June 24, 2020

RuPauls Drag Race, Pose, Queer Eye... These are just a handful of shows that brighten up your Netflix watchlist, filled with flamboyancy, rainbows, kindness, heartache, glitter and, most of all, togetherness.

They are also TV shows that highlight how far the LGBTQ community has come over the years.

June 2020 marks the 50-year anniversary of the first Pride March, which was held in New York City on June 28, 1970. The event, officially known as the Christopher Street Liberation Day March, was spearheaded by a group of activists, including Craig Rodwell, Fred Sargeant, Ellen Broidy, Linda Rhodes and Brenda Howard, for the first anniversary of the Stonewall uprising.

The Stonewall Riots, also called the Stonewall Uprising, began in the early hours of June 28, 1969 when police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay club located in Greenwich Village in New York City. The raid sparked a riot among bar patrons and neighborhood residents as police roughly hauled employees and patrons out of the bar, leading to six days of protests and violent clashes with law enforcement. The Stonewall Riots served as a catalyst for gay rights movement in the United States and around the world.

The 1960s and preceding decades were not welcoming times for LGBTQ Americans, with same sex relations being illegal in NYC. This forced LGBTQ individuals to meet in safe places such as bars displaying a rainbow flag to symbolize protection. It is within these establishments that LGBTQ individuals could be themselves, resulting in a culture that began to develop and flourish.

June is a month-long celebration of sexual diversity; celebrations include parades and peaceful protests across the globe to continue to raise awareness of discrimination and violence that still occur today. Pride Month promotes dignity, equal rights and self-affirmation, and is a way of increasing societys awareness of the issues the LGBTQ community faces while also encouraging inclusiveness.

LOVE does not discriminate. When in Love, be PROUD.