Pride Month is globally recognized beginning June 1st, and is a celebration of the hard fought plight of the LGBTQIA+ community. It was the raid of a popular gay club known as the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, New York City, which became the catalyst for what we know today as Pride Month. The raising of the Pride Flag became a phenomenon in San Francisco in 1978, ten years after the Stonewall Riots, when handmade rainbow flags accompanied the Gay Freedom Day Parade.
In the crowd on Wednesday was Allie, a Stratford resident and mom. She chose to build and raise her family in Stratford, and has attended the Pride Flag raising for the past 4 years. She said, “I try to attend pride events (and Town events in general,) whenever possible. While online activism will always have its place, it’s important to meet neighbors face to face, to show up and stand up for what’s right, and to show the Town that we appreciate the efforts its leaders and workers put forth to make Stratford a culturally diverse place.”
In 2019, the New York City Police Department formally apologized to the gay community for the violent and discriminatory actions their department took in June of 1969. Their apology is a good start to acknowledging their wrongdoing. They must follow through with action, like showing up for the annual flag raising in support of the LGBTQIA+ community. In the words of Reverend Sara from her Pride Day Flag invitation this past Wednesday: “Go and build community wherever you are.”
On Monday, June 9th at 6pm, there will be a public forum just before the Town Council Meeting. The public forum is a time for residents to speak about issues, or raise concerns, to elected officials. For this upcoming Town Council Public Forum, the organization Love is Love, will be there to advocate for a rainbow crosswalk with the goal of building a stronger LGBTQIA+ community.
The right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That phrase was the description of what everyone in this country is entitled too.