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June is Pride Month – an entire month dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQ+ community and culture. Across the world, people, communities, and companies throw all their support behind the month with parades, protests, performances, memorials, and live theatre shows. And London is one of the biggest and best hubs of celebration!
London Pride 2024 is bigger and better than ever, with more participants expected to join in the official parade than ever before. Making now the perfect time to learn about the history of Pride Month and how you can get involved.
History of Pride Month
Pride Month falls in June to coincide with the Stonewall Uprising – a catalyst event in the Gay Liberation Movement. On June 28, 1969, police raided a popular gay bar in New York City’s West Village called the Stonewall Inn. While sadly, this was commonplace for the time, on this particular evening, the patrons of the bar fought back which resulted in the days-long Stonewall Riots.
Declared a historic landmark by the city of New York in 2015, the Stonewall Inn was also named a national monument by former United States President, Barack Obama in 2016. One year after the riots, in 1970, the first Pride parade was held.
Pride Flags
There are several pride flags but the most common one you will see as a representation of the month is the six-colour rainbow flag. Each colour has a specific meaning:
Red = Life
Orange = Healing
Yellow = Sunlight
Green = Nature
Blue = Harmony
Violet = Spirit
There have been multiple variations on the flag over the years and in 2021, graphic designer Daniel Quasar altered the rainbow flag to include intersectional identities within the LGBTQ+ community such as:
Black = Diversity
Brown = Inclusivity
Light blue, pink and white = Transgender community
Also in 2021, activist Valentino Vecchietti added the intersex flag to Quasar’s design. Which is yellow with a purple circle inside it.
Yellow = Those who do not fit the gender binary
Purple circle = Intersex community
When is London Pride?
London Pride is on Saturday 29 June and will see a parade of around 500 groups made up of LGBTQ+ community groups, LGBTQ+ businesses, and partners coming together to make around 35,000 participants.
The Mayor of London will lead the parade, and this year it runs from Hyde Park Corner through Piccadilly Circus, down Haymarket and along Pall Mall to Trafalgar Square, culminating at Whitehall Place. The public is invited to attend and watch from designated places along the route.
As well as the parade, there is an excellent lineup of talented artists who represent the life and beauty of the LGBTQ+ community, with stages dotted around central London to ensure everyone can get into the rainbow spirit. The performances kick off at 12pm and continue throughout the day.
Happy Pride!
