The year after the riots, the first
pride marches were held in several US cities.[4] The march in New York City, aimed to celebrate the "Christopher Street Liberation Day", alongside parallel marches across the US, is considered to be a watershed moment for
LGBT rights.[5]Fred Sargeant, an organizer of some of the first marches, said that the goal was to commemorate the Stonewall riots and further push for liberation. He noted that while the first marches were more akin to a protest than a celebration, it helped to remind people of
LGBT communities and how they may include one's family and friends.[6]Transgender women and
people of color were noted to have been excluded or silenced during the early marches, despite the initial riots largely consisting of them.[4][7]
Spread and celebration
Following the Stonewall riots and the first pride marches, the number of LGBT groups rapidly increased,[10] and the
pride movement spread across the United States after a few years.[6] As of 2020, most pride celebrations in major urban areas around the world are held in June, although some cities hold them at different times of the year partially because of the weather in June being suboptimal for such events there.[11]
International LGBT Pride Day is a day dedicated to
LGBT Pride. It is held on June 28 to commemorate the anniversary of the
Stonewall Riots,[12] making it part of Pride Month.
The first reference to an international pride day is likely by
San Francisco Pride, whose march was entitled International Lesbian & Gay Freedom Day Parade between from 1981 to 1994.[13] In 1991,
Serbian group
Arkadija commemorated International Pride Day with a forum concerning queer activism and art at
Belgrade Youth Center.[14]Nicaragua's first public pride festival was also held on this day 1991 to commemorate the Stonewall Riots.[15][16] Serbia also marked International Pride Day in between 2013 and 2015 with Hate-Free Zone actions, organized by GSA, Women in Black and other
NGOs.[17]
Recognition
In June 1999, US President
Bill Clinton declared "the anniversary of [the] Stonewall [riots] every June in America as
Gay and
Lesbian Pride Month".[18] In 2011, President
Barack Obama expanded the officially recognized Pride Month to include the whole of the
LGBT community.[18][19] In 2017
Donald Trump declined to continue the federal recognition of Pride Month in the United States,[20] though he later recognized it in 2019 in a
Tweet later used as a
Presidential Proclamation.[21]
Some have criticized how many companies release Pride Month-themed products, likening it to the concept of
slacktivism, as the companies are perceived to be using the topic of LGBT rights as a means of profit, without contributing to the movement in a meaningful way.[7] Others have criticized the seemingly hypocritical nature of companies making social media profiles evoke the
rainbow pride flag while refusing to alter the profile pictures in areas without broad LGBT acceptance.[24]
Some religious and cultural groups oppose Pride Month on ideological grounds. They view LGBTQ+ identities and relationships as contrary to their beliefs and traditions. These objections often lead to tensions and conflicts during Pride Month, as LGBTQ+ individuals and their allies assert their rights to visibility and inclusion.[25]
Months of the year
New Zealand
Pride month is celebrated at different times throughout New Zealand.[26] In
Auckland, it is celebrated in February,[27][26] and in
Christchurch and
Wellington Pride Month is in March.[26]