Today, passionate, resilient, and strategic LGBTQ+ leaders, allies, and civil society organizations in every country and region are working tirelessly to continue advancing the rights of all people across the diverse spectrum of sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and sex characteristics. “It gives me great pride to see my children celebrating,” she said of the generations she helped inspire. when she was honored by huge crowds gathered in Rome for the first-ever World Pride event. Decades later, Rivera would experience first-hand how she and other LGBTQ+ pioneers had impacted lives far beyond the U.S.
Instead, as trans activist Sylvia Rivera recounted, the actions of those at Stonewall were simply an assertion of dignity and humanity: “We were determined that evening that we were going to be a liberated, free community.” Yet due to this determination and the subsequent work of countless individuals, including many whose efforts will never be fully known, people all over the world have joined together since 1970 to organize Pride marches, parades, workshops, and other events, raising awareness about the violence, discrimination, and inequalities faced by LGBTQ+ people while also embracing their visibility, diversity, perserverance, and spirit. At the time, those who pushed back against the NYPD’s persecution could not have imagined the eventual global reverberations of their actions.
The Stonewall uprising helped mobilize a surge of activism and organizing that fundamentally changed the American and global movements for human rights of LGBTQ+ people. USAID celebrates this legacy of resistance and honors the courage it takes to live and love authentically through supporting LGBTQ+ programs and research. The uprising was led by transgender women of color to demand an immediate end to violent police raids targeting Stonewall’s LGBTQ+ patrons. Pride Month commemorates the uprising at New York City’s Stonewall Inn, which began on Jand continued for six days. Every year, the month of June is recognized as Pride Month to honor the contributions to society made by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and other people of diverse sexualities and genders (LGBTQ+).