Latest news with #gayrights
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pride Month starts this weekend. Here's what to expect
Pride Month kicks off with events around the world starting this weekend. It's an annual series of parades and other gatherings to celebrate LGBTQ+ culture and rights. At its heart, Pride is both a party and a protest. In the U.S. this year, that means speaking out against a slew of policies that impose restrictions on transgender people and that try to end diversity, equity and inclusion programming in government, education and businesses. Here's a look at the event's roots and this year's events and themes. When Pride Month began The monthlong global celebration began with Gay Pride Week in late June 1970, a year after the violent police raid at New York's Stonewall Inn, a gay bar. At a time when many LGBTQ+ people kept their identities private, the June 28, 1969, raid sparked a series of public protests and catalyzed the gay rights movement. The first pride week featured marches in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco, and it has since grown to other cities. On the calendar are events in Philadelphia this weekend; New Orleans on June 14; Chicago on June 21 and 22; and New York over the weekend of June 28 and 29. Many other events in big cities and small towns are also planned. There are pride celebrations around the world, including in Tokyo on June 8; Toronto on June 27-29; Sao Paolo on June 22; and Paris on June 28. Some events fall outside of June, too. World Pride, a biannual event held this year in Washington, D.C., began in May and goes through June 8. Pride in London is in July; a big celebration in Rio de Janeiro is in November and Atlanta's is in October. Former President Bill Clinton proclaimed June as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month in 1999, marking the first time a U.S. president did so. How Trump is targeting trans people and DEI policies When President Donald Trump returned to office in January, he quickly attempted to roll back LGBTQ+ rights. He's especially targeted transgender people with policies that halted allowing people to change the sex listed on their passport, removed transgender military troops and sought to stop using federal insurance programs to pay for gender-affirming care for transgender people under age 19, and keep transgender athletes out of girls and women's sports competitions. All of those changes are being challenged in court. His actions follow years of policies in Republican-controlled states that bar gender-affirming care for transgender minors and dictate which sports transgender people can play and which school and other public bathrooms they are allowed to use. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule this month on whether Tennessee's ban on medical treatment is constitutional. One of Trump's orders called for removing references to what he and some other conservatives call 'gender ideology' from government publications and websites. A result of that: References to transgender people have been removed from government websites, including the one for the Stonewall National Monument, site of the event that inspired Pride. About half of U.S. adults approve of how Trump is handling transgender issues, an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found last month. About 4 in 10 voters approve of his job as president overall. But support for his individual policies on transgender people is not uniformly strong, with a clearer consensus against policies that affect youth. This year's celebrations in the U.S. Organizers of Milwaukee's PrideFest are prepared for close to 50,000 people at the event scheduled for June 5-7. 'We're feeling that people will be showing up, and that's their protest,' said Wes Shaver, the president and CEO of Milwaukee Pride, Inc. The event's theme is 'Celebrating the Power of Pride' and for the first time, one of the entertainment stages one night will feature only transgender performers. Shaver said that's an intentional move in response to Trump's policies. Another night, the stage will feature only performers of color. Jeremy Williams, the executive producer of Philly Pride 365 in Philadelphia, said he didn't expect more protest than in the past there. 'Everybody's just there to be together,' he said. The 10th anniversary of same-sex marriage legalized nationwide One milestone that's likely to be celebrated: This month marks the 10th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's Obergefell v. Hodges ruling, which recognized same-sex marriage nationwide. It was a watershed event in establishing rights for LGBTQ+ people across the country. About two-thirds of LGBTQ+ adults in the U.S. said the case made the nation more accepting of same-sex couples, according to a Pew Research Center poll released last week. The poll found that LGBTQ+ people don't always feel accepted, though. About 6 in 10 said they see 'a great deal' or 'a fair amount' of social acceptance for those who are lesbian, gay or bisexual. But only about 1 in 10 said the same is true for nonbinary and transgender people. Which companies are backing off on sponsorships Several big companies have pulled back on sponsorships for Pride events this year. Among them: Anheuser-Busch, the St. Louis-based brewer, declined to sponsor PrideFest in its home city after three decades of support, leaving organizers $150,000 short of last year's budget, they told The Associated Press. NYC Pride said about 20% of its corporate sponsors dropped or reduced support, including PepsiCo and Nissan. The carmaker said it was reviewing all its marketing costs. In other cities, such as Kansas City, Missouri, pride events lost about half their budgets. Several companies that have pulled back have not explained why to the AP. But some experts see the change as part of a broader retreat from brand activism. Still, the groups behind many Pride events say some companies have kept contributing but have asked not to be listed publicly as sponsors.
