Today, we commemorate the beginning of LGBTQ+ Pride Month! It’s a great time to uplift the LGBTQ+ community and engage in festive events, but it’s important to remember why we celebrate Pride in the first place. This year marks the 53rd anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, which many consider as the origin of Pride Month. In June 1969, police raided a LGBTQ+ bar and grew violent, which led to a series of protests that launched the gay rights movement. In recognition of the month, we’re celebrating legal and societal advancements of LGBTQ+ rights.
Some advancements to celebrate include:
1. Inclusive Marriage: In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down all state bans on same-sex marriage and legalized it in all fifty states. This was a victory for LGBTQ+ couples and gave them the right to marry no matter who they love.
2. LGBTQ+ Inclusive Sex Ed: The California Healthy Youth Act (also known as CHYA or “Chaya”) was passed in 2016. It requires public schools to teach comprehensive sex education, including LGBTQ+ inclusive langauge and topics on sexuality, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender stereotypes, and gender roles. For more information on the CA Health Youth Act visit: myschoolmyrights.com/sex-ed.
3. LGBTQ+ Inclusive Language: People have long assumed that there are only two genders, but gender identity doesn’t exist in a binary. Gender identity is fluid and expressed across a spectrum, and it can be harmful to assume someone’s gender based on their name or gender expression (i.e., the clothes they wear, how they style their hair, whether they wear makeup).
How can you practice LGBTQ+ inclusivity?
o Introducing yourself with your pronouns (she/her, they/them, your name) and not assuming people’s gender.
o Keep learning! Educate yourself, peers, and family on sexual orientation, romantic orientation, gender identity and expression, and outdated terms that further stereotype and discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community. Remember that even if it looks like it, these terms have a history and can be hurtful.
Today and every day, let’s continue to uplift the LGBTQ+ community, support our peers and families, and create space to talk about sexuality and gender identity!