Pride Month

Pride Month is a time for LGBTQ+ people to uplift and celebrate their freedom to live authentically. The LGBTQ+ community deserves affirmed, safe, supported, joyful, and mentally healthy lives.

“Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) 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,’ but the actual day was flexible. In major cities across the nation the ‘day’ soon grew to encompass a month-long series of events. Today, celebrations include pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia and concerts, and LGBTQ 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.” (Library of Congress)

The rainbow flag — created by artist Gilbert Baker in 1978 — is used as a symbol of LGBTQ pride, but did you know that each color on the flag has its own meaning? In the widely known six-color flag, red is symbolic of life, orange is healing, yellow is sunshine, green is nature, blue represents harmony and purple is spirit. In the original eight-color flag, hot pink was included to represent sex and turquoise to represent magic/art. In 2021, the flag was altered in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter protests, including black to represent diversity, brown to represent inclusivity and light blue and pink, the colors of the Trans pride flag.

Pride Month is for everyone to embrace who they are and let the world know — in style! The rainbow appropriately signifies the colorful activities of this month-long celebration. These include rallies, pride parades, parties, workshops, concerts, and countless more LGBTQ+ events to attract participants from all over. The Pride community takes great pride in their movement, going all out for the festivities with elaborate costumes, makeup, and more!

Originally the last Sunday in June was celebrated as “Gay Pride Day,” but the actual day was flexible. President Bill Clinton first designated it as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month on June 11, 1999, with President Barack Obama proclaiming it Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month 10 years later.

Commemorations and memorials are also held for members of the community who have lost their lives to hate crimes and HIV/AIDS. Campaigns and rallies aim to promote and preserve the history and well-being of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and transgender community.