Pride Month starts this weekend. Here's what to expect
Share this @internewscast.com

Pride Month kicks off with events around the world starting this weekend.

It’s an annual series of parades and other gatherings to celebrate LGBTQ+ culture and rights.

At its heart, Pride is both a party and a protest.

This year in the U.S., standing up against numerous policies that limit the rights of transgender individuals and aim to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within government, education, and business sectors is essential.

Here’s a look at the event’s roots and this year’s events and themes.

When Pride Month began

The worldwide celebration, which lasts a month, originated from Gay Pride Week in late June 1970. This was held a year following the intense police raid at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City.

During a period when many LGBTQ+ individuals chose to keep their sexual orientation confidential, the raid on June 28, 1969, led to a wave of public demonstrations and was a significant moment in the advancement of the gay rights movement.

The first pride week featured marches in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco, and it has since grown to other cities. On the calendar are events in Philadelphia this weekend; New Orleans on June 14; Chicago on June 21 and 22; and New York over the weekend of June 28 and 29. Many other events in big cities and small towns are also planned.

There are pride celebrations around the world, including in Tokyo on June 8; Toronto on June 27-29; Sao Paolo on June 22; and Paris on June 28.

Some events fall outside of June, too. World Pride, a biannual event held this year in Washington, D.C., began in May and goes through June 8. Pride in London is in July; a big celebration in Rio de Janeiro is in November and Atlanta’s is in October.

Former President Bill Clinton proclaimed June as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month in 1999, marking the first time a U.S. president did so.

How Trump is targeting trans people and DEI policies

When President Donald Trump returned to office in January, he quickly attempted to roll back LGBTQ+ rights.

He’s especially targeted transgender people with policies that halted allowing people to change the sex listed on their passport, removed transgender military troops and sought to stop using federal insurance programs to pay for gender-affirming care for transgender people under age 19, and keep transgender athletes out of girls and women’s sports competitions.

All of those changes are being challenged in court.

His actions follow years of policies in Republican-controlled states that bar gender-affirming care for transgender minors and dictate which sports transgender people can play and which school and other public bathrooms they are allowed to use. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule this month on whether Tennessee’s ban on medical treatment is constitutional.

One of Trump’s orders called for removing references to what he and some other conservatives call “gender ideology” from government publications and websites.

A result of that: References to transgender people have been removed from government websites, including the one for the Stonewall National Monument, site of the event that inspired Pride.

About half of U.S. adults approve of how Trump is handling transgender issues, an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found last month. About 4 in 10 voters approve of his job as president overall.

But support for his individual policies on transgender people is not uniformly strong, with a clearer consensus against policies that affect youth.

This year’s celebrations in the U.S.

Organizers of Milwaukee’s PrideFest are prepared for close to 50,000 people at the event scheduled for June 5-7.

“We’re feeling that people will be showing up, and that’s their protest,” said Wes Shaver, the president and CEO of Milwaukee Pride, Inc.

The event’s theme is “Celebrating the Power of Pride” and for the first time, one of the entertainment stages one night will feature only transgender performers. Shaver said that’s an intentional move in response to Trump’s policies. Another night, the stage will feature only performers of color.

Jeremy Williams, the executive producer of Philly Pride 365 in Philadelphia, said he didn’t expect more protest than in the past there.

“Everybody’s just there to be together,” he said.

The 10th anniversary of same-sex marriage legalized nationwide

One milestone that’s likely to be celebrated: This month marks the 10th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges ruling, which recognized same-sex marriage nationwide. It was a watershed event in establishing rights for LGBTQ+ people across the country.

About two-thirds of LGBTQ+ adults in the U.S. said the case made the nation more accepting of same-sex couples, according to a Pew Research Center poll released last week.

The poll found that LGBTQ+ people don’t always feel accepted, though. About 6 in 10 said they see “a great deal” or “a fair amount” of social acceptance for those who are lesbian, gay or bisexual. But only about 1 in 10 said the same is true for nonbinary and transgender people.

