The LGBTQ Pride month is celebrated annually during the whole month of June by the LGBTQ community all over the globe to commemorate an uprising that catalysed the Gay liberation movement. It is a month where the LGBTQ communities celebrate the freedom, culture and an arduous journey which they followed to gain its recognition.
Why it is celebrated in the month of June:
During 1960’s when America used to ban homosexuality back then, the police used to often raid gay bars situated in the street of Greenwich Village . They used to make them line up on the street and arrest them.
But on June 28, 1969, things were different as the cops raided the Stonewall Inn, a haven for New York Gay community. The patrons resisted for the first time due to continuous harassment and brutal attacks by the police that led to the rise of riots. It went for several days yet it was not the beginning of the queer movement but the fight sparked a new revolutionary resistance against the oppression and atrocities of the police and a point to stand for the rights of the community. In the next year the marches were officially organised to commemorate the Stonewall Inn riots.
What does LGBTQ stand for:
The LGBTQ often expanded as LGBTQIA+ where L is for Lesbian ,G is for Gay ,B is for Bisexual , T is for Transgender ,Q is for Queer which is often used as a generic term, I for Intersex , A for asexual and the plus sign denotes the inclusion of some others which sometimes include pansexual or fluid sexual.
The origin of the Rainbow Flag:
The rainbow flag often called as the Gay pride flag created by artist Gilbert Baker in 1978 is used as a symbol of LGBTQ pride and its different colours have a special meaning to it. Red is for life, Orange for healing, Yellow is for sunshine ,Green is for Nature, Blue is for harmony whereas Purple denotes spirit.
Who can join the celebration?
The LGBTQIA+ community all over the world join and celebrate this month in order to remember the hardships and pay homage to the community members and the long way they have come now. It also marks the achievement they made in years and what is yet to come. This event provides an opportunity for straight people to join, learn, observe , and educate themselves about the community to pour show support to them.
The Global Pride Day:
The Global Pride day is celebrated on 28,June every year which is marked by colourful parades , concerts and marches but however due to the ongoing pandemic this year ,many events have been called off and have resorted to virtual celebrations.
The significance of the Pride month:
The Pride months takes place in order to both celebrate as well as demand the visibility, acceptance and legal rights to safeguard the basic rights of the people from the community.
While LGBTQ community has battled many discriminatory fights, and have paved a way for themselves by bringing in some change, there is still a long way to go. Unfortunately there are many countries that still have not decriminalised the mere act of loving someone. Pride Month reminds us about all that the LGBTQ community has achieved and the struggle that still persists and most importantly helps us remember the most basic thing, ‘Love is love’.