It’s finally June, which means it’s Pride Month! Pride Month is an annual celebration, during the entirety of June, of achievements of the 1969 Stonewall Riots by members of the LGBTQ+ community. The community is still pursuing equal rights and justice, but many come together and celebrate what they have gained, due to events like the Stonewall Riots, during the month of June. From the beginning to end of the month, every day is dedicated to the uplifting and support of LGBTQ voices and rights. 

To celebrate, there are parades/marches, protests, drag performances, festivals, memorials, and celebrations for members of the community who lost their lives to HIV/AIDS throughout the month of June each year. Although there are no official dates established that these events take place, NYC Pride organizes a day every June for a parade. This year- 2022 -there will be a pride march/parade June 26 starting at 12 P.M.- starting around Lower Manhattan south of Fifth Avenue, through Greenwich Village, and passing the Stonewall National Monument which is an important place that sparked the modern Gay Rights movement.

Gay activists like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, both transgender activists, led protests and marches in response to a police raid that began in the early morning of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, in Greenwich Village. Very few places accepted LGBTQ+ people, and it was considered illegal to have a place only for LGBTQ+ people to meet up. For protection, places that were created to be LGBTQ+ friendly had bribed people, like police or Mafia, to send a message in advance of a raid by the police. The Stonewall Inn was a “private secret” gay club, because there was a policy that prohibited gay people from being served alcoholic beverages- called the State Liquor Authority. As a result, police often raided gay bars and clubs and arrested people who were inside.

Anyone can come and enjoy any of these events during Pride Month to show support for the community and to have fun. However, many parades and marches are organized by a small community and rely on the message spreading by mouth or social media. They are not as big as the parade by NYC Pride, but are still fun to attend to show support or celebrate with the LGBTQ+ community!