Gay pride

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Image:RainbowFlagCastroSF2005.jpg The gay pride or simply pride campaign of the gay rights movement has three main premises: that people should be proud of what they are, that sexual diversity is a gift, and that sexual orientation and gender identity are inherent and cannot be intentionally altered. Marches celebrating Pride (pride parades) are celebrated worldwide. Symbols of gay pride include the rainbow flag and also of the pink and black triangles reclaimed from their past use.

1 History
2 Opposition
3 Pride as an acronym
4 See also
5 External links

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History

Image:2004-GayPrideBrazil-45409.jpeg In June 1969, lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender and queer persons rioted following a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City. The Stonewall riots are generally considered to be the beginning of the modern gay rights movement, as it was the first time in modern history that a significant body of LGBT people resisted arrest.

Brenda Howard is known as the "the Mother of Pride". She was a leader of the Gay Liberation Front and Gay Activists Alliance in the early post-Stonewall era. She coordinated the first month anniversary rally and then the "Christopher Street Liberation Day March" on June 28, 1970 to commemorate the first year anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion.

A march was also held in San Francisco in 1970.

The marches were repeated in the following years, and over the years similar marches began to be held in other cities throughout the world. The marches became known as Gay Pride marches.

Howard also originated the idea for a week-long series of events around Pride Day which became the genesis of the annual LGBT Pride celebrations that are now held around the world.

Activist L. Craig Schoonmaker claims to have coined the term "gay pride" in description of the 1969 Stonewall riots.[1]

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Opposition

Image:Pride.jpg Within the gay community, some reject the notion of gay pride, perceiving therein an undue emphasis on sexual orientation and a lack of discretion and modesty to the detriment of either public morals or the cause of gay rights; they propose to soften strident activism in order to better integrate into the mainstream. Others see it as depreciative of the identity of the individual; that one's sexual orientation should not be one's quintessential defining characteristic. Critics of such opposition regard it as pandering to homophobia, a rejection of accepted norms in the LGBT community and repression of diversity within the community.

Social conservatives, however, generally reject the premise that sexual orientation is inherent and fixed, and thus see pride parades as celebration of life choices of which they disapprove. It is not unusual to see small groups of religious fundamentalists protesting at gay pride events.

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Pride as an acronym

Many Australian universities have a club or society for students who identify as LGBT. These clubs often change their names, due to the rapid evolution of political correctness, and a desire to appear inclusive. One label that is currently in common usage is PRIDE, as an acronym for People Rejoicing In Diversity Everywhere.

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