What is Pride Month, and why do people celebrate it?
[English subtitles are available]
Throughout history, the struggle for social justice and equality has been of great importance for different groups of people.
Minority groups, often subject to various forms of discrimination and pressure, do not have the opportunity to voice their concerns. And public events and movements are the means through which people can talk about issues that are important to them.
An example of this is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month, which is now celebrated each year in June in the form of parades, events, and celebrations. The purpose of Pride Month is to support LGBT people in the fight for civil equality for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Pride Month is an opportunity to remind everyone that millions of people worldwide continue to face discrimination and to draw attention to the fact that human rights continue to be violated with impunity.
To understand the origins of the pride movement, we must go back to June 28, 1969, when the police raided the “Stonewall Inn” bar in Greenwich Village, New York, and the local LGBT community did not bow to police brutality. The protest, which lasted several days, is known as the “Stonewall Riots” and is considered the turning point from which the LGBT rights movement was born. Since then, activists have decided to hold annual mass rallies in memory of Stonewall on the one hand and in support of the LGBT community on the other.
However, Stonewall was not the beginning of the LGBT movement. LGBT activists worldwide have been fighting for their rights since at least the 1920s, but the anger and enthusiasm generated by the Stonewall riots helped shift the LGBT movement to a different platform. Media coverage of the Stonewall riots has shown people what problems LGBT people face and how they can be supported.
Brenda Howard, known as the “Mother of Pride”, organized the first LGBT pride march in 1970 and came up with the idea for a week-long pride parade that became the basis for the annual LGBT pride celebrations.
Today’s celebrations include pride marches, parties, workshops, symposiums, and concerts. Millions of people around the world attend LGBT Pride Month events. During the month, events are held in memory of those who died due to hate crimes. The events’ purpose is to highlight the impact of LGBT people on history.
Pride Month celebrations are held in different ways around the world. In cities like Amsterdam, New York, Paris, San Francisco and São Paulo, Pride Month events typically draw hundreds of thousands to a million visitors annually. Representatives of political parties participate in the pride parade in Israel and express their support for the LGBT community, emphasizing once again the importance of the human rights protection of LGBT people. An event called “Pink Dot” in Singapore is particularly interesting because during the event participants gather to form a “pink dot” in support of diversity and freedom of love.
Studying the origins and history of the pride movement allows us to broaden our horizons, be aware of LGBT issues, and understand the meaning of Pride Month.
