Where LGBTQ Pride Month Came From And Why It Matters Today
Every June, LGBTQ individuals, organizations, and allies celebrate Pride Month in communities across America. Along with the well-known tradition of Pride parades, this month usually includes activities and events ranging from drag shows to sexual health workshops in support of the queer community. Yet many people may not be aware of how this tradition began or why it remains so significant for the well-being of LGBTQ people. What are the origins of Pride Month, and why is it important for mental health?
Pride Month generally began as a tribute to the LGBTQ community and its resistance to oppression. Although the movement can be said to have made major strides in securing civil rights for sexual minorities, problems of anti-LGBTQ bigotry can persist to this day.
Among many other harmful effects, the stigmatization of queer people can place them at higher risk for various forms of mental illness. LGBTQ Pride Month events can foster a sense of community, self-acceptance, and security for those facing discrimination for their sexual and gender identities. If discrimination or other unfair treatment has impacted your mental health, professional support may be available in your local area or via an online therapy platform.
Who is in the LGBTQ community?
Understanding Pride Month often starts with understanding LGBTQ identity. The initials “LGBTQ” stand for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer. Other initials may sometimes be added, such as “I” for intersex or “A” for asexual/aromantic.
What all these identity groups typically have in common is that they have historically faced stigma, discrimination, exclusion, and violence for their departure from traditional norms related to gender and sexuality. This category can include the following:
- Gay or homosexual men, who experience sexual and romantic attraction mostly or exclusively toward other men
- Lesbian, gay, or homosexual women, who experience attraction mostly or exclusively toward other women
- Bisexual people, who can be attracted to both men and women
- Pansexual people, who can experience attraction regardless of sex or gender presentation
- Transgender people, who may identify with a gender that differs from their biological sex
- Agender, genderfluid, or genderqueer people, who may not have a specific gender identity or may identify more with one gender or another under different circumstances
- Asexual people, who generally do not experience sexual attraction (or only experience it weakly or under specific conditions)
Some may also include intersex people, which can refer to those who are born with sex characteristics that do not clearly correlate with a male or female identity. Not all intersex individuals consider themselves part of the LGBTQ community, but many do since they often face discrimination and misunderstanding for not conforming to simple gender categories.
The term “queer” is often used as a catchall term that can describe people in any or all of the above categories. Historically used as a derogatory term for gay or lesbian people, it has been embraced by many as a signifier of their nonconformity with traditional understandings of sexuality and gender roles.
The Stonewall riots and the first Pride march
As noted above, LGBTQ people have faced a long history of oppression, including both informal social marginalization and legalized persecution by government bodies. They have often experienced hardships ranging from insults and bullying to violent and even lethal hate crimes.
In the United States, this prevailing culture of discrimination went largely unchallenged until the early twentieth century, when LGBTQ people began to organize in resistance. Groups like the Mattachine Society, the Daughters of Bilitis, and the Society for Individual Rights spoke out and took legal action to fight the legal discrimination faced by homosexuals.
Meanwhile, distinct queer subcultures took shape in cities, often centering around bars and nightclubs. These were usually illegal venues since many states had laws prohibiting bars from serving alcohol to gay people. One such bar was the Stonewall Inn, located in New York City’s Greenwich Village neighborhood.
Police raided the Stonewall in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, arresting several transgender and gay patrons who were cross-dressing, which was illegal at the time. Fed up with the continued harassment from law enforcement, the patrons fought back, throwing coins and bottles at the officers. The clash escalated into a riot that lasted through the following night.
The gay liberation movement
This event became a flashpoint, sparking protests and spurring solidarity within the LGBTQ community. On the first anniversary of the event, the Eastern Regional Conference of Homophile Organizations staged a march through New York City, which wound up drawing several thousand participants.
Marking the date of the Stonewall riots became a tradition in what was known at the time as the gay liberation movement. The anniversary of Stonewall was initially celebrated as Christopher Street Liberation Day. Over time, it became known as Gay Pride Day and the annual walks as Pride Marches. Members of the community adopted the term “Pride” to signify their rejection of the shame, exclusion, and secrecy that society at large had tried to impose on them.
