What hasn't changed is that Pride is a great way to build community, increase visibility and promote acceptance. As the LGBT community has gained mainstream acceptance, Pride has become more of a time to celebrate with family and friends. Since that time, Gay Pride has become less radical and political. 2 that called for an annual demonstration "on the last Saturday in June in New York City to commemorate the 1969 spontaneous demonstrations on Christopher Street and this demonstration be called CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATION DAY."ĭuring a time when gays and lesbians were reviled, they started to march as a way to protest oppression. The modern gay-rights movement can trace it's roots back to June 28, 1969, when gays and lesbians rioted in Manhattan following a police raid on the Stonewall Inn.Ī few months after the Stonewall riots, which lasted for days, attendees at the Eastern Regional Conference of Homophile Organizations approved a resolution in Philadelphia on Nov. It's a time to remember who we are and where we started as a community.
Pride, which started as a political protest and demand for justice, is more than a series of weekend block parties, tea dances and a big parade. Those who aren't gay or lesbian may not realize what this annual event means to the LGBTQ community. Editor's note: This blog post was originally published Nov.