June is Pride Month

By Allison Bauer

Member, DEIB Working Group

Every June we celebrate Pride Month, which commemorates the Stonewall Uprising in June 1969, a series of protests of police harassment of LGBTQIA+ patrons at a New York City bar. These protests became a pivotal moment in the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights and sparked the modern Gay Liberation Movement.

The LGBTQIA+ community has faced various forms of discrimination throughout history based on identity alone. Pride Month is a chance to acknowledge the challenges faced by the community as well as celebrating its resilience, its contributions to society, and the progress that has been made toward equality.

What can you do?

There are many ways to get involved and support the LGBTQIA+ community, even outside of Pride Month:

• Learn about LGBTQIA+ history, identity, and current issues. There are resources available online and in libraries.
• Be an ally by speaking out against discrimination and prejudice whenever you see it. Stand up for your LGBTQIA+ friends, family, and colleagues.
• Support LGBTQIA+ organizations by volunteering or donating to these organizations.
• Engage in respectful conversations: Listen to the experiences of LGBTQIA+ people and try to understand their perspectives. Be open to learning and challenging your own biases.

The LGBTQIA+ Community has made great strides recently, especially in Massachusetts. This year marked the 20^th anniversary of the start of legal marriages between same-sex couples after the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court decision in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health. That decision paved the way for same-sex couples to enjoy the protection that comes with marriage. It allowed them to be understood as a family, and be valued as part of the fabric of our state, the community, and the nation.

While there is so much to celebrate, there is still more that can be done to support the young LGBTQIA+ members of our community, and we can use our voices to continue to advance equity and equality.