Pride Month started as a way to commemorate the Stonewall Rebellion, which occurred in the early hours of June 28, 1969. Unfortunately, police raids on bars catering to New York's gay community were common at the time. But on that day, people felt fed up with years of harassment by authorities and chose to fight back. This decision lead to an uprising and erupted in neighborhood riots that went on for three days. They inspired activism and ignited the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement because one year later, the nation’s first Pride marches were held.

"Pride offers a moment to celebrate our victories and remember our battles," Justin Bengry, Director of the Centre for Queer History at Goldsmiths University of London and convenor of the MA Queer History, the first degree of its kind, told Bored Panda. "But it should also be a moment when we reflect on the fact that neither our history nor our activism started in New York in 1969."

Martha Catherine Brenckle, professor of writing and rhetoric at the University of Central Florida and treasurer for the LGBTQ History Museum of Central Florida, said that Stonewall has taken on the imagination of the community. "Remembering what happened at Stonewall and now Pride Month says we will no longer tolerate harassment and intimidation," she told us.

"When Obama visited the Stonewall Inn and gave it the designation of a National Monument, the place and event took on even more importance, especially for those who weren't even born yet," Brenckle continued. "Knowing History is crucial to knowing who you are and where you are going in the future. Every step we make politically and socially has been from standing on the shoulders of all the activists who came before us."

According to Bengry, many unfortunate events took place even before Stonewall like that at San Francisco’s Compton’s Cafeteria in 1966. They show how trans and queer people were long subjected to regular police harassment and how they resisted it. "In the 1950s and 1960s, homophile activists in the US and UK protested against unfair treatment under the law and lobbied for reform, bravely identifying themselves as homosexuals," Bengry added.

Of course, this kind of activism was happening in some places in Europe too. "Histories of queer people who advocated for a fairer and more just world extends even into the nineteenth century. In the 1860s and 1870s, Karl Heinrich Ulrichs, a German lawyer and journalist, created new terminology to describe those like himself who desired members of the same sex and spoke openly against laws that criminalized homosexuality," he explained. Moreover, even in the first decades of the nineteenth century, Bengry noted that a group of likely queer men in Britain sought to overturn anti-sodomy legislation that still carried the dire threat of execution if convicted.

"But even as it is crucial that we look back, we must also look forward and Pride should also be a moment for us to think about LGBTQ+ people who do not have the same safety, privilege and opportunities that some of us do." The lecturer told us that globally, many people live in danger and fear. "Even in our own communities, trans people, queer people of color, many queer youth, those with disabilities and others remain marginalized and vulnerable, too often through the actions and policies of our own governments," he said, adding that during Pride, we must demand better.

Raising awareness is now far easier due to social media and how convenient it is. People use it as a great tool to show the diversity of the community, discuss the history of LGBTQ+ advocacy and share opinions about the gains and setbacks made by the people.

"Social media offers amazing opportunities to highlight queer voices and to amplify the widest diversity of experiences across the spectrum of LGBTQ+ people in our communities," Bengry mentioned. "We can use social media to share our histories and celebrate our victories. We can call others to action and use social media to demand change."

Unfortunately, it is far from perfect. "It also gives voice to those who would do us harm, those who attack our community and especially the most vulnerable and marginalized amongst us." Bengry added that as much as we use these platforms to do great things, to share knowledge and resources in an accessible and safe way, "we must remain vigilant and push back against those who would use it against us."

But social media also gives corporations the opportunity to rainbow up as soon as June begins, actions that often provoke criticism from within the community. When asked about companies who only temporarily show support and what should we make from their actions, Brenckle told us, "Corporations have discovered that the LGBTQ demographic is large and that we spending money is not necessarily a bad thing. We live in a capitalist economy and being a visible part of the economy is not a bad thing. I know that people complain that the Orlando Pride Parade has become too commercial but participating in the mainstream economy isn't a bad thing."

But when businesses publicly show support for the LGBTQ+ people by setting their logos with symbols and designs from their communities and movements, Bengry said it is important to ask them about their motivations.

"This kind of visibility is only the very minimum we should expect, and we can use this initial support to start a conversation about how they can do more," the lecturer explained. "Do they donate to LGBTQ+ organizations, community groups and charities? Do they use their economic and political power to promote and support other LGBTQ+ causes and equality issues?"

"And, I think, most importantly we should ask questions about their own business practices and policies. How do they treat their own employees? Is it a safe environment for their LGBTQ+ staff? This is where they can have an immediate impact on people’s lives most directly, and where we must always push corporations to do more and do better," he noted.

So to kick off Pride Month 2022 on the right foot, Bengry advises you to celebrate your victories and reflect on the past. "Our history is incredible, dynamic and exciting with powerful stories of collective action, trauma, community and resilience."

"Read more. Explore more. Contribute to preserving our history by sharing your own story in a queer history project or learning how to interview queer elders or others from across our community. Join a local queer history reading group or take a community history class. Queer history is everywhere, and now is the time to preserve, share and celebrate it," he concluded.