June is Pride Month around the world. It is a festival for people to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. It is also a month for more people to be seen, reflect on the past and fight for rights. This not only shows tolerance and understanding, but also fights for rights and equality for those LGBTQ+ groups who have been treated unfairly. Pride Month is not only to celebrate the history of LGBTQ+, but more importantly, to show the concept of tolerance, understanding and equality.
In May 2024, LGBTQ+ rights activist Elton John told People magazine that we cannot let discriminatory legislation around the world hinder our progress. During Pride Month, we must put acceptance and joy first, encourage everyone to be themselves, love themselves and the people they like, and not feel ashamed or afraid.
What is Pride Month?
Pride Month is a festival established to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. At the same time, Pride Month is also a festival for the LGBTQ+ community to be seen, fight for rights and equality, and speak for the community. The Pride Parade is the main and grandest event of Pride Month. Common Pride Month activities include various commemorative and celebratory activities such as costume parties and seminars.
What is the symbol of Pride Month?
The most symbolic and representative of Pride Month is the rainbow flag. The original rainbow flag was an 8-color rainbow, consisting of bright pink, red, orange, yellow, green, turquoise, indigo and purple. Each color has a different meaning. Bright pink symbolizes gender, red symbolizes life, orange symbolizes recovery, yellow symbolizes sunshine, green symbolizes nature, turquoise symbolizes magic, indigo symbolizes tranquility, and purple symbolizes spirit.
However, the six-color rainbow flag we see most often today was improved by Gilbert Baker in 1979, consisting of six colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple.
Why is Pride Month celebrated in June?
Pride Month is to commemorate the Stonewall Uprising in 1969. At that time, the LGBT community was not accepted by mainstream culture. The police raided a gay bar in New York, the Stonewall Bar, and drove away and used force to suppress the bar's customers. This kind of incident often happens, but this time it is different from the past. The customers launched a counterattack, which ignited the Stonewall Uprising movement. This movement has a far-reaching impact. Not only the United States but also many countries and regions in the world have been deeply affected, igniting the gay rights movement.
How to better celebrate Pride Month?
1. Get involved
The best way to celebrate is to join in. Even if you are not a member of the LGBTQ+ group, participating in and experiencing the LGBTQ+ culture and activities can better feel the atmosphere, understand the culture, and break some prejudices and views. At the same time, there are many activities in Pride Month, such as pride parades, costume parties, seminars, fairs, book and movie nights, etc. There are always activities suitable for you.
2. Self-education
You can better understand the history and culture of LGBTQ+ through LGBTQ+ related books, audios, movies, documentaries, etc., such as the 1984 documentary "Before Stonewall", the 1990 cabaret documentary "Paris Is Burning", the drag movie "Queen", and the 1992 movie "Carbonate Kiss". These documentaries and movies can not only increase LGBTQ+ related history and knowledge, but also give a new perspective to look at the world.
3. Show your support
You can show your support through offline Pride Month activities, symbolic items such as rainbow flags, or Pride Month related quotes. For example, you can express your support by participating in parades or related activities, or participating in volunteer activities of some organizations or making charitable donations.
Or you can also express your support through social media, using social media Pride Month related topics and tags to express your opinions and support. Social media has good communication and influence, and you can also find like-minded partners.
4. Attend a book club or movie night
Reading Pride-related books, holding a Pride Month reading club, reading related books and magazines can better promote and have a deeper understanding of LGBTQ+ culture. Holding a Pride movie night is also a good choice. You can also watch it with your friends and discuss it together.
Final Thoughts
Pride Month is not only to commemorate the Stonewall Uprising, but also to be seen, to fight for more equal rights for a more inclusive and equal cultural and social environment, and to reflect on the past. The most important thing during Pride Month is to pay attention to the friends around you. The fight for equal rights is far from over. Show your care, listen patiently and understand them.
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