The month of June has become synonymous with PRIDE month, which is a time not only for drawing awareness of these historically vulnerable populations, but what has grown into celebrating the many societal contributions from LGBTQ+ culture. As a society, this is where we are, but how did we get here? What has happened in our not-so-distant past that has enabled the PRIDE we know today, and why is it important to know? 

The origins of Pride month? 

The Stonewall Inn Uprising of 1969 is often attributed as the inspiration for Pride celebrations. While that remains partially true, it is important to point out that the parades held today actually started as demonstrations, rather than celebrations, and they began before the riots of Stonewall. 

But first, what is Stonewall?

The Stonewall Inn Uprising, also known as the Stonewall Riots, was a series of spontaneous protests by LGBTQ+ individuals in response to a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City, on June 28, 1969. The riots marked a turning point in the fight for gay rights and are widely considered a catalyst for the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. 

What happened before Stonewall?

The art of demonstration lies in organizing, and it was the foundational Eastern Regional Conference of Homophile Organizations (E.R.C.H.O.), an amalgam of multiple groups that formed in 1962, who had first picketed for equal rights and freedoms in the mid-1960s.

Birth of a Modern Movement

Inspired by these earlier protests, demonstrations took place in Chicago, San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles to mark the one-year anniversary of Stonewall in June 1970. These demonstrations, dubbed the Christopher Street Liberation Day, named for the street on which the Stonewall Inn is located, were considered a rousing success. It is these demonstrations that are likened to modern-day Pride Month events, but this also didn’t happen overnight. 

With further community organization and activism came increased visibility of the movement. In 1999, the United States federal government officially recognized June as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. Recognition was later expanded to include bisexual and transgender people in 2009. The LGBTQ+ community continues to fight for equal rights and representation, facing ongoing challenges and setbacks. 

It is important to study this and other histories to learn from the past in the hopes of better informing our future. As Maya Angelou said, “’You can’t really know where you’re going until you know where you have been.” 

Here are some recommendations to get you started.

Non-fiction

The Gay Revolution: The Story of the Struggle by Lillian Faderman
This comprehensive history of the LGBTQ+ rights movement covers the struggles and victories of the community from the early 20th century to the present. Faderman highlights key figures, events, and milestones in the fight for equality.

Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story by Jacob Tobia
Written with humor and vulnerability, Tobia’s memoir explores their experiences growing up as a gender-nonconforming person. The book tackles issues of gender identity, fluidity, and the expectations placed on us by society.

Bi: The Hidden Culture, History, and Science of Bisexuality by Julia Shaw
“A provocative, eye-opening, and original book on the science of sexuality beyond gender from an internationally bestselling pop-psychologist. Despite all the welcome changes that have happened in our culture and laws over the past few decades in regards to sexuality, the subject remains one of the most influential but least understood aspects of our lives.”

Transgender 101: A Simple Guide to a Complex Issue by Nicholas M. Teich
This book is a clear and accessible primer on the transgender experience. Written by a social worker and trans man, it explains the basics of gender identity, the history of transgender people, and the challenges they face in society.

The Velvet Rage: Overcoming the Pain of Growing Up Gay in a Straight Man’s World by Alan Downs
A powerful and thoughtful exploration of the emotional and psychological impacts of growing up gay in a society that often marginalizes and stigmatizes LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly gay men. It combines psychology and personal narrative to offer insights into healing.

Out of the Closet, Into the Streets: Researching Sexual Histories by various authors
Out of the Closet, Into the Archives takes readers inside the experience of how it feels to do queer archival research and queer research in the archive. The archive, much like the closet, exposes various levels of public and privateness-recognition, awareness, refusal, impulse, disclosure, framing, silence, cultural intelligibility-each mediated and determined through subjective insider/outsider ways of knowing.

Fiction

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
 A modern retelling of the story of Achilles and Patroclus, this novel beautifully explores love, loyalty, and loss.

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
 A romantic comedy about the First Son of the United States and a British prince who fall in love, navigating the politics of both their countries and their personal lives.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth
Although it’s technically a novel, the real-world themes it explores around conversion therapy make it a crucial read on the dangers of trying to change one’s sexual identity. The author provides a striking reflection on how LGBTQ+ youth are often misunderstood and mistreated.

Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman
 A poignant coming-of-age story set in Italy that explores the intense, transformative romance between two young men during one summer.

Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin
 This classic novel explores themes of identity, sexuality, and societal expectations, following an American man in Paris grappling with his feelings for another man.

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
 A charming and heartfelt young adult novel about a teenager navigating his secret identity as he falls in love and faces challenges around coming out.

Poetry & Short Stories

Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
 A collection of poetry and prose that deals with themes of love, trauma, healing, and self-empowerment, with some pieces exploring the experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals.

 

Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
 A collection of surreal and unsettling short stories, blending themes of sexuality, desire, and identity with a touch of horror and magic realism.