Which companies are backing off on sponsorships

Several big companies have pulled back on sponsorships for Pride events this year.

Among them: Anheuser-Busch, the St. Louis-based brewer, declined to sponsor PrideFest in its home city after three decades of support, leaving organizers $150,000 short of last year’s budget, they told The Associated Press.

NYC Pride said about 20% of its corporate sponsors dropped or reduced support, including PepsiCo and Nissan. The carmaker said it was reviewing all its marketing costs.

In other cities, such as Kansas City, Missouri, pride events lost about half their budgets.

Several companies that have pulled back have not explained why to the AP. But some experts see the change as part of a broader retreat from brand activism.

Still, the groups behind many Pride events say some companies have kept contributing but have asked not to be listed publicly as sponsors.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Man linked to Hamas attack on Israel indicted in Louisiana for conspiring to support terrorist group

Louisiana Man Charged with Conspiracy in Connection to Hamas Attack on Israel

A Louisiana resident has been formally charged in connection with the October…
Former New York state trooper sentenced to 6 months in prison after faking his own shooting: 'disgraceful'

Ex-New York Trooper Jailed for Six Months Over Fake Shooting Incident: Described as ‘Disgraceful

A former New York state trooper received a six-month jail sentence on…
Artist Ben Wahhh of Deluxe Tattoo started Ink Relief Program with Salt and Light Coalition to help domestic violence survivors

Empowering Survivors: Ben Wahhh’s Ink Relief Program Transforms Lives Through Art and Healing

CHICAGO (WLS) — As we observe Domestic Violence Awareness Month this October,…
Feds say 14 arrested during chaotic immigration sweep that sparked protests on NYC's Canal Street

14 Arrested in Turbulent NYC Immigration Raid Amid Canal Street Protests, Say Feds

NEW YORK (AP) — An immigration raid on Manhattan’s bustling Canal Street…
Virginia Giuffre’s memoir reveals how Epstein, Maxwell ‘broke down’ girls step by step in psychological war

Virginia Giuffre’s Memoir Exposes Epstein and Maxwell’s Chilling Tactics in Systematic Psychological Manipulation

Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s first encounter with Jeffrey Epstein’s pink-hued mansion in Palm…
Former St. Johns fire chief wins lawsuit

Ex-St. Johns Fire Chief Triumphs in Landmark Legal Victory: What This Means for Firefighting Leadership

St. Johns County has agreed to a $500,000 settlement with its former…
Shelters offer free adoptions at Jacksonville Pet Adoption Festival this weekend

Jacksonville Pet Adoption Festival: Free Adoptions This Weekend to Find Forever Homes for Pets

The Jacksonville Humane Society and Animal Care and Protective Services (ACPS) are…
NYC mayoral candidates clash bitterly during final debate

Final NYC Mayoral Debate Sparks Heated Exchanges Among Candidates

NEW YORK (AP) — During the heated final debate in New York…
The 22-day government shutdown is now the second-longest in US history

Historic Standoff: Unpacking the 22-Day Government Shutdown and Its Impact

The longest government shutdown on record spanned 35 days during the first…
Opening statements Wednesday in trial of ex-Illinois officer who killed Sonya Massey

Opening Statements to Begin Wednesday in Trial of Former Illinois Officer Accused of Killing Sonya Massey

In Springfield, Illinois, the courtroom is set to be the scene of…
Former mayor stabbed outside blue state business, suspect with multiple arrests charged

Ex-Mayor Stabbed Outside Business in Blue State: Repeat Offender Charged in High-Profile Incident

A former Massachusetts mayor sustained injuries from a stabbing incident outside his…
Vermont police search for student who vanished from Middlebury College

Vermont Authorities Intensify Search for Missing Middlebury College Student

Authorities in Vermont have initiated an extensive search for a missing senior…