DANBURY, Connecticut — June is recognized around the world as LGBTQI+ Pride Month. It is a time for the queer community to publicly celebrate their true authentic identities. It must be remembered that our Pride celebrations originated as a riot. In 1969, homosexuality was illegal in 49 states with punishments ranging from heavy fines to imprisonment. Gay bars and establishments were typically the only places where LGBTQI+ individuals could go and be their true selves. However, the police would often raid these establishments charging the patrons with “Solicitation of Homosexual Relations.” On June 28, 1969, the police attempted to raid the Stonewall Inn in New York City, a known gay bar that exists to this day. The patrons were mostly transgender individuals, gay men and drag queens who decided that night they had had enough. They resisted arrest and a riot broke out in the streets outside the bar involving thousands of people. The “Stonewall Inn Riots” lasted until July 1st and this large-scale defiance made a massive impact on society as the beginning of the modern-day Queer Rights Movement. The first Gay Pride Parade was held one year later on the anniversary of the riots in New York City, and this tradition continues to this day.
In 1999, President Bill Clinton was the first president to federally recognize Pride month in the United States. This year, President Biden has continued that tradition with an official proclamation dated May 31, 2024. “I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2024 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to recognize the achievements of the LGBTQI+ community, to celebrate the great diversity of the American people, and to wave their flags of pride high.”
The Pride flag, which most people recognize as the rainbow, was created by Gilbert Baker in the 1970s as a request from Harvey Milk. The original eight colors were eventually scaled down to six, each holding a representation: Red – Life, Orange – Healing, Yellow – Sunlight, Green – Nature, Blue – Harmony, and Violet – Spirit. The flag has been enhanced to now also represent the Transgender and Intersex Communities, as well as Queer People of Color. These extra marginalized communities need to be represented as the struggles, harassment and discrimination are still continuing today. Just this May 17, the U.S. State Department issued an alert warning U.S. citizens overseas to exercise increased caution due to “the increased potential for foreign terrorist organization-inspired violence against LGBTQI+ persons and events.”
I personally make sure that I fly the Intersex Inclusion Progress Pride Flag outside my house, not because I am gay, but because I want to make sure that the members of the LGBTQI+ community who see it know that they are safe and recognized. Representation matters, and since my appointment as Coordinator of the WCSU Pride Center in 2021, Western Connecticut State University has flown the Intersex Inclusion Progress Pride Flag on both campuses throughout the entire month of June. On Monday, June 3, 2024, Interim President Dr. Manohar Singh was joined by members of the WCSU community for a Pride Flag Raising event in front of Old Main, hosted by the WCSU Pride Center. WestConn has also painted Pride Crosswalks on both campuses to embody our commitment to recognizing and celebrating diversity all year long. The WCSU Pride Center, which is located in the Midtown Student Center, is a safe place where students can go and be their most true and authentic selves. I encourage everyone to thank the brave individuals who stood up for themselves in 1969, as they were just trying to be their authentic selves in a safe space. Happy Pride!
Scott A. Towers, M.S.
Pride Center / Deputy Title IX Coordinator
Western Connecticut State University