Pride Month
To celebrate the advances of the LGBTQ community and the work that still needs to be done to achieve equality, June is designated as national LGBTQ Pride Month. June was chosen for this celebration because that was the month that the Stonewall Riots took place in 1969. Although violence is never encouraged, these riots were an outcry against a police raid and are seen as the first step in the LGBTQ revolution. The Stonewall Inn is located in Lower Manhattan in New York City.
Stonewall Inn
Same-Sex Marriage Laws In America
Prior to 2004, gay couples throughout America could not get married; instead, they had to settle for civil unions. Civil-rights campaigners have been making attempts since the 1970s to legalize same-sex marriage, and it took until 2004 for someone to listen. Massachusetts legalized gay marriage in 2004, and many states soon followed in their steps. However, many states refused to change their minds, which led to the Supreme Court intervening and legalizing gay marriage throughout the country in 2015.
Pride Parade
