June has officially arrived, and so has Pride Month 2025! From colourful parades to meaningful conversations, this month shines a global spotlight on love, identity, equality, and the resilience of the LGBTQ+ community. Across the world, people come together in celebration of diversity and to honour a history rooted in resistance and the fight for visibility.
How pride month began
According to the Associated Press, Pride Month initially began in June 1970 as Gay Pride Week, which marked the first anniversary of New York's gay bar violence raid. It was first led by a raid on June 28, 1969, which sparked a series of protests that significantly contributed to LGBTQ+ rights.
In 1999, June was declared Gay and Lesbian Pride Month by then-US President Bill Clinton.
However, some of the major LGBTQ+ events occurred at different times of the month. For instance, the month of April is celebrated as Tokyo's Rainbow Pride and Rio de Janeiro's Gay Pride takes place in November.
The meaning behind the Rainbow Flag
The Rainbow Flag is the universal representation of the LGBTQ+ community. As per the Department of Mental Health blog, the Rainbow Flag was created in 1978 for the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade by tailor Gilbert Baker.
Gilbert Baker, in a 2015 interview with the Museum of Modern Art, specified the reason behind creating the rainbow flag. He said, "A flag really fits that mission, because that's a way of proclaiming your visibility, or saying, 'This is who I am!'".
"I was in the right place at the right time to make the thing that we needed. It was necessary to have a rainbow flag because, up until that, we had the pink triangle from the Nazis."`
Additionally, each colour of the Rainbow Flag has a different meaning.
Red: Life
Orange: Healing
Yellow: Sunlight
Green: Nature
Blue: Serenity
Purple: Spirit
Today, Pride Month is more than just festivities, it's a reminder of the battles fought, the voices uplifted, and the work that still lies ahead. Whether through advocacy, art, or community-building, Pride continues to champion the fundamental right to be seen, respected, and celebrated exactly as you are.
Happy Pride Month 2025!
