Pride Month 2024: A look back into our history
June marks Pride Month - but what's the history behind the occasion?
Last updated 5th Sep 2024
June 2024, like every year since the '70s, is Pride Month - a month-long celebration of the LGBTQ+ community.
You may ask what it's all about - and why we mark the month - so how relevant is Pride Month?
Well, this year marks 52 years of celebrations right here in the UK, but it was only 11 years ago, back in 2013, that a law allowing same-sex marriage became legal in England and Wales.
In Scotland, it was a year later when they also lifted the ban on people of the same gender legally being allowed to marry each other, whilst it took until 2020 for Northern Ireland to embrace legislation to allow for the recognition of same-sex marriage.
But it's a lot more than marriage, with the history of Pride Month going back decades - and starting, actually, over in the United States of America.
Stonewall Riots
LGBT+ Pride Month is marked annually%20Americans.) to honour the Stonewall Riots, which happened in the month of June all the way back in June 1969.
These riots truly ignited the Pride movement not only in the US, but right across the world - and it was only a couple of years later when the first Pride festival took place right here in the UK.
During those riots, on June 28, 1969, a gay bar - known as the Stonewall Inn in New York - was raided by police, however, instead of complying with officers - a number of days of spontaneous, violent demonstrations took place - birthing what's now reflected on as a movement internationally on the rights of gay people.
Around this time in the United States, homosexuality was illegal in 49 states, with punishments varying from prison time to heavy fines.
Across the world, being an outward member of the LGBTQ+ community wasn't easy - with jail, harassment, and sometimes even punishment of death on the cards - and sadly, in some parts of the world today, these rules remain in place.
Over to the Stonewall Inn, which was regularly raided by police, it represented a relief from the reality which many people in the LGBTQ+ community faced outside of these spaces.
Regularly, because of the Mafia's bribes to some police officers, it was often seen that the raids took place with the owners actually being pre-warned - however, on June 28th, this wasn't the case.
Those congregating outside of the pub threw coins, bottles and rocks at the police, who retreated inside the bar - which was later set fire to, prompting the fire service being called in and helping to disperse the crowds outside.
But this demonstration wasn't the first - prompting five days of protests - and then 12 months later, New York, San Francisco and LA seeing their first ever Pride parade.
This wasn't the only group of people campaigning for the rights of LGBTQ+ people - but these riots are historically seen as a pivotal point in US and international history.
Pride in the UK
To the UK, and it was in 1972 when the first Pride Parade took place in London - whilst it wasn't until 1989 when the Stonewall charity (named after the bar) was founded.
Their campaigns have helped 'create transformative change in the lives of LGBTQ+ people in the UK', with their campaigns said to be making a positive difference in public attitudes up and down the country.
Fast forward to today, and their mission statement remains a powerful message.
It says how the charity imagines 'a world where all LGBTQ+ people are free to be themselves and can live their lives to the full'.
On the 50th anniversary of the first UK Pride march, the charity made a number of 'key findings' - building a picture of how people within the LGBTQ+ community are welcomed with growing levels of acceptance, with a 'small minority still holding on tight to the feelings of disgust and fear that drive homophobia, biphobia and transphobia'.
Their research, along with Opinium, found:
- One in three people felt 'actively respectful' towards LGBTQ+ people
- One in five people 'expressed admiration' with LGBTQ+ people
- Less than one in ten people felt 'negative' feelings to people of the LGBTQ+ community
- Out of those with 'negative' feelings, 40% of those that showed 'anti-trans sentiment' also said they felt like this towards other members of the LGBT community
- 35% of women are more likely to respect transgender people 'actively', whilst 4% 'fear them'
And just like on the 50th anniversary, and just like on the day of the first Pride parade in the UK, people up and down the country, and around the world, will this month be celebrating and reflecting on the community's history.
They'll be embracing love and friendship, looking at just how far communities have come over the past few decades - and maybe even thinking about what still needs to be done, both here, and around the world.
Pride marches aren't just for June - but there'll certainly be their fair share happening throughout the month, too.
From Arran to the Wyre Forest - you can check out a full list of Pride events happening throughout 2024 here.
Read more: Birmingham Pride 2024 was incredible! Relive all the action
Read more: First Kelham Pride takes place
Read more: LGBT+ History Month: #UnderTheScope
For advice and support, you can visit the following organisations: