The First Day Of Pride Month: Why We Protest
Today marks the first day of Pride Month: 51 years later, people are still fighting, but for different reasons (with the same goal)…
The month of June represents the pride of the LGBTQ+ community. It was chosen to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall riots. Although the riots didn’t result in the LGBTQ+ community obtaining equal rights (and protection), it did result in influential political activism and the creation of numerous LGBTQ+ organisations.
Remembering the Stonewall riots is always important — almost a duty — during Pride Month. We have to remember who fought for today’s LGBTQ+ rights first, and how it acted as a stepping stone for the current LGBTQ+ rights movement.
But remembering the Stonewall riots is especially important now. Now that people have to riot once again, but for different reasons. However, the main goal of today's protests remains the same: to be treated equally.
Following George Floyd’s murder, on May 25, 2020, which was filmed and went quickly viral, Americans — and now people across the world — have come together to not only protest for his justice, but for the rights of all African Americans.
Statistically, police killings in the USA disproportionately affect African American. An article published by Al Jazzera revealed that police in the United States killed 7,666 people between 2013 and 2019.
George Floyd was one of many, to get killed in cold blood by law enforcement. But George Floyd became the victim which served as a force for the brave Americans to fight back.
Today is the first of June, and although we usually celebrate the LGBTQ+ community with Pride Marches across the world, and parties and music, it is important to remember that none of this would’ve been possible without the courage of those who protested, those who rioted.
Many would look at today’s news and think that these riots, these protests in the name of George Floyd — and the hundreds of victims to police brutality — are “too much”. Some would say that setting fire to a car and destroying a building is “stupid” or simply violent. It might be violent, but it isn’t stupid.
When a population which makes up for only 13 per cent of the American population is two-and-a-half times as likely as white Americans to be killed by the police, when a population is at least three times more likely to be killed than other ethnicities — despite being 1.3 times likely to be unarmed compared to white people, when and ethnicity is clearly being the target and has been for centuries, what is there left to do?
Dr. Martin Luther King famously said, “A riot is the language of the unheard”. Black voices in America, but also across the world, have been ignored for too long. Now that these protests are taking place, videos are going viral on social media, and shocking images are now spreading on the news worldwide. Maybe now, these voices won’t be possible to ignore anymore.
Rioting was the beginning of the LGBTQ+ community’s path to obtain rights, and finally, equality (in many western countries). Protesting against a system designed to oppress a certain population is a completely legitimate act.
So today, do not only celebrate the riots which allowed for the LGBTQ+ community to access rights but also reflect on your privilege and instead of condemning today’s protests, applaud the rioters' bravery to speak up and fight the good fight: the fight for equality.
