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We’ve come a long way since 1969, but LGBTQIA+ individuals still continue to suffer adversity and injustice because of who they are and who they love. Worldwide, 64 countries have laws that criminalize LGBTQIA+ people. In the U.S., only 23 states and the District of Columbia have laws protecting residents from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Currently, no federal law exists to prohibit anti-LGBTQIA+ discrimination, and state legislatures across the country continue to target transgender adults and children. The American Civil Liberties Union has recorded at least 516 bills impacting the community in 2024 – more than any other year in the history of the U.S. – with 39 of these bills already passed into law and 107 advancing. Raising awareness of these important issues through Pride Month remains imperative as it can help inspire a more accepting, inclusive and equal society for all.
The Fight Continues
Over 50 Years of Progress
Pride events began as a way to achieve basic rights, legal protections and acceptance. Since 1970, LGBTQIA+ people and allies have continued to gather every June to march for equal rights, and Pride events have multiplied. Annual Pride events take place around the world – with Madrid, São Paulo and San Francisco hosting some of the largest events that attract up to five million people.
Recognizing Pride Month
On June 28, 1969, the Stonewall Riots ignited the modern LGBTQIA+ rights movement in the U.S. The Stonewall Inn, in New York City’s Greenwich Village, was a gay bar and social refuge for the LGBTQIA+ community. A police raid on the Stonewall Inn sparked a riot and protests among hundreds of patrons and neighbors. After six days of protests and violent clashes with law enforcement, the message was clear: The LGBTQIA+ community would no longer quietly endure being harassed or arrested for who they were.
Birth of the U.S. LGBTQIA+
Pride Month recognizes the accomplishments of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual (LGBTQIA+) individuals, as well as the decades they’ve spent struggling for basic civil rights under the law. The 1950s and 1960s were extremely repressive for LGBTQIA+ people in the U.S. During this time, homosexuality was often equated with mental illness, and in 1950, the State Department declared homosexuals to be security risks.
Early Beginnings
Here’s everything you need to know about this special month and why it’s important to celebrate.
Why Do We Recognize Pride Month?
Although challenges still exist, progress made over the past 50+ years has been significant. Because of efforts made since 1969, LGBTQIA+ people have achieved greater legal protections and wider support for same-sex marriage. In its 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision, the Supreme Court ruled that all states must recognize same-sex marriages. And with this forward momentum, more Americans are sharing how they identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community.