And their efforts were successful: in 1998, President Bill Clinton issued an executive order promoting equal employment opportunity in the Federal government by prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation. These groups led the way in advocating for LGBTQI rights and raising awareness throughout the 70s and 80s. PFLAG (Parents, Family, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays).GLAAD (formerly the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation).The Stonewall Uprising brought attention to LGBTQI issues – although at the time we did not use the acronym LGBTQI – and resulted in the organization of many gay and sexual minority rights and advocacy groups, some of which are still active today, including:
And while the events surrounding it were not the true beginning of the Gay Pride/LGBTQI movement in the U.S., they were a pivotal moment in its history. The Stonewall Riot soon became known as the Stonewall Uprising. Rather, they were reacting to and protesting legal, institutional discrimination against members of the LGBTQ community. This means the protesters weren’t simply reacting to unwritten practices of the NYPD.
To put that in context, it’s important to remember that in 1969, soliciting homosexual relations was illegal in New York City. Though the disturbances were not pre-planned, observers at the time noted that what the police called riots were more akin a public uprising against police harassment and discrimination against sexual minorities. Clashes between citizens and police continued for five days. In minutes, a full-scale riot involving hundreds of people broke out. Soon, the witnesses intervened on behalf of the Stonewall patrons. The police hit, pushed, shoved, and showed a level of aggression and hostility that, in the minds of the onlookers, was completely unwarranted. They disliked the way Stonewall patrons were being treated. Eyewitness and victim accounts report police were unnecessarily rough and violent during the course of the raid.Īs the police brought the Stonewall patrons outside to load them into paddy wagons and cart them off to jail, a crowd made up of neighborhood residents, other patrons, and passers-by stopped to watch the commotion. In the early hours of that Saturday morning – for reasons related to corruption and reported mafia ties, completely unrelated to sexual or gender orientation – the police raided The Stonewall and arrested 13 patrons and employees.
#What month is gay pride month 2019 series
However, what many people don’t know is that the festivities of Gay Pride Month are the direct result of a series of events that began on June 28 th, 1969 in an around The Stonewall Inn – a bar frequented by members of the LGBTQ community – in Greenwich Village, New York City. Participants fly the Rainbow Flag high and take to the streets in to commemorate their freedom and remind the nation – and the world – of their presence and importance to our culture. Nationwide, the LGBTQI community shows up in their millions in big cities, small towns, and everywhere in between. To most people in the U.S., Gay Pride month means colorful parades, concerts, and events filled with joyful celebration.
This year, Pride Month is special: it’s the 50 th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, a watershed moment in LGBTQI history that led to what we now know as Pride Month. To learn how Evolve helps LGBTQI Teens, please read these three articles: They live in small towns, villages, and rural areas, too.Īll of us at Evolve Treatment Centers stand in support of our LGBTQ family members, peers, coworkers, and loved ones. Gay people live on every continent, every country, and in every big city on earth. They demonstrate to everyone that the gay community is part of the fabric of human society and culture. Gay Pride events happen throughout the month of June all over the globe. Collectively, the events are known as Gay Pride Month. Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest RedditĮvery year in June, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, and Intersex community organizes and participates in a series of marches, festivals, celebrations, and events to raise knowledge and awareness about the presence and history of LGBTQ individuals in our society.