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The gay rights movement has taken a leap forward in the past few years, with the Pride movement being at its heart. It’s an important month that celebrates individuality, inclusion, and diversity.
Find out more about what Pride Month is, when Pride Month started, and how you can go about celebrating the month, either as an ally or part of the community.
What is Pride Month?
Pride Month is a month dedicated to the LGBTQIA+ community, celebrating and commemorating the culture of the gay rights movement and raising awareness of the struggles that have occurred in the past and continue to occur today. Initially started in the United States, the celebration has become an international event that people all over the world look forward to.
When did it start?
The idea of Pride Month started with the Stonewall Riots, a series of riots for gay liberation across the United States after a police raid of the Stonewall Inn in 1969. Rioting led to a series of marches across the country that stood up for gay rights, with following years becoming more of a celebration of culture and rights after earlier protests succeeded.
Which month is it celebrated?
The majority of Pride celebrations all across the world are held in June every year. However, some major population centers have poor weather conditions in June, moving the celebration to a different time. For example, the February date in Auckland, New Zealand, makes the weather far more bearable.
Raise awareness of LGBTQIA+ issues
One of the main benefits of Pride Month is that it raises awareness of ongoing LGBTQIA+ issues. For example, the issues that people are having in certain areas of the world are likely to be brought to the fore throughout June. It’s an opportunity to not only celebrate for a lot of people, but to shine a light on injustices that exist today that puts pressure on authorities to make real change.
Build communities and promote acceptance
People are at their most comfortable when they are in a community, surrounded by people that have had the same issues as them and fight against the same injustices. Pride Month is an opportunity to surround yourself with people that understand your concerns and troubles, that have their own stories and that can listen to your issues. With a community around you, it is much easier to feel safe and accepted by those that surround you.
Support local Pride events
Local Pride events come in all shapes and sizes. Some of the most visible are parades and marches, but these are far from the only events that take place during Pride Month. Seek out other events such as talks, diversity and equality speakers, or support groups and give them your support. These are some of the less visible options but can be the most helpful to educating people outside the movement or helping people understand more about their own identity.
Stand in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community
If you are not personally a part of the community, there’s no reason for you to avoid Pride Month. In fact, it’s the perfect opportunity for you to show your love and support for the movement. You can attend any events you like as an ally, discussing experiences with people and learning about their struggles. Public support is a must if the road toward equality is to continue, and that’s where people outside the community are essential to keeping progress going.
Celebrate diversity and inclusion
The entire point of Pride Month is to take pride not only in who you are, but to celebrate who other people get to be. People of all cultures, genders, sexual preferences and disabilities attend Pride Month, so take the opportunity to meet all of them and learn from them. At the end of the day, we are all human, and we all deserve to be treated as such. By celebrating diversity, we support the push for inclusion that everyone should have.
How can you celebrate Pride?
You can celebrate Pride however you like. Some people choose to attend small support groups, with others being part of larger parades and marches. Ultimately you get to celebrate Pride in a way that suits you. As long as you do so with love and good intentions, you’ll be welcomed to the celebrations with open arms.
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