By: Ellaha Salehy
June 15, 2021
June is known internationally as Pride month, a time where members of the LGBTQ2+ hold celebrations and recognize the heroes of the past that made it possible for everybody to be themselves. There are a lot of people that bring up the question “Why is pride month important?” or “Why should it matter to me what someone’s sexuality is?” These questions unfortunately don’t recognize what past LGBTQ2+ members have been through to get to this point.
Pride month is celebrated during this month to coincide with the Stonewall riot that happened in New York City in 1969. Police raided a popular gay bar, The Stonewall Inn, and the guests fought back. This started an uprising and the Stonewall riots, which lasted for days. This event is said to be a ‘gay liberation’, and only a year after the riot, the first pride parade happened in 1970, making 2021 the 51st anniversary of the first parade.
The month-long celebration is held to honor the fight and the struggle that people who are a part of the LGBTQ2+ community go through. The fight isn’t just the people who protested for decades simply to have rights; the struggle continues today with having to come out to your family, friends, and peers. The thought of rejection and bad reactions from those you care about most is scary for a multitude of people.
Although people have become more accepting of LGBTQ2+ members, there are still many who don’t agree and homophobia is still prevalent. The use of pronouns and different gender identities are becoming increasingly popular lately, and this is something that may be difficult for older generations to fully understand, and some,unfortunately, refuse to understand. A number of people push away the concept and tell teens or young adults that they are making it up, which can invalidate someone’s feelings or even just invalidate them as a whole.
Pride month is very important to celebrate and recognize for its history and for everything that comes with it. Celebrating our sexualities and gender identity is important for everyone and helps you get to know your community and make everyone feel safe. So go celebrate (COVID safe of course) and do whatever you can to show your support for the LGBTQ2+ community.
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01, Andrea WurzburgerUpdated June, and Andrea Wurzburger. “Everything You Need to Know About Pride Month.” PEOPLE.com, people.com/human-interest/pride-month-explained-pride-month-facts/.
01, Sarah Prager June, and Sarah Prager. “What Is Pride Month? Learn the Important History Behind the Annual Celebration.” Better Homes & Gardens, 1 June 2021, http://www.bhg.com/holidays/traditions/pride/pride-month-history/.
“Why It Is So Important For Parents to Validate Their Children.” PsychAlive, 15 Mar. 2018, http://www.psychalive.org/why-important-parents-validate-children/.