happy pride
LGBT is a movement that celebrates sexual diversity.
The initials stand for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
The movement promotes their dignity, equal rights, self-affirmation and is a way of increasing society’s awareness of the issues they face.
It may also include additional Qs for “queer” or “questioning” and/or a plus sign which represents all other sexualities.
The rainbow flag is seen at Pride events all around the world. It is often used as a collective symbol for the entire LGBT community. The design we are most familiar with has changed slightly from the original which was designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978.
- Gilbert
Baker
1924 – The Society for Human Rights is founded by Henry Gerber in Chicago. It is the first documented gay rights organization. 1938 – The word “gay” is used for the first time on film in reference to homosexuality. 1950 – The Mattachine Society is formed by activist Harry Hay and is one of the first sustained gay rights groups in the United States. The Society focuses on social acceptance and other support for homosexuals. 1979 – A number of people in Sweden call in sick with a case of being homosexual, in protest of homosexuality being classified as an illness. Within a few months, Sweden becomes the first country in the world to remove homosexuality as an illness.
LOVE
June 28, 1969 – Members of the LGBT community fight against a police raid on the Stonewall Inn in Manhattan.
June 28, 1970 – Community members march through the streets of NYC to recognize the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall riots. The event is considered to be the first gay pride parade.
Due to the Stonewall riots, June is now an international Pride month.
STONEWALL
INN
1970 – A same-sex couple in Minnesota applies for a marriage license. They are denied and their case goes to the state Supreme Court. 2001 – The world’s first legal gay marriage ceremony takes place in the Netherlands. The Netherlands is the first country to legalize same-sex marriage. 2013 – The number of states with marriage equality doubles. Millennials are the largest demographic group in support of equal marriage rights for all couples.
Conversion therapy refers to any form of treatment or psychotherapy which aims to change a person’s sexual orientation or to suppress a person’s gender identity. It is based on an assumption that being lesbian, gay, bi or trans is a mental illness that can be cured. These therapies are both unethical and harmful. A 2009 survey of over 1,300 mental health professionals found that more than 200 had offered some form of conversion therapy. LGBT youth are four times more likely to commit suicide than their heterosexual counterparts. In 2018, a survey of 5,000 LGBT people found that more than half of them suffer from depression and/or anxiety.
- Chris Colfer
The word “pride” was made popular by Brenda Howard. She is known as the “Mother of Pride”. The biggest pride parade in the world is held in Sao Paulo, Brazil. In 2011, it had an estimated 3.5 million attendees. Amsterdam’s pride celebration takes place on decorated boats that sail through the city on the Prinsengracht River. The longest gay pride celebration lasts three to four weeks and is held every February in Sydney, Australia.
Design and illustration: Manca Rus Print: ENX d.o.o. June 2019