Since then, Pride has grown from a single day of protest and solidarity into a commemorative month observed in major cities and small towns alike, in countries around the world.
Pride, solidarity, and mental health in the LGBTQ community
In addition to a celebration of the historical fight for justice and equality, Pride events can offer an important source of support for the mental health of many queer people. LGBTQ people may experience mental illness at twice the rate of the heterosexual and cisgender population, and the numbers tend to be even higher for conditions like depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders.
Much of this disparity is likely due to the discrimination and exclusion faced by members of this community. Psychologists have known for some time that a sense of belonging is usually linked to lower rates of mental illness like depression. Queer individuals who find a supportive community through Pride events and other LGBTQ networks and gatherings typically have better mental health outcomes than those who feel isolated and outcast.
Ways to support the LGBTQ community for Pride Month
Are you an LGBTQ person looking to stand up for your community? Are you a heterosexual and cisgender person who wants to lend support to those working for change? Either way, there are many ways you can lend a hand during Pride Month (and beyond).
Show solidarity
One important aspect of Pride Month may be that it can make space for greater openness, acceptance, and celebration of queerness. If your life circumstances permit you to safely display your pride in your LGBTQ identity — or your support of LGBTQ people — this may be the perfect time to do so. By making your openness clear, you may be helping others who are not yet able to come out feel a bit safer.
Showing up to Pride parades and other community events can be one way to do this (though straight allies may need to remember to be respectful and avoid gawking or grabbing the spotlight). You can also find small ways to show your support during the rest of the month and the year, such as displaying a rainbow flag outside your home or volunteering preferred pronouns when meeting people.
More impactful forms of solidarity can involve things like attending rallies or signing petitions in support of LGBTQ causes. Showing up at queer events to defend attendees against hateful counter-protesters can also be a powerful and tangible way to offer support. You can also speak out when you encounter anti-LGBTQ sentiments in day-to-day life.
Donate or volunteer
Many organizations are already working to meet the unique needs of LGBTQ people and work toward greater equality and acceptance. Contributing your money or your time toward these groups may be another way to join the movement represented by Pride Month.
Here are just a few examples:
- Human Rights Campaign (HRC): Focuses on activism and organizing in support of equal rights and protection under the law for LGBTQ people
- Transgender Law Center: Advocates for shifts in law and policy to support the health and safety of trans people
- Lambda Legal: Provides legal services for the LGBTQ community while pushing for changes to discriminatory laws
- The Trevor Project: Offers support services to prevent LGBTQ youth suicide
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or urges, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. Support is available 24/7.
- SAGE: Extends a variety of supportive services to LGBTQ elders
- True Colors United: Works to end the pressing problem of queer youth homelessness
- Family Acceptance Project: Conducts research, education, outreach, and services aimed at encouraging families to welcome and affirm their LGBTQ children
Educate yourself and others
Learning more about the history of LGBTQ pride and the challenges the community continues to face can help you be a better ally or a better advocate for yourself. This June, you might want to take some time to research topics related to queer identity, health, activism, and more.
One approach might be to start looking at history locally, researching how the struggle for LGBTQ rights has played out in your city or region. From there, you could find out what issues are most pressing for queer people nearby, which may give you some additional ideas on how to offer support.
Sharing this knowledge with others in your life can also help. This could mean recommending books to your family members, starting a dialogue with friends, or sharing links to relevant articles on social media. By spreading understanding and raising awareness, you may contribute to greater LGBTQ acceptance in society.
You may also share mental health resources with friends and family. For example, you might ensure they’re aware that they can seek affirming mental health care online, especially if they seem apprehensive about attending in-person therapy appointments. Online therapy can empower LGBTQ individuals to seek the support they deserve from the location of their choice.
In addition, studies suggest that online therapy tends to produce the same client outcomes as in-office therapy. Those who are interested in speaking with a licensed therapist may rest assured that either option can provide an effective form of treatment.
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