It’s that time of the year when all corporations release limited-edition rainbow-themed products, slap a rainbow filter on their logos and share hashtags about equality and love. But before the pride month turned into a marketing opportunity for businesses, it was a protest. And the history of this protest goes back more than five decades. So if you’ve ever wondered why June, of all months, is celebrated as the pride month, scroll on! It’s one hell of a ride.
Why Is June Pride Month? Tracing The History Of Pride
It all began at the Stonewall Inn. The Stonewall Inn was renowned as a haven for the LGBTQIAP+ community as many queer people thronged to it for socialising. If you know anything about history, you know that people in those days weren’t exactly accepting of queer people. The bar was therefore a safe space for the community in a world that was openly hostile to their existence.
However, everything changed in the wee hours of June 28, 1969. The police raided the Stonewall Inn. These raids at gay bars were almost routine at the time. However, the ‘50s and ‘60s were marked by a number of significant cultural and political movements which instilled a rebellious spirit in the zeitgeist.
This rebellious spirit found its culmination when the police raided the bar that morning. Though, it was not the first time that a gay bar was targeted by the police and subsequently led to protests, it sparked an iconic protest among the people of a community who were tired of being persecuted for expressing themselves freely.
Among the people who were at the forefront of this protest and pushback against the police were activists like Marsha P Johnson, Zazu Nova, Jackie Hormona, Sylvia Rivera and Stormé DeLarverie. The protests, which quickly turned into riots, went on for weeks. They proved to be a defining milestone in the history of queer rights and liberation movement.
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Pride Is First And Foremost A Protest Against Inequality
The following year, people took to the streets to commemorate the struggle and protest at the Stonewall Inn. These marches then became an annual thing which were soon called “Pride Parades.” These marches quickly spread all over the world and became an emblem of equality and freedom.
Today, when the world is finally waking up to the injustices heaped upon the queer community, it might be easy to dismiss the struggle of the early days. However, the riots at the Stonewall Inn are an unequivocal reminder of the fact that Pride is first and foremost a protest. More than a celebration of diversity, it is a dissent against inequality.
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Did you know about this vibrant history of Pride Month? What special activities do you do to celebrate it? Let us know in the comments section below!
Cover Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons
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