Who celebrates Pride month?
Pride events are geared toward anyone who feels like their sexual identity falls outside the mainstream but anyone is welcome to join in to show support.
LGBT is an acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. The term sometimes is extended to LGBTQ, or even LGBTQIA, to include queer, intersex and asexual people. To know more about LGBT meaning, read this article.
When was the first Pride march held in India?
On July 2, 1999, Kolkata Rainbow Pride Walk (KRPW) is the oldest pride march/walk held not only in India but also South Asia. The first march in Kolkata was organised on 2 July 1999. At that time it was called – The Friendship Walk, where only fifteen participants showed up from Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune.
How is Pride month celebrated in India now?
Pride marches are now held in most big cities including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru and are 8-18 years old. The 2017 Mumbai march saw 17,000 participants.
In Delhi, Pride marches have been consistently organized every year since 2008 just like the 'Bengaluru Namma Pride March' in Bangalore. The 'Chennai Rainbow Pride' has been held every year in June since 2009.
However, many cities also choose to do so in other months - such as Bhubaneswar, which held its first Pride parade in 2009 and has continued to do so every September. Kerala, Bhopal Surat, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Guwahati, Bhawanipatna (Odisha), Gurugram and even Dehradun have joined in to hold Pride marches every year.
What is the meaning of Pride?
Pride gatherings are rooted in the history of minority groups who have struggled for decades to overcome prejudice and be accepted for who they are.
What’s behind the name - Pride?
The suggestion to call the movement 'Pride' came from gay activist L. Craig Schoonmaker in 1970. 'A lot of people were very repressed, they were conflicted internally, and didn't know how to come out and be proud. That's how the movement was most useful, because they thought, 'Maybe I should be proud,' he said in an interview in 2015.
How did Pride month start?
On June 28, 1969, police raided Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York's Greenwich Village during the early hours. The situation soon became out of control when police wanted to make arrests. New York's gay community, which suffered harassment and insults by the police and authorities for many years, revolted. The riots that kicked off that day lasted for three days.
The riots not only kicked off the gay liberation movement in the United States but also paved way for all the nations to start their own movements.
Where did the Rainbow flag come from?
In 1978, artist and designer Gilbert Baker designed the first rainbow flag for San Francisco’s Pride celebrations. The colours of the rainbow represents many groups within the gay community – such as bisexual, pansexual and asexual.
How is Pride month celebrated?
Pride month is celebrated all through June by colourful parades, concerts and marches to express the diversity and equality in the queer community. Global Pride Day is celebrated on June 27.
However, in 2020, a lot of celebrations will be moved online to keep to social distancing rules because of the Covid -19 pandemic.
What is the meaning of the Pride Parade?
Pride parades are also known by other names such as - pride marches, pride events, and pride festivals. These events usually happen outdoors.
Can I participate in Pride events if I'm not LGBTQIA+?
Yes of course! Even if you do not belong to the LGBTQIA+ community but want to show support, you are welcome to join the celebrations as an ally. It is an opportunity to show support to your friends from the community, to listen to them and learn more about their lives. Read our article on how to be an ally.
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