By Mike Ott
Why do we celebrate Pride Month in June? Why is Pride marked by a parade? Why do we so often hear about Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and other LGBTQ2S+ heroes this time of year? These are common questions that many have, and they all reach back to the same root answer: the Stonewall Riots.
In June of 1969, an event took place that is considered by many to be the igniting spark of the modern queer rights movement.
Here’s what happened: In the very early hours of June 28, 1969, New York City police raided the Stonewall Inn, a Greenwich Village institution on Christopher Street that served as a popular gathering place for queer people. Finally having had enough, patrons and other community members fought back, resisting police aggression and violence.
This resistance effort, now known as the Stonewall Riots, extended into the following days and nights, eventually culminating in the formation of several activist groups fighting for the right to live openly and legally regardless of sexual orientation.
One year later, in 1970, members of