Gay Pride: 20 Facts Everyone Should Know About It

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June is LGBT Pride Month, when we celebrate the great strides made by the LGBT movement. This year marks 45 years since the Stonewall riots, widely considered the spark of the gay rights movement, and 10 years since Massachusetts legalized same-sex marriage. Despite the turning tide, Pride Month still matters as gay rights—just one facet of civil rights—continue to be a polarizing issue.

In his 2014 Inaugural Address, President Obama said, “We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truth—that all of us are created equal—is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall…” By grouping these protests together, he shows that they were all about the same basic thing—the disparity in rights among people who, by the State’s definition are all equal. Pride Month is recognized by the U.S. government and is marked across the U.S. and around the world by parades, waving rainbow flags, and other celebrations. With that in mind, here are some important facts about LGBT history.

**5. In 1967 renowned LGBT-focused magazine The Advocate debuted**

The Advocate was first published in LA in 1967 as a result of the riots following the Black Cat Tavern incident.

4. The Gay Liberation Front emerged in 1969

Following the Stonewall riots, the Gay Liberation Front formed in New York City, advocating for sexual liberation of all people.

3. In 1972, Sweden became the first country to allow citizens to change their gender legally

Sweden even provided free hormone therapy. In 1988 it became the first country to pass laws protecting gay individuals with regard to finances, such as taxes, and social services.

2. Gay Pride: The rainbow flag became a symbol at the 1978 San Francisco Pride Parade

The original flag, which has cemented its place in LGBT history, was designed by artist Gilbert Baker with 8 colors, each symbolizing something: hot pink (sexuality), red (life), orange (healing), yellow (sunlight), green (nature), turquoise (magic/art), blue (serenity/harmony) and violet (spirit). Eventually the hot pink and turquoise stripes were dropped.

1. Harvey Milk became the first openly gay elected official in California

He served almost 11 months as city supervisor, passing several gay rights laws. In 1978, Milk and the city’s mayor were both assassinated by Dan White, a disgruntled San Francisco supervisor. Milk is revered and remembered in San Francisco, and the 2008 film based on his life won two Academy Awards. In 2013 he was immortalized on a U.S. postage stamp.