Pride is Linked to Fight for Equality

Not only does Pride build a strong sense of community among LGBT+ people (and their ally friends), but the celebration is inextricably tied to efforts to bring about equal rights and equal protection under the law.

Today's post, by Jeff Roggenbeck, emphasizes the relationship between Pride and the pursuit of equality for all people:

The First Pride was a RIOT!

No literally it was a riot. June 28th through July1st of 1969 was known as The Stonewall Riots. These riots started at the Stonewall Inn which was a bar in Greenwich Village neighborhood (which still exists AND is a landmark for us all) when a group of bar patrons rose up against the anti-gay systems of the times and the police force that were "enforcing" the "Morality Codes".

Being gay was a crime. Dressing as a member of the opposite sex was a crime. Conversing in a flirtatious manner with members of the same sex would be considered immoral and would be somehow twisted into a crime punishable by jail time and public ridicule. Beautiful Drag Queens were forced to wash their makeup off in dirty mop buckets as their clothes were torn and ruined. 

Entertainment of any kind differing from those of a horrible moral order was destroyed. We entertained and met in secret. We hid from the raids. We stopped on June 28th.

The first punch was thrown. The bricks flew. We were rioting. We did not back down. We stood up against the forces of this skewed moral view. We organized. We grew together. We fought for our rights. We became united. June 28th, 1970 the VERY FIRST PRIDE event was held in celebration of our victories.

Remember these things as we celebrate. Remember that we have fought and continue to fight to the end til Equality is founded for all no matter our sexual orientation. Be strong, be proud, be United!

"Only the human mind invents categories and tries to force facts into separated pigeon-holes. The living world is a continuum in each and every one of its aspects. The sooner we learn this concerning sexual behavior the sooner we shall reach a sound understanding of realities of sex" --Alfred Kinsey