Before we begin, let us just go down memory lane and just refresh our memories for the meanings of these two words: Pride (noun) -The consciousness of one's own dignity.
Dignity (noun) - The state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect.
It is 2021, and the members of LGBTQIA+ community still live as an outcast in many countries, are feared and bullied and not accepted for who they are. It is in the month of June that Pride Month is observed all across the world, to celebrate the members of the LGBTQIA+ community and their right to live a dignified life. Still, very few people are actually aware of it, about its history.
So, at the end of Pride Month, this June, all of us at TPQ decided to do a blog which will make people aware of what Pride Month is. So, here we go! Do stick with us till the end.
WHAT IS LGBTQIA+?
LGBTQIA+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/ Questioning, Intersex, Asexual. LGBTQIA+ is an ever-growing and evolving acronym. It is an inclusive term covering people of all genders and sexualities, such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer, intersex, asexual, pansexual, and allies. It is not just one group but many groups that form this community. So, it is important that we are aware of each part of it.
Lesbian – It is a term for women sexually and affectionately oriented toward other women. The term can also be used by non-binary individuals, especially those that are attracted to women or feel connected to womanhood.
Gay - Characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to people of one's same-sex; homosexual.
Bisexual - Those that are sexually and affectionately attracted both to men and women.
Trans - An inclusive term for transgender, non-conforming, and non-binary individuals.
Transgender - People whose gender identity is different from the gender they were thought to be at birth.
Questioning - When a person is exploring their sexuality, gender identity, and gender expression.
Queer - This term can have various definitions but can be seen as an inclusive term or as a unique celebration of not molding to social norms.
Intersex - This word can have various meanings; it’s used for individuals that don’t fit into specific gender norms of women or men; it can also be used for those with reproductive anatomy that isn’t typical.
Asexual - Used for those that don’t feel sexual attraction to either sex or that don’t feel romantic attraction in a typical way.
The + in the LGBTQIA+ acronym is there to be inclusive to everyone. This works to allow the acronym to cover new subsects of the community like:
Ally - A term for individuals that support and rally the cause even though they don’t identify within the community.
Pan-sexual/Homosexual - Similar to bisexual, this describes individuals with a desire for all genders and sexes.
Androgynous - Describes those with both male and female traits.
Genderqueer - A gender term used for those with no, both, or a combination of genders.
Two-spirit - Typically used by Native Americans to describe the third gender.
Demisexual - Describes someone that requires an emotional bond to form a sexual attraction.
Polyamorous - This term for those open to multiple consensual romantic or sexual relationships at one time.
(Source – abbreviations.yourdictionary.com)
What is LGBTQIA+ Pride?
LGBTQIA+ Pride is the promotion of self-affirmation, dignity, increased visibility of the people who are from the LGBTQIA+ community.
What is Pride Month?
Every year in June, the whole world celebrates Pride Month dedicated to the LGBTQIA+ community and their rights to a dignified life. People from all across the world come together in celebration of how far LGBTQIA+ rights have come with the motive that there is still so much left to achieve.
It is about spreading awareness and educating those who yet do not know about the LGBTQIA+ community, about their rights, freedom, and history. Pride Month is all about acceptance and celebration of people from this community and their identities and about normalizing love because let’s face it, LOVE IS LOVE.
Why do we celebrate Pride Month?
Every year the Pride Month is celebrated in the month of June, commemorating the Stonewall Riots. The Stonewall uprising was a series of demonstrations by the members of the gay community in response to a police raid which began in the early hours of 28th June 1969 at the Stonewall Inn which is a gay bar in the Greenwich, neighborhood of New York City, USA. The members of the Gay and Lesbian community from the village fought back when the police became violent.
Tensions between New York City police and gay residents of Greenwich Village erupted into more protests the next evening and again several nights later. Within weeks, Village residents organized into activist groups demanding the right to live openly regarding their sexual orientation, and without fear of being arrested. The new activist organizations concentrated on confrontational tactics, and within months three newspapers were established to promote rights for gay men and lesbians.
These riots are considered a major watershed event in the Gay liberation movement and the twentieth (20th) century fight for LGBTQIA+ rights in the United States of America.
(Source: Wikipedia)
HOW IS PRIDE MONTH CELEBRATED?
Today, the celebrations of Pride Month include Pride parades, picnics, workshops, and concerts. LGBTQIA+ Pride Month events attract millions of participants around the world. Local and Federal policies are increasingly acknowledging and focusing on LGBTQIA+ youth. Encouraging greater acceptance and support for all youth, including those who are or are perceived to be LGBTQ, will make communities, schools, and other settings safer, better places for all youth.
FLAGS ASSOCIATED WITH THE LGBTQIA+ PRIDE
Tons of people use the rainbow flag to represent the LGBTQ community, but it's not the only flag that people in the community connect with. Different groups, genders, and identities have come up with their own flags over the years to bring awareness to their unique needs and experiences.
Here are some of the flags that are used worldwide by the different groups of the LGBTQIA+ community:
The Gilbert Baker Pride Flag
In 1978, Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in California, asked artist Gilbert Baker to create a Pride flag. Gilbert wanted to create "something that was positive, that celebrated our love." "A Rainbow Flag was a conscious choice, natural and necessary," Gilbert said. "The rainbow came from earliest recorded history as a symbol of hope."
The colors have the following meanings:
Pink: Sex
Red: Life
Orange: Healing
Yellow: Sunlight
Green: Nature
Turquoise: Magic
Blue: Harmony
Violet: Spirit
This flag is used to symbolize the overall LGBTQ community. Many organizations and businesses use this flag as a symbol to show that their establishment is a safe space for everyone in the community. The pink and turquoise from Gilbert's original flag were excluded so it would be easier to mass-produce.
Rainbow Pride Flag
This flag is used to symbolize the overall LGBTQ community. Many organizations and businesses use this flag as a symbol to show that their establishment is a safe space for everyone in the community. The pink and turquoise from Gilbert's original flag were excluded so it would be easier to mass-produce.
Bisexual Flag
This flag was created by activist Michael Page. He wanted to create a symbol for bisexual people to feel connected to. Each of the colors symbolizes some kind of attraction:
Pink (or magenta): Same-sex attraction.
(Royal) blue: Opposite-sex attraction
Purple (lavender): Attraction to both sexes.
Asexual Flag
Asexuality is also a spectrum of attraction where people can fall into a subset called "gray asexuality." People who identify this way call themselves "gray ace." This spectrum includes people who feel sexual attraction infrequently, who only feel sexual attraction under a specific set of circumstances, and more.
According to Medium, the flag was created in 2010 to help create awareness in the community.
Black: Represents Asexuality as a whole
Gray: Represents grey asexuality and demisexuality.
Demisexuality is defined as no sexual attraction unless there is a strong emotional bond according to AVEN.
White: Represents sexuality.
Purple: Represents community.
Lesbian Flag
