June is officially Pride Month in Canada, the US, and the UK. This month was chosen to commemorate the Stonewall Riots that happened in June 1969, sparking the gay liberation movement. It’s been said that Pride is both the party and the protest. In today’s blog, we’ll look at how video and other forms of media are celebrating and raising awareness, reminding us all why Pride remains important.
Taking us through five decades of #Pride history, today’s slideshow #GoogleDoodle celebrates LGBTQ+ Pride through the lens of an evolving international parade → https://t.co/IDL1FPjgYA pic.twitter.com/TLFF0X76FB
— Google (@Google) June 4, 2019
Pride Documentaries
If you’d like some background on Pride month and Pride in general, you’re in luck. There are some excellent documentaries on the LGBTQ community YouTube isn’t just a place to watch such content, they’re also producing content. Two years ago, the company released a video highlighting queer creators as part of their Creators for Change initiative. This year, they released the original documentary State of Pride. Filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman traveled with host Raymond Braun to three US communities for a look at what LGBTQ Pride means to local youth.
It Gets Better
In 2010, the power of video and social media ignited the It Gets Better movement. It all started when Dan Savage and his partner Terry Miller posted a video to share their struggles as gay youths, reassuring young viewers that it gets better. Nine years later, their original post has 2,167, 852 views and counting. This is an excellent example of the emotional connection that can be achieved through video.
The movement has grown to become a nonprofit organization that provides hope, encouragement, and support to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth globally. More than 60,000 people around the world have shared their it gets better story. The movement has also had wide support from celebrities and has created a sense of belonging and acceptance for gay youth facing bullies and prejudice. This video is from the Canadian chapter of It Gets Better.
Stonewall—50 Years Later
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and the birth of the LGBTQ2+ movement around the world. On June 28, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City. The gay community fought back, resulting in five consecutive nights of riots that birthed the Pride movement. In recognition of this important anniversary, the interactive monument Stonewall Forever was created. Archived materials and visitor-contributed content combine to tell the ongoing story of Pride.
New York is hosting World Pride 2019 during the month of June. As the location of the Stonewall Riots, a space in Greenwich Village became the first national monument dedicated to LGBTQ rights in 2016. A documentary called Stonewall Forever unites the diverse voices of Pride over the last 50 years to explore the queer activism that inspired the LGBTQ rights movement.
Local Pride
Toronto’s Pride celebration is one of the largest in the world, attracting over one million people. The city has been in full Pride mode since June 1 with a variety of events, from the Family Pride Program to Night at the Aqueerium. The Toronto Pride Parade is this Sunday, June 23. Gigi Gorgeous, a Canadian YouTuber, actress, and LGBTQ2+ icon will be this year’s Grand Marshall. It’s clear that our city is out in full force to support the LGBTQ+ community.
How to Get Involved
As an individual, you can recognize and honour Pride month in many ways. As a consumer, you can participate in the commercial and corporate aspect of involvement. If you’re interested in supporting the LGBTQ+ community through spending, it’s not a bad idea to do a little research when it comes to businesses hanging out a rainbow flag. As far as education and awareness go, we’re proud to see that video continues to spread the word of equality. Happy Pride!
