Celebration of Pride
June 1 marks the start of a month-long celebration of the pride of being part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community. It commemorates the Stonewall Uprising, which launched a movement for LGBTQ+ liberation. The rebellion occurred on June 28, 1969, after the police raided the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar in New York City. Though this bar and others were often raided before homosexuality was decriminalized, on this occasion, the people fought back in protest over a six-day period. The first Pride event was held one year after the rebellion, on June 28, 1970, commemorating the uprising and the centuries of abuse and violence against the community.
Acknowledging Pride Month in learning spaces is one step towards providing LGBTQ+ individuals a place in which they may find allies—people who are there to support and help. But in this climate, young people need advocates and disruptors, those who will use their voices and resources to speak out, demonstrate, and work towards protecting the rights and dignity of the community. To truly create a safe space for all to be their authentic selves takes work, especially when education is under attack.
Pride Month is a good time to learn more about how you can be more active in supporting the LGBTQ+ community. The resources below will help educators learn more about the community’s history, supporting young people, and advocating for policy change.
LGBTQ+ History
About: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and Queer Pride Month. The Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/lgbt-pride-month/about/
Mapping Attacks on LGBTQ Rights in U.S. State Legislatures. ACLU. https://www.aclu.org/legislative-attacks-on-lgbtq-rights-2024
A history of LGBTQ Pride in New Jersey. Out in New Jersey. https://outinjersey.net/a-history-of-lgbtq-pride-in-new-jersey/
Advocacy
Stay Informed. GLESN. https://act.glsen.org/onlineactions/K9IfH8mTBU-bgy3p7O6BJw2?em=info%40glsen.org
Take Action. ACLU. https://www.aclu.org/action/
Show up for LGBTQ+ rights. Human Rights Campaign. https://www.hrc.org/get-involved
Mental Health and Well Being
Resources for Mental Health Support. The Trevor Project. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/article/resources-for-mental-health-support/
LGBTQ+ (information). National Alliance on Mental Health. https://www.nami.org/your-journey/identity-and-cultural-dimensions/lgbtq/
Top Ten Ways to Make Schools Safe. PFLAG. https://pflag.org/resource/top-ten-ways-to-make-schools-safe/
Educator Resources
LGBTQ+ Inclusive Resources. Garden State Equality. https://www.teach.lgbt/about/
Educator Resources. GLSEN. https://www.glsen.org/resources/educator-resources
Creating Safe and Welcoming Schools. Human Rights Campaign. https://welcomingschools.org
For a full list of resources, visit NJ DOE’s Resources to Support LGBTQ+ Youth.
