pride, is a term that refers to a group of people who identify as
It’s a movement that encourages people to embrace their sexual differences. It is a form of protest by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons against prejudice and violence. It supports their dignity, equality, and self-affirmation, as well as raising society’s awareness of the problems they confront.
Who Was the First to Commemorate June?
Brenda Howard, dubbed the “Mother of Pride,” was the organiser of the inaugural LGBT Pride march.
What do the colours of the Pride flag mean?
The renowned rainbow flag, designed by gay artist Gilbert Baker, is the original Pride flag. Harvey Milk, San Francisco’s first openly gay public official, commissioned Baker to design a Pride symbol in 1978. Some members of the LGBTQIA+ community wanted to reclaim the pink triangle from the Nazis, but many others believed the community deserved a new symbol that didn’t have such a bleak history.
Hope it helps!
