4 Ways to Show Your Pride During LGBTQIA+ Pride Month
Love is QUAY. This Pride Month, QUAY will be donating $100K to GLSEN to proudly support the LGBTQIA+ community. So how did it all start? Here are the deets on LGBTQIA+ Pride Month and how you can celebrate it colorfully — including with the bright + bold limited edition QUAY PRIDE Collection.
What Is Stonewall and Why Is It Important?
When it comes to Pride Month history, Stonewall's a must-know. Basically, the Stonewall Rebellion was a six-day uprising that unfolded between the police and queer protesters. Back in the late '60s, many bars were run by organized crime, and corrupt police would collect bribes. It was common for police to crack down on gay bars and establishments without much legal protection, which included Greenwich Village’s Stonewall Inn. Among the protesters were prominent Black, Latinx, and trans activists, including trailblazers Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson.
On June 28, 1969, police raided the inn, but patrons resisted their efforts, and protests broke outside. (FYI: It's still unclear who threw the brick or object that started it all.) Stonewall wasn't necessarily the first rebellion spearheaded by the LGBTQIA+ community, but many activists remember it as one of the most important ones for the gay liberation movement.
When Is Pride Month?
For five decades, June has been designated as Pride Month to commemorate the Stonewall Uprising. The year after Stonewall, people marched from Greenwich Village to Central Park to celebrate “Christopher Street Liberation Day" — and that's how Americans celebrated their first-ever Pride parade.
In 2000, the U.S. government officially recognized June as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. Flash forward to 2011, it was expanded to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. As such, we now honor the LGBTQIA+ community with parades, marches, and celebrations every June. Many countries also celebrate Pride during different months of the year; Australia, for example, celebrates LGBTQIA Mardi Gras in March.
LGBTQIA+ Pride Identity Calendar
June is a major month for Pride, but the love doesn’t stop there. Flag these dates to show the LGBTQIA+ squad's love throughout the year.
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March 31: International Transgender Day of Visibility
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April 6: International Asexuality Day
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April 26: Lesbian Visibility Day
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July 14: International Non-Binary People's Day
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September 23: Bi Visibility Day
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October 11: National Coming Out Day
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October 26: Intersex Awareness Day
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December 8: Pansexual Pride Day
Ways to Celebrate Pride Month
There are so many fabulous ways to celebrate Pride Month, whether you’re waving rainbow flags or contributing to LGBTQIA+ initiatives. If you're feeling full of pride, here are ways to show some love this June.
Show Your Pride at Work.
Get bold + colorful at your 9 to 5 during Pride Month. Showing pride at work can be as simple as keeping a flag or pin at your workstation to let people know that you’re an ally or identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community. You can also start conversations at work to help make your workplace a safer and more inclusive space for LGBTQIA+ employees. Plus, check if your company has any programs that match employee contributions to LGBTQIA+ organizations. Creating a community where everybody feels welcome is pride-worthy.
Participate in LGBTQIA+ Initiatives.
Supporting the LGBTQIA+ community can start with doing your homework and learning about its history. After doing the research, consider donating your time or money to organizations that elevate LGBTQIA+ advocacy initiatives.
Join in on Pride Events.
Of course, you can kick off Pride Month with events such as parades and festival celebrations. Check your city calendar to look up local celebrations. Other than parades, you can also raise the colorful vibes in your community by supporting shows and galleries by LGBTQIA+ artists in your area.
Celebrate Pride with QUAY Sunglasses
Pride is QUAY. In addition to donating to GLSEN, QUAY also has a limited-edition Pride Collection to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community. Looking to amp up your rainbow swag? Get colorful sunnies to flex your pride in style. After picking up fresh shades, you can also keep it cute in pride accessories such as bandanas and glasses cases.
Shop the QUAY Pride Collection to slay proudly this June.
