Pride Month- Significance And The Celebrations

June is dedicated to Pride Month. When companies and businesses take time out and release products to show support and individuals get out there and conduct parades and marches. In the United States, LGBT Pride Month is held to remember the Stonewall riots, which took place at the end of June 1969. As a result, various pride activities are organized throughout the month to honor the contributions of LGBT individuals across the world. Marches and parades have been an element of Pride since it began as a single-day observance in 1970. Pride parades have served as acts of resistance against those aiming to remove the LGBTQ community of the rights it has worked so hard to achieve, from their beginnings as memorials to their current incarnation as vibrant celebrations.

The pride flag is very lively, and each color has a meaning behind it:

• Hot pink (Sex),
• Red (Life),
• Orange (Healing),
• Yellow (Sunlight),
• Green (Nature),
• Turquoise (Magic/Art),
• Indigo (Serenity),
• Violet (Spirit).

While many other cities celebrate pride month in June Austin celebrates it in August. One major reason being that Austin is populated with college students and they all have left by June but make a return in August. In recognition of Pride Month and the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, Austin was named the No. 5 most LGBTQ+ inclusive city in the United States in Yelp’s “Top 20 Most Inclusive Cities” in 2019.

– Inaz Budhwani