It’s June 1st and the world has geared up to celebrate pride month. June is a month which is dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQ+ communities all across the globe. It is celebrated with a lot of parades and marches but due to Covid 19, and social distancing things might be a little different this year.

Every June, the globe commemorates Pride Month, which honors the LGBTQ+ population and their right to a decent existence. It's about individuals coming together in love and camaraderie to demonstrate how far LGBTQ rights have progressed, even if there's still work to be done in some places.

Pride month is about acceptance, equality, and love. It reminds people of how harmful homophobia was and continues to be. It all comes down to being proud of who you are, regardless of who you love.

If you're still confused about what pride month is and how it started continue reading!

How did Pride Month start?

Pride Month honors the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community's years of battle for civil rights and the continued pursuit of equal justice under the law, as well as the accomplishments of LGBTQ+ individuals.

The Stonewall Uprising took place in New York City on June 28, 1969. The NYPD would routinely raid LGBTQ+ nightclubs and harass the LGBTQ community at the time. The American Constitution also contained rules prohibiting homosexuality at the time.

Greenwich Village's Stonewall Inn, one of the most popular homosexual pubs, was also frequently raided. However, all hell broke loose on that particular day in June, when the LGBTQ+ community pushed back and protested for many days.

Police invaded this famous hangout for young gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender persons in the early morning hours of June 28, detaining staff for selling booze without a license, roughing up many clients, and cleaning the bar.

Outside, the audience became outraged as they witnessed the occupants of the tavern being herded into police trucks. Whereas prior witnesses to police persecution of LGBTQ people had stood by meekly, this time the audience booed the officers and tossed coins and trash at them, forcing the officers to barricade themselves in the bar until backup arrived.

The following year, on the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, Christopher Street Liberation Day, the first official Pride march was held, and the practice has continued to this day.

Symbol of Pride

The rainbow flag, designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978, is a symbol of LGBTQ+ pride because the flag is frequently used as a symbol of homosexual pride during LGBTQ rights marches. The colors symbolize the diversity of the LGBTQ community.

The flag has been altered numerous times. In support of the Black Lives Matter protests this year, the flag has been changed to include black to represent diversity, brown to promote inclusivity, and light blue and pink, the colors of the trans pride flag.

What Does It Mean to Be an "Ally"?

A person who genuinely cares about the well-being of the LGBTQ+ community embraces and supports LGBTQ individuals and works for equal rights and treatment. A person who is confronted with the challenges that LGBTQ persons encounter and believes that we as a society are dealing with these issues

Heterosexism

Bigotry or prejudice directed toward LGBTQ+ persons. It is based on the belief that heterosexuality is the norm

Biprejudice

Negative stereotypes regarding bisexual persons.

Transprejudice

Harmful, preconceived notions about transgender

Heterosexual Privilege

The advantages that straight people have in society on a daily basis. For example, the capacity to show desire or affection to the opposite gender in public (e.g., holding hands) without fear of censure or even violence.

What can we do to help this Pride Month?

Pride parades and events serve as a reminder of how far we've come while simultaneously acknowledging that the fight for equality is far from over.

Learn how to be a more effective ally.

Coming Out as a Supporter is a fantastic online resource from the Human Rights Campaign. It details how to be a better ally when someone comes out to you, which you can use to help LGBTQ+ people throughout Pride Month and beyond. Be a supporter of your LGBTQ friends (and family)!

Donate to impactful organizations

You can donate your time or money to national or local LGBTQ+ groups when this month is over. Throughout the year, numerous NGOs provide vital support to the LGBTQ community. If you have the financial means, consider donating during Pride Month to help them continue their work.

Speak up!

Learn about the policies and regulations that now legalize discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month, and fight back. Make a call to your elected officials to convey your dissatisfaction. Finally, express your displeasure by informing others about policies that harm LGBTQ people.

Read LGBTQ+ authors and help them to be heard.

Stories have a lot of power. They allow us to see into other people's lives, bridge divides, and make us more compassionate people. The fight for LGBTQ+ equality is far from ended, and the current government is attempting to reverse recent gains. Read our articles because they are more vital than ever. Share your platform with others if you have one.

Keep yourself up to date

Educate yourself if you don't understand the distinction between sex and gender or current LGBTQ-related news and topics. Ask questions, conduct study, and don't be ashamed to admit when you don't know something.

Change your pronouns on Instagram

Using social media to show your support is undoubtedly the most apparent approach to raise awareness. Even if you're a cisgender person who identifies with the sex assigned to you at birth, using these pronouns shows solidarity by normalizing gender debates.

Support groups in India

Nazariya

Nazariya is a queer feminist resource group based in Delhi that was founded in 2014. They aim to address the challenges and problems of lesbian bisexual women and transgender people who were born female. This organization hosts a variety of events such as film screenings, book releases, workshops, and talks where one may meet like-minded people, discuss gender and sexuality problems, and broaden one's horizons.

Naz

Naz is one of Delhi's oldest organizations, and it has been instrumental in raising awareness about HIV/AIDS and other sex-related concerns in India. They have supported a variety of causes and communities through the years, one of which being equality for LGBTQ+ people. Bangalore and Mumbai are also home to their offices.

The Bi-Collective

The Bi-Collective Delhi is a non-profit assistance organization. They do not have a helpline at the present, but you can always email them at bicollectivedelhi@gmail.com for information, books, and general queries on bisexuality. The Bi-Collective also holds meetings (both in-person and online) on occasion to address bisexual topics. You can message them on Facebook/Instagram or write to them if you want to attend these gatherings.