Content warning: This article contains content related to riots and violence, and oppression of the LGBTQIA+ community, which some individuals may find distressing.
Every June, cities around the world burst into colour as millions celebrate Pride. But behind the parades, flags and festivities lies a powerful story of resistance and resilience. The Pride movement began not as a celebration, but as a protest – sparked by the Stonewall Riots of 1969. This pivotal moment in LGBTQIA+ history ignited a global fight for equality, visibility and human rights that continues today. Understanding Stonewall is key to understanding why Pride matters.
Before the late 1960s, LGBTQIA+ individuals in many countries, including the UK and USA, lived under harsh legal and social restrictions. Homosexuality was criminalised, and discrimination was widespread. In the USA, people could be arrested simply for dancing with someone of the same gender, or wearing clothes not deemed appropriate for their gender.
Gay bars, often one of the few safe spaces for the LGBTQIA+ community, were frequently targeted by police raids, which were often violent and resulted in people being arrested, harassed or publicly outed – an act that could lead to a loss of employment, housing or family ties.
On 28 June 1969, one of these routine raids took place at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Christopher Street, Greenwich Village, New York. But unlike previous raids, this time people fought back. A crowd gathered outside the bar, resisting police aggression. The protest quickly escalated and continued for several days.
The uprising was led by lesbians and trans women of colour, and marked a turning point. It wasn’t the first act of resistance by the LGBTQIA+ community, but it was the first to gain national and international attention. Stonewall became a symbol of defiance and a rallying cry for a community that had long been marginalised.
Exactly one year later, on 28 June 1970, the first Pride marches took place in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago to commemorate the Stonewall Riots. These events, originally known as Christopher Street Liberation Day, marked the beginning of the modern LGBTQIA+ rights movement.
Over time, Pride events spread across the world, evolving into a celebration of LGBTQIA+ identity, visibility and community, while also remaining a platform for activism and political demands.
The UK held its first Pride march in London in 1972, inspired by the movement in the USA. In 1989, the Stonewall organisation (named after the riots) was founded in the UK by a group of activists, including Sir Ian McKellen, to oppose Section 28 – a law that prohibited the “promotion of homosexuality” by local authorities.
Since then, Stonewall has become one of the UK’s leading LGBTQIA+ rights charities, campaigning for equal rights in education, the workplace and wider society.
Pride is a celebration, but it is also a reminder of how far we’ve come – and how far there is to go. Discrimination, violence and inequality still affect many members of the LGBTQIA+ community around the world. Remembering Stonewall isn’t just about history – it’s about continuing the fight for justice, dignity and equality for all.