Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month is celebrated each year in June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. The Stonewall Uprising was crucial for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. It occurred at the Stonewall Inn, which is a nightclub and haven for the city's LGBTQIA+ community.
After the riots, the Stonewall Inn became a rallying spot for activists and the first Gay Pride parade in June 1970. This inaugural parade inspired activists around the world to then organize their own local parades, beginning a rally for LGBTQIA+ visibility and rights worldwide. In addition to local parades, memorials are held during Pride for those community members who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS.
The purpose of Pride is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally. While Pride is associated with celebration and flamboyance, it's important to recognize that it's rooted in social justice and activism (Library of Congress; San Diego Mesa College Library).
Top left: marchers participating in the first Pride Parade in New York, 1970; top right: March P. Johnson and bottom left: Sylvia Rivera, both of whom were gay liberation and transgender rights activists and prominent figures in the Stonewall Uprising; bottom right: marchers participating in the first Pride Parade in Boston, 1970
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