23 Jun An Annual Pride Celebration, 2022

June is the month of colors; it is the month of pride. Throughout the month of June, LGBTQ+ community not only celebrates to honor the 1969 stonewall riots but also to achieve equal Justice and equal opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning.

How did it all start?

It was the time when homosexual acts were considered illegal in almost every state in USA. Police frequently raided bars and restaurants. They would often shut the bars and restaurants down for either keeping gay employees or serving gay patrons.

One such bar named Stonewall Inn located in Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York. There the queer community responded against the Police raids.

Mark Segal was one of the people who were standing against the police raid the night police raided Stonewall inn. Later in an interview he said; “We were enraged because, in a sense, 2000 years of repression built up in us and the New York City Police Department that night, when they violently came into Stonewall and beat people up against the wall and extorted money from people, got us angry and it was that night that we said to the police, we are taking our street back. This is our neighborhood. You are no longer going to control us. You are no longer going to dominate us.”

Concept behind the Rainbow flag

In 1978 artist Gilbert Baker, a drag queen designed the first rainbow flag. The first version of rainbow flag was flown on June 25, 1978 for the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day parade.

Rainbow flag represents the queer community. The different colors often associated with “diversity”.

Ways you can celebrate pride month

• Pride month is celebrated through many different ways:-
• You can attend a pride parade
• You can educate yourself about the history of pride
• You can support a friend who is finding it difficult to come out as a pride
• Simply support LGBTQIA+ community.

Also to support the community many offices and institutions have declared themselves to be LGBTQAI friendly. To not only support the LGBTQAI community but also to show commitment to the sustainable development goals, including SDG 10: reduced inequalities and SDG5: Gender equality, which we aim to achieve by 2030.
ESEDS being eastern India’s first sustainable college, located in Kolkata is one of the examples of such an institute. ESEDS is an LGBTQAI friendly college where all the students are treated equally.

Gender equality is fundamental human right. We all deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. No community should fight for their fundamental rights. In the end Happy Pride Month to everyone.