June # The Pride Month

June is declared as the Pride Month to celebrate and create awareness about the LGBTQ+ Community. LGBTQ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer. The Rainbow flag is LGBTQ Pride Flag, the colors represent the diversity of the community. The flag has been redesigned this year to include intersex people to the movement which was led by Valentine Vecchietti of Intersex Equality Rights UK.

The whole Pride month will be organized with various events, activities and initiatives to make people proud of themselves for what they are and shout out to the society with pride for their rights and show to the society the changes that have happened so far and those yet to happen.

Origin:

The Pride Month is celebrated now because of the riot that happened in the past. ‘The Stonewall Uprising’ took place in New York on 28th June, 1969. American Constitution had laws banning homosexuality back then, the New York police often raided Queer bars and clubs and harassed Queer community people. Stonewall Inn was one of the most famous bar that allowed people to be themselves, it was raided frequently too but on that particular day the queer people did not take the slap and fought back which has brought changes in the world for better. The year after the riot, 1st Official Pride Parade took place on the Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, with Christopher Street Liberation Day and the Parade is continued every year as a Tradition till date.

In INDIA:

Kolkata’s Pride march on 2nd July 1999 is the first ever march that was organized in India and it was called ‘The Kolkata Rainbow Pride Walk’. There were only about 15 participants in the event. The year 2018 was the joyous year for the pride parade as the article 377 was shattered down and the LGBTQ+ community all over the country marched as freer citizens that year. After removal of the article many came out of their closet and opened up. India is still more conservative and the discrimination against LGBT community is prevailing. This situation could be changed by educating in schools, colleges and creating more awareness in the society and making people understand about the community.

Everyone should take pride in supporting, spreading love and knowledge about the LGBTQ+ People.