June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month. The annual celebration provides a wide variety of opportunities for us to celebrate, teach, learn, and demonstrate our pride for the LGBTQ+ community.
Basics:
LGBTQ+ Pride Month occurs in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall uprising in New York City. In June of 1969, those supporting the Stonewall Inn staged a protest against police harassment and persecution of the LGBTQ community commonly experienced. This uprising marked the beginning of a movement to outlaw discriminatory laws and practices against LGBTQ+ Americans. LGBTQ+ Pride Month celebrations include pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia and concerts, attracting millions of participants around the world. Resource: From ADL.org.
The first Pride March in New York City was held on June 28, 1970, on the one year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. Resource: Library of Congress.
How To Get Involved:
There are a wide variety of opportunities for us to celebrate, teach, learn, and demonstrate our pride for the LGBTQ+ community:
- Reverse the pattern of invisibility by teaching the stories, history and accomplishments of LGBTQ+ people.
- Talk with your community members about issues related to transgender and gender non-conforming acceptance, identity and rights.
- Read stories with LGBTQ+ people, families and friends – from picture books at an early age to chapter books, novels and non-fiction as students get older. (Check out some options here >>)
- Teach about the history of discrimination against LGBTQ+ people as well as how people have worked together to overcome injustice.
- Attend Pride Month events — check out some options below!
Resource: ADL.org – Why Pride? blog post from June 7, 2014.
Seattle Pride Events + Activities:
- Seattle Pride in the Park (Sat, June 4): free celebration of queer arts, music, performance, and culture in Seattle’s Volunteer Park. Details >>
- Seattle Pride Parade (Sun, June 26): After two years, the Pride Parade is back for it’s 48th year. Details >>
- Rock out to a Seattle Pride playlist on Spotify >>
SJCC Partner Event:
Pride Shabbat
Friday, June 24 | 6:00 pm
Join the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle and our co-sponsors for Pride Shabbat, a celebration of our diverse LGBTQ+ Jewish community, including friends, families, and allies. All are welcome! Register >>
Pride Month Resources:
- ADL.org: LGBTQ+ Pride Month and Education Resources
- ADL.org: 10 Phenomenal Books to Read for LGBTQ Pride Month
- ADL.org: Why Pride (Blog Post)
- Library of Congress: Pride Month
- Library of Congress: Pride Month Resources
- Library of Congress: Audio & Video