Come June and the world prepares to celebrate Pride Month to honor the LGBTQ+ community.
People started to recognize June as Pride Month from June 11, 1999. It was recognized after the then-President Bill Clinton officially declared June as a Gay and Lesbian Pride Month.
In 2009, President Barack Obama made amendments to the earlier proclamation. The new legislation also included bisexual and transgender individuals. Today, Pride Month celebrates the full spectrum of LGBTQ+. The month welcomes all the identities, such as asexual, intersex, pansexual, nonbinary, and others.
What is Pride Month?
Pride Month has emerged as a platform for the LGBTQ+ community to celebrate its culture and advocate for equal rights. Throughout June, people worldwide host events, organize protests, take out rallies and remember those who lost their lives to HIV/AIDS.
The month witnesses both activism and celebration and discusses how far the LGBTQ+ community has come while continuing to fight for further progress.
The Rainbow Flag and Pride Month
During the month, people come out with pride flags, which is considered as a symbol of LGBTQ+ pride. The flag was first designed by artist Gilbert Baker in 1978. There are six colors in the flag and each color carries a specific meaning. Red stands for life, yellow for sunshine, orange for healing, green for nature, purple for spirit and blue for harmony. The original version had two more colors, hot pink and turquoise. Hot pink was for sex and turquoise was for magic and art.
The pride flag has evolved over the years. It now reflects the diversity within the LGBTQ+ community. Graphic designer Daniel Quasar in 2021 introduced a new version. It incorporated black and brown stripes representing diversity and inclusivity.
Why Is June Commemorated As Pride Month?
Pride Month is celebrated in June to mark the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. Police raided the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar in New York City’s Greenwich Village, on June 28, 1969. When the police came, unlike earlier raids, the patrons resisted. This incident sparked a series of demonstrations known as the Stonewall Riots.
Riots lasted for several days and became the foundation of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. The Stonewall Inn was declared a New York City historic landmark in 2015. It was designated a national monument by President Obama in 2016.
First Pride Month Started 55 Years Ago
225 marks the 55th year of the first Pride parade. The first parade was held in 1970 just one year after the Stonewall Uprising. S
Also Read: Hungary Sees Huge Anti-Government Protests for LGBTQ+ Rights and Democracy
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
