June Is Pride Month
The mission of the YMCA is to put Christian values into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind, and body FOR ALL. The “for all” is at the heart of the Y’s mission and is intentional, purposeful, and inclusive regardless of race, gender, sex, age, and ability. Driven by our commitment to ensuring everyone is treated with compassion and dignity, we are dedicated to supporting and welcoming LGBTQ+ adults, youth, staff, volunteers, and members. The Y is an organization that is a welcoming place for all.
June is recognized as Pride Month, a time to bring more education, awareness, and inclusivity for the LGBTQ+ community. It also marks the anniversary month of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan, which led to national attention that highlighted the mistreatment of LGBTQ+ individuals. Not long after, communities began to organize marches across the country to stand up against discrimination. Today, Pride Month is globally recognized.
What was the Stonewall Uprising?
The Stonewall Uprising (sometimes referred to as the Stonewall Riots), was a clash between police, local patrons, and neighborhood residents outside of a known New York gay bar, the Stonewall Inn, in the late 1960s. Due to strict laws, LGBTQ+ people were at risk for arrest when congregating in public, making bars a more common place for police raids. In June 1969, a raid at Stonewall ignited a riot that lasted several days, although it was not the first time individuals protested, it was the most well known, and it inspired a nationwide movement. One year later, on the anniversary of the riots, hundreds of New Yorkers and activists took to the streets for the first pride march.
Global Impact
Since the 1970s, the march has grown to dozens of cities across the country and evolved into what we know today as pride parades or festivals. The audience has also changed throughout the years, making space for families to take part. “Major cities like New York, São Paulo, and Madrid host some of the largest events in the world with crowds of up to 5 million people,” according to The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association. The association has listings of more than 150 events that take place across the globe, year-round.
Pride Flag Meaning
Around the same time as the marches, Harvey Milk, San Francisco’s City Supervisor, looked to local resident and friend, Gilbert Baker, to create a flag symbol to help represent the gay community. He made the first pride flag using eight colors, he included: red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, turquoise for magic and art, indigo for serenity, and violet for spirit. Over the decades, more than a dozen new flags and colors have emerged including stripes to represent trans people and people of color.
The mission of the YMCAs across North Texas is to put Christian values into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind and body FOR ALL. We work diligently every day to be a cause driven organization that supports youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.
For all is a simple but powerful phrase. Without it, the Y mission is incomplete. It is intentional, purposeful, and inclusive regardless of race, gender, sex, age and ability.
Driven by our commitment to ensuring everyone is treated with compassion and dignity, we are dedicated to supporting and welcoming all members of the community.
As a cause driven organization, the Y is there to support those in our community who need to be lifted up. Social responsibility is at the core of who we are; the Y is an organization that is a welcoming place for all.