This past Friday, June 1st, marked the beginning of national LGBT pride month. While most know that pride means pride parades throughout the country, the origins of the event .

June is celebrated as pride month is way for the LGBT community to commemorate the Stonewall Riots of 1969. The Stonewall riots, widely considered the tipping point for the gay community, started as backlash to unethical and unprompted police raids of gay and lesbian bars within the area. At the time, The Stonewall Inn was seen as the heart of LGBT activity within New York City’s Greenwich Village. During the police raids, patrons of the Inn were arrested on questionable charges and very publicly forced into police cars. Other patrons, fed up with unfair police treatment, flooded the streets of New York City and began to protest the unjust police raids. The riots allegedly were started and run by two transgender women, Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson, who is known as the first person in the crowd to throw a brick, triggering the riots.

Pride, formally known as “Gay Pride Day”, was traditionally celebrated on the last Sunday of June rather than throughout the whole month. Over the years, however, the celebration has become a month-long endeavor that spreads from city to city. The way people celebrate pride varies. Most cities hold their own festivals, commonly beginning with a parade marching through the streets. Once the parade ends, there are several festivities for people to participate in, such as charity organizations, shopping booths, food, pictures, and live music. Several cities set up memorials for those who died during the AIDS epidemic, so that people within the community are reminded of the history and struggles of the movement that they have overcome.  

Boston Pride will be held on June 9th, taking place from 11AM to 6PM. For more information, visit http://www.bostonpride.org/festival/ .