June is Pride month, a nationwide celebration of the contributions gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people have made to our lives and culture. We wanted to learn more about gay pride history, so did a little Google self-educating.
Here are some interesting bits of information on the history of pride month:
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month (LGBT Pride Month) is currently celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots in Manhattan. These pride month facts highlight the Stonewall riots as a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. (from the Library of Congress)
- In the late '60s, New York had laws prohibiting homosexuality in public and private gatherings of the community were often raided. On June 28, 1969, a scuffle broke out between the patrons of Stonewall Inn at Greenwich Village and the police during such a raid, which resulted in three successive days of riots and protests. The incident received considerable media coverage and became the focal point for the modern gay civil rights movement. (from MSN.com)
- The rainbow flag is the most-recognized LGBT symbol. Designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978, it initially featured eight symbolic colors, which was later cut down to six — red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. These interesting facts about pride month reveal the flag's evolution. (from MSN.com)
- According to the LA Times, in the six months following the Supreme Court's ruling (which made gay marriage legal in the US), nearly 100,000 gay couples wed.
- Only two U.S. presidents have so far issued official proclamations declaring June a month to celebrate and honor the LGBT community. Former President Bill Clinton started the tradition in 1999, and it was followed by President Barack Obama (pictured), who has signed a proclamation every year since 2009. (from MSN.com)
