As June draws to a close, I, as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, want to acknowledge that June is Pride Month. It is a time when the world openly recognizes and celebrates self-affirmation, diversity, dignity, love, acceptance, and equality, which are values we embrace every day of our lives.
The rainbow flag is the most recognizable symbol of Pride, with each color holding its own significance. Hot pink represents sex, red signifies life, orange represents healing, yellow radiates sunlight, green invokes nature, turquoise inspires magic and art, indigo (royal blue) means serenity, and violet distinguishes the spirit.
Pride Month started with the first pride march in 1970, and Harvey Milk, a gay politician, asked a friend to design a flag that represented the energy of the people at the march. The result was the rainbow flag, which has become a staple at Pride events worldwide.
The first pride march was held on June 28th, 1970, in New York City, to honor the Stonewall Riots, which occurred on June 28, 1969. The Stonewall Inn, a gay club, was subjected to brutal police raids, which sparked the gay rights movement. June 28th is now celebrated as Pride Day.
Pride Month is a time to celebrate with parades, makeup, costumes, rallies, and glitter. However, it is also a time to remember those who have struggled before us and to raise awareness about issues that affect our community, such as HIV/AIDS, suicide, and hate crimes.
Live proud, live free. Let me be me, and I’ll let you be you. We don’t have to agree, but we can respect each other.