June is Pride month – a month dedicated to celebrating LGBTQ+ communities all around the world. LGBT+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. The + is an inclusive symbol to mean ‘and others’ to include people of all identities.
During the 1960s, being gay was classified as a mental illness in the US. Gay people were regularly threatened and were shunned by many in society. Even here in the UK, being gay was a crime until 1967. But the Stonewall riots in 1969 were a landmark event in history, which helped to fight homophobia and campaign for equal rights.
On 28 June 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn – a bar in the gay area of New York, US. The gay community was angry about the way they were being treated by the police, so they chose to fight back. This event triggered a week of protests and rioting by people from the gay community, who were fed up with being harassed by the authorities.
News of the riots spread around the world, and this inspired others to join protests and rights groups to fight for equality. A month after the riots, the first openly gay march took place in New York, demanding equality. After the Stonewall protests happened, the first Pride festival officially took place in the UK in 1972. Around 2,000 people turned out for the event back then. But now, more than a million celebrate the event every year in London.
In 2013, gay marriage became legal in England and Wales, and then later in Scotland. In Northern Ireland, gay marriage is not allowed. Pride month is about acceptance, equality, celebrating the work of LGBTQ+ people, education in LGBTQ+ history, and raising awareness of issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community. It also calls for people to remember how damaging homophobia was and still can be. Pride is all about being proud of who you are no matter who you love.
Local Events and Support
Bristol Pride festival: 24/06/23- 09/07/23
For more information: https://bristolpride.co.uk/aboutpride/
- Safe venues and night clubs
- Upcoming events
- Support groups
- Latest LGBTQ+ news in Bristol
- How to report hate crimes
Weston Pride Festival : 30/09/2023-01/10/2023
For more information: https://bristolpride.co.uk/aboutpride/
- Upcoming Events
- Aims to be a family friendly event uniting people of all backgrounds in one celebration of community
Switchboard LGBTQ+ Helpline
For more information: Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline
Helpline telephone number: 0800 0119 100 open every day 10:00-22:00
A safe space for anyone to discuss anything, including sexuality, gender identity, sexual health, and emotional well-being. Supporting people to explore the right options for themselves as they aspire to a society where all LGBT+ people are informed and empowered
Mind Out
For more information: MindOut | Mental Health Charity for LGBTQ community
Mind Out is a mental health service run by and for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ) people, providing peer support groups and counselling services.
