Pride Month may be over, but the fight for equality, respect and justice is far from done.
Some folks may not understand why we celebrate these months like Native American Heritage Month in November, Black History Month in February, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in May and LGBTQ Pride in June.
Others may enjoy the festivities and move on feeling they’ve done their due diligence by participating in a parade.
Is it enough?
A recent letter to the editor filled with hate speech toward LGBTQ people is a great reminder that we must fight for equality and respect every single day.
Do you know why we celebrate Pride Parade in June?
To commemorate the Stonewall Uprising where LGBTQ folks and allies fought against a police raid at the Stonewall Inn in NYC.
Their resistance came at a time when it was completely illegal to be gay, and the most horrible “treatments” were administered to “cure” homosexuality like lobotomies and even castration.
Lest we forget these atrocities and the endurance of those who fought back, the National Park Service designated Stonewall National Monument in June 2016.
We must fight back against historical amnesia and stand up for all peoples’ rights.
On a recent visit to the Bainbridge Island Japanese Exclusion Memorial, I was struck by this quote from Donald Nakata, “If it can happen to us, it can happen to others … the most effective way to preserve one’s own rights is to protect the rights of others.”
Christeal Milburn,
Port Angeles