The History of Gay Pride Month
The phenomenon of gay pride grew out of events in the late 1960s. Previous to that time, homosexuals, lesbians and transgendered individuals were considered deviants and had to keep their private lives carefully hidden from the world. There were no laws to protect them from losing their jobs and there were no openly gay politicians or celebrities. Times have changed, though, and gay pride is no longer hidden.
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Before the Movement Began
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The Greenwich Village area of New York City was long known as America's bohemia. It was home to a diverse set of individuals including artists, writers, freethinkers, misfits, intellectuals and revolutionaries. In the 1960s, this diverse population was also the recipient of frequent and unwanted scrutiny from the police. Homosexual and transgendered individuals in particular were often targeted by police because of the prevalent prejudice and homophobia.
The Stonewall Inn, a local hangout for homosexual and transgendered residents, was owned by the Mafia. The Inn did not possess a liquor license so the Mafia had to pay off the police in order to stay in business. Police raids of the premises still occurred but the owners knew well in advance of any raids. The Inn's patrons, however, were not always so lucky and would be harassed, beaten or arrested by police.
The Stonewall Riots
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In the early morning of June 28, 1969, police began a raid on the Stonewall Inn. Patrons of the Inn knew what to expect, as it was a common occurrence. However, on this morning, the raid did not go as planned. The patrons decided to fight back. It is unclear exactly what sparked this change in behavior but they resisted arrest and began throwing objects at the police. This was an unprecedented event for the police and they quickly lost control of the situation. Dozens of people were injured that morning and the riots continued on and off again for the next six days.
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After the Riots
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The Stonewall riots proved to be the impetus necessary to unite the gay, lesbian and transgendered communities. By the end of July 1969, the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) was formed and, by 1971, there were GLFs or similar gay rights groups in major cities across the United States, Canada, Australia and Western Europe. Publications dedicated to gay rights and viewpoints such as "Come Out!" began to enter the market in 1969 and similar periodicals and newspapers throughout the country were quick to follow.
Gay Pride Parades
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The first gay pride parades simultaneously took place in New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago on the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. In 1971, seven more cities hosted parades. That number increased by another six in 1972. Currently, there are hundreds of gay pride parades and festivals scheduled to occur throughout North, South, and Central America, Europe, Australia and Asia.
The Creation of Gay Pride Month
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Unofficially, June was known as Gay Pride Month for many years after the Stonewall riots. Gay, lesbian and transgendered individuals would frequently schedule parades or festivals in June to commemorate the event. In June 2000, President Bill Clinton declared June to be Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. Nine years later, close to the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, President Barack Obama issued a proclamation that June was Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Gay Pride flag with reflection in water image by Sophia Winters from Fotolia.com
