Palm Springs Pride is celebrated in November, but for the rest of the world, the month of June marks Pride month. It is a month-long celebration during which people across the world come together to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.

Pride Month took root in 1969, according to the Library of Congress, at the Stonewall uprising in Greenwich Village, New York City. It was considered the tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in America.

The Stonewall Inn was a safe haven for the LGBTQ community, where they could socialize in safety. However, it was still under regular police harassment, according to Britannica Encyclopedia.

In the early hours of June 28, 1969, nine policemen arrested employees in the bar for selling alcohol without a license. They also roughed up many of its patrons, cleared the bar and arrested anyone not wearing at least three articles of gender-appropriate clothing, as was the law in New York at the time.

This was the third raid in the area in a short period of time and instead of retreating, people outside the bar were vocal and threw bottles, which led to the police call for reinforcements. They also barricaded themselves in the bar while around 400 people rioted outside. Eventually, the barricade was breached and the bar was set on fire. These “riots” outside the bar went on for the next five days.

Pride honors the stand this small community took against police harassment and the bar itself has become a national treasure. In 1999, the U.S. National Park Service registered the bar on the Register of Historic Place, with President Barak Obama designating the site as a national monument in 2016, according to Newsweek.

Following are some notable Pride Parades:

  • Capital Pride (Washington, D.C.), June 8, 2019: The parade will start at (RED) Dupont Circle at 4:30 p.m. local time.
  • L.A. Pride, June 9, 2019: The main parade will take place at Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, between Fairfax and Doheny. It starts at 11:00 a.m. local time.
  • New York Pride, June 30, 2019: This year the city will play host to the World Pride 2019 parade for the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. It starts at 26th St. and Fifth Ave.
  • New Orleans Pride, June 8, 2019: The parade is the biggest LGBTQ parade on the Gulf Coast, will go through Marigny and the French Quarter on June 8. The family viewing area is in Jackson Square, with balcony viewing at Good Friends Bar & Queens Head Pub, Oz New Orleans, Bourbon Pub and Parade.
  • San Francisco Pride, June 30, 2019: Starting at 10:30 a.m. local time at Embarcadero and finishing at the Civic Center. This is one of the oldest and largest LGBTQ parades in the world. It is expected that there will be more than 100,000 spectators.

Major Events For Pride Month include the following:

  • The Ultimate Pride Sunday Gathering, San Francisco Pride: Catered by Whole Foods, three rooms of non-stop entertainment, hosted bar and hor d’oeuvres, this is the place to be. According to the website, this event sells out every year, so it’s best to buy tickets early. The first 150 tickets will be available at early bird pricing of $65, and then $85 until the event sells out. This event takes place on June 30, 2019.
  • #JustUnite at West Hollywood, Los Angeles Pride:With headliners, Megan Trainor and Years & Years, the Pride Festival 2019 will start with Paula Abdul on June 7, with hosts including Billy Francesca and Jessica Wild. It finished on June 9, 2019.

 

Image Sources

  • Pride Month 2019: Shutterstock