It’s Pride month!
Many of you may know that June is all about Pride month, but do you know what Pride month is for?
What is Pride Month?
Pride month is a whole month dedicated to reducing discrimination against the LGBT community, and raising awareness for those in the community who suffer from prejudice every single day. Pride month is all about acceptance for those who are a part of the LGBT community, aiming for total equality across the globe.
What does LGBT stand for?
LGBT stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual. The LGBT community is not just exclusive to those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transsexual, but also a whole community of other genders and sexualities.
What is the history behind Pride?
Pride is a holiday that is celebrated every month which is a time for every individual to be proud of who they are. Pride was originally set in June to commemorate the Stonewall riots back in Manhattan, New York back in 1968. During this time, the LGBT community were not as accepted back then as they are today, meaning a lot of individuals in this community faced a lot of discrimination and prejudice, meaning they could not openly be proud of who they are. Thus, this inequality was not often spoke about in the community, with the common misconception that being gay was actually a disease. However, there were a community of people who did not believe in this oppression, and decided to fight against it.
The riots are named after the Stonewall Inn in New York, which was a gay bar which was raided by the police in an act of discrimination. People did not like this, and started retaliating against the police because of their actions against the Stonewall Inn. This riot took place over 6 days, where people who did not previously speak up decided to protest against the discrimination the gay bar, and many people in the LGBT community, had faced.
Over the years, more and more people, even those who were not in the LGBT community, protested against these acts of prejudice and inequality to achievement complete freedom and acceptance for those who were in the community. However, Pride did not start to become a popular concept during the 1990s and 2000s.
Pride month is now one of the most popular and widely celebrated awareness months across the world, with centre action in New York in the United States. Pride celebrations include huge and colourful street celebrations and parades, often with live music and prideful outfits.
Ultimately, this celebration is to increase solidarity and reduce in equality across the globe, so that every individual feels accepted and proud to be who they are.
How can I get involved with Pride celebrations?
- Attend your local city’s Pride parade – find out when your city is hosting Pride celebrations, and join in! Check your local news channel or newspaper for further information regarding Pride celebrations.
- Actively challenge discrimination – we need to all make it our duty to challenge discriminatory comments against those in the LGBT community to promote equality. So, if you overhear any homophobic or transphobic comments, it is important to challenge these comments wherever you can to reduce discrimination.
- Donate to a LGBT focused charity – such as Stonewall, MindOut or The Proud Trust. Donations help towards supporting those in the LGBT community who are homeless, suffering with their mental health, or even towards fighting for important causes and passing laws for the community.
So, join us in celebrating Pride month!
