Educational videos for June: The history of Pride month

In the United States, LGBTQ+ Pride Month is celebrated in June to commemorate the Stonewall Uprising (also referred to as the Stonewall Riots) that took place in New York on June 28th, 1969. The Stonewall Inn was a popular bar among New York City’s LGBTQ+ community. Like many LGBTQ+ gathering places around the country at that time, the patrons and staff of Stonewall were subject to frequent, violent police raids.

Stonewall: How Riots Sparked the LGBTQ+ Rights Movement - TLDR News:

The demonstrations that followed this police raid at the Stonewall Inn are often recognized as the beginning of the gay rights movement in the United States. Tensions and frustrations had been building for decades, particularly after the Lavender Scare triggered a mass investigation of suspected LGBTQ+ members in the government and beyond. 

The Lavender Scare: McCarthy's Other Crusade - Step Back History:

Thousands of people lost their jobs or were denied employment in the government due to suspicions about their sexuality. It was in this environment of increased surveillance and hostility, that the Stonewall Rebellion occurred and the Gay Rights Movement gained momentum. Starting on the first anniversary of Stonewall, LGBTQ+ groups began organizing annual parades to commemorate the event and continue to raise awareness about their struggle for equal rights and respect.

Why is Pride a Parade? - Origin of Everything:

Over the years, a lot has changed and improved for people who identify as LGBTQ+. Executive order 10450 was repealed, it became illegal to openly discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation in work and educational spaces, and in 2015, the United States became the 17th country in the world to recognize marriage of same-sex couples. We’ve come a long way since 1969 but still have a ways to go in order to reach full equality for the LGBTQ+ community. Many people continue to face discrimination and even violence on the basis of their sexuality and gender expression.

We Gotta Keep fighting and Yelling: New York Drag Queens on the Legacy of Stonewall - The Guardian:

During this Pride Month, let’s take the time to appreciate the LGBTQ+ activists of the past who fought discriminatory laws and challenged cultural norms to bring us to where we are today. Let’s also continue to support those still fighting for a better life today through legal battles, public demonstrations, the arts, and more.