PRIDE! Month is commemorated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall uprising in New York City. In June of 1969, patrons and supporters of the Stonewall Inn staged an uprising to resist the police harassment and persecution to which LGBTQIA+ Americans were commonly subjected. This uprising marked the beginning of a movement to outlaw discriminatory laws and practices against LGBTQIA+ Americans. Today, LGBTQIA+ Pride Month celebrations include pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia and concerts, attracting millions of participants around the world.
PRIDE! Month is for everyone. It’s fun with a capital F, and it shines a light on LGBTQIA+ issues. PRIDE! Month is a time when the LGBTQIA+ community comes together to celebrate the acceptance of sexual diversity. It also gives you the chance to meet new like-minded people, knowing that this is a celebration of acceptance and love.
The emphasis may be on fun, but it’s also the perfect time to think about and discuss issues related to the gay rights movement, especially as it gets more attention from the media during this time — from gay marriage and adoption to transgender rights. Although huge strides have been made for equality over recent years, we all still have a long way to go.
PRIDE! Month by the Numbers:
- 52% – the percentage of LGBTQIA+ people who’ve experienced depression recently.
- 1 in 8 – the number of LGBTQIA+ people who have experienced unequal treatment from healthcare staff.
- 46% – the percentage of lesbian, gay and bisexual people who are open about their sexual orientation with their family.
- 4.1% – the estimated percentage of women who identify as LGBTQIA+.
- 350,000 – the number of people in the LGBTQIA+ community that are transgender women.
- 1 in 5 – the number of LGBTQIA+ women living in poverty.
- 43% – the percentage of LGBTQIA+ employees who haven’t revealed their orientation at work.
- 50% – the percentage of LGBTQIA+ workers who recently got federal protection from discrimination.
- 10% – the amount of time LGBTQIA+ workers spend hiding their identities.
- <$12,000 – the annual income earned by 22% of LGBTQIA+ people.
(National Today, 2021)
Resources:
Check out our PRIDE! resources available in Jackson Library.
