Gay Pride and the Stonewall Riots

Gay Pride and the Stonewall Riots

The Stonewall Riots stemmed from a police raid of the Stonewall Inn, Greenwich Village, on June 28th 1969. There was no lack of protests toward the end of the 1960s, Vietnam, Civil Rights, Women’s Lib and yes Gay Rights. President Clinton declared June Gay and Lesbian Pride Month in 1999 and again in 2000. President Obama declared June LGBT Pride month from 2009 to 2016. President Trump tweeted in 2019 acknowledging PRIDE month.

This year marks the 50th Anniversary of PRIDE. The first PRIDE parade was June 28, 1970, marking the first anniversary of the Stonewall riots with the march, which was the first Gay Pride march in U.S. history, and covered the 51 blocks to Central Park.

One last tidbit, the rainbow flag became a symbol of the gay community, created by San Francisco artist Gilbert Baker in 1978. The different colors are associated with "diversity" in the gay community.

There is a ton of history about PRIDE month, it’s origins and all the folks involved the watershed moment of June 28th 1969 that was the impetus of Gay Rights. I encourage you, since we can’t go to all the parties and parades this year, to set aside some time to learn your history.

Ways you can celebrate PRIDE 2020 Virtually

1. Los Angeles’s first virtual Pride parade will air as a 90-minute prime-time special on ABC7, which will also broadcast the event online.

2. Chicago Pride Fest livestream and chat, celebrating the love, life and diversity of Chicago’s community.

3. Denver Virtual Pride Parade will begin online.

4. Digital Dublin Pride Festival will include an interactive virtual parade at 9 a.m. and a concert at 2 p.m. on June 28

5. Laverne Cox and Elvis Duran will host a one-hour coronavirus relief benefit for the L.G.B.T.Q. community called “Can’t Cancel Pride.” The special will stream at 9 p.m June 25th.

6. World leaders, royalty, pop stars and drag queens will anchor this year’s 24-hour Global Pride livestream, the first worldwide L.G.B.T.Q. event, Saturday June 27th. It starts in the morning, so check you local listings.

On a personal note, 01994 Marked the 25th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. So, in New York City that summer, we celebrated PRIDE, commemorated the Stonewall Riots, and held the Gay Games. It was HUGE!

Yours truly played soccer at the 1994 Gay Games (pic below). See, I did have hair once.