HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!!!

A/N — Before this chapter properly begins, I would like to give a big shoutout to the BBC Newsround pages and Unifrog. Thank you for saving this chapter.

Pride is a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community which happens in June, pride month. It is all about acceptance, diversity and love. It also aims to educate people about queer history and shows how far LGBTQ+ rights have come.

An important part of pride month is acknowledging the homophobia that queer people have faced in the past and still continue to face today.

We should particularly acknowledge and give love to the people who are struggling. It may be not getting the support that you need from your parents, or it may be getting persecuted for your sexuality, but your struggles are valid.

If you're struggling, I am here for you, and there are plenty of other people who would be willing to give you support as well.

*VERY BIG HUG*

On the 28th June 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn, which was a gay bar in New York. It was the second time in a week that the police had raided it.

They threw around 200 people out into the streets and beat some of them up. The queer people were really angry about being treated this way by the police, so they decided to fight back.

This event triggered a week of protests and riots from members of the LGBTQ+ community, who wanted better treatment from the police and the other people in society.

News of the riots spread around the world, and people from many countries were inspired by these events to fight for their own rights.

A month after these riots, the first openly gay March took place in New York to demand equality.

The first official pride march was organised by Brenda Howard, a bisexual activist, and took place on the 28th June 1970 to commemorate the Stonewall Riots a year before. The march was called the Christopher Street Liberation Day March, after the name of the road that the Stonewall Inn was located on. The event was a combination of celebration and protest.

Brenda Howard organised another pride event the year later, and, soon enough, pride marches were established all around the world.