The annual celebration of all things Pride is upon us. The month of June is dedicated to celebrating and recognizing the LGBTQ+ community. Pride marches began back in June 1970. They started up as a way to commemorate the previous year’s Stonewall Riots. The Stonewall Inn was a well-known gay bar in New York City; throughout the 60’s, NYPD had been cracking down on gay bars and common queer spots. The Stonewall Uprising was a series of riots following a police raid, where members of the queer community and its allies fought back against the government’s oppression. Honoring Stonewall is important as it marked a new beginning of the gay rights movement. Now, pride march involvement continues to grow worldwide.
Snohomish is holding a pride parade downtown, along First Street, on June 7th. The parade begins around 10 a.m. and is a local opportunity to celebrate pride with family or friends. Additionally, Seattle is continuing its annual Pride celebrations with Pridefest on June 28-29. The convention will once again be held in Capitol Hill, Seattle’s popular nightlife district. This free weekend event is expected to feature entertainment for all ages. The Seattle Pride Parade has been the heart for over 300,000 attendees to join together to march for joy in past years. This year’s parade will be held on June 29th, running from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. along 4th Avenue in Downtown Seattle. There will be a wide array of local queer artists, musicians, and small businesses to support throughout the march.
Joining the ongoing fight for equal rights is not exclusive to just those within the queer community. Allies and all are welcome to honor the past, celebrate new wins, and encourage the improvement that still needs to be done. Pride continues to serve as a platform of education, acceptance, and justice. It is crucial, now more than ever, that communities attend these marches and spread awareness on the unique identities that make us all human.