The Independent
3 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Pride Month starts this weekend. Here's what to expect
Pride Month kicks off with events around the world starting this weekend. It's an annual series of parades and other gatherings to celebrate LGBTQ+ culture and rights. At its heart, Pride is both a party and a protest. In the U.S. this year, that means speaking out against a slew of policies that impose restrictions on transgender people and that try to end diversity, equity and inclusion programming in government, education and businesses. Here's a look at the event's roots and this year's events and themes. When Pride Month began The monthlong global celebration began with Gay Pride Week in late June 1970, a year after the violent police raid at New York's Stonewall Inn, a gay bar. At a time when many LGBTQ+ people kept their identities private, the June 28, 1969, raid sparked a series of public protests and catalyzed the gay rights movement. The first pride week featured marches in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco, and it has since grown to other cities. On the calendar are events in Philadelphia this weekend; New Orleans on June 14; Chicago on June 21 and 22; and New York over the weekend of June 28 and 29. Many other events in big cities and small towns are also planned. There are pride celebrations around the world, including in Tokyo on June 8; Toronto on June 27-29; Sao Paolo on June 22; and Paris on June 28. Some events fall outside of June, too. World Pride, a biannual event held this year in Washington, D.C., began in May and goes through June 8. Pride in London is in July; a big celebration in Rio de Janeiro is in November and Atlanta's is in October. Former President Bill Clinton proclaimed June as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month in 1999, marking the first time a U.S. president did so. How Trump is targeting trans people and DEI policies When President Donald Trump returned to office in January, he quickly attempted to roll back LGBTQ+ rights. He's especially targeted transgender people with policies that halted allowing people to change the sex listed on their passport, removed transgender military troops and sought to stop using federal insurance programs to pay for gender-affirming care for transgender people under age 19, and keep transgender athletes out of girls and women's sports competitions. All of those changes are being challenged in court. His actions follow years of policies in Republican-controlled states that bar gender-affirming care for transgender minors and dictate which sports transgender people can play and which school and other public bathrooms they are allowed to use. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule this month on whether Tennessee's ban on medical treatment is constitutional. One of Trump's orders called for removing references to what he and some other conservatives call 'gender ideology' from government publications and websites. A result of that: References to transgender people have been removed from government websites, including the one for the Stonewall National Monument, site of the event that inspired Pride. About half of U.S. adults approve of how Trump is handling transgender issues, an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found last month. About 4 in 10 voters approve of his job as president overall. But support for his individual policies on transgender people is not uniformly strong, with a clearer consensus against policies that affect youth. This year's celebrations in the U.S. Organizers of Milwaukee's PrideFest are prepared for close to 50,000 people at the event scheduled for June 5-7. 'We're feeling that people will be showing up, and that's their protest,' said Wes Shaver, the president and CEO of Milwaukee Pride, Inc. The event's theme is 'Celebrating the Power of Pride' and for the first time, one of the entertainment stages one night will feature only transgender performers. Shaver said that's an intentional move in response to Trump's policies. Another night, the stage will feature only performers of color. Jeremy Williams, the executive producer of Philly Pride 365 in Philadelphia, said he didn't expect more protest than in the past there. 'Everybody's just there to be together,' he said. The 10th anniversary of same-sex marriage legalized nationwide One milestone that's likely to be celebrated: This month marks the 10th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's Obergefell v. Hodges ruling, which recognized same-sex marriage nationwide. It was a watershed event in establishing rights for LGBTQ+ people across the country. About two-thirds of LGBTQ+ adults in the U.S. said the case made the nation more accepting of same-sex couples, according to a Pew Research Center poll released last week. The poll found that LGBTQ+ people don't always feel accepted, though. About 6 in 10 said they see 'a great deal' or 'a fair amount' of social acceptance for those who are lesbian, gay or bisexual. But only about 1 in 10 said the same is true for nonbinary and transgender people. Which companies are backing off on sponsorships Several big companies have pulled back on sponsorships for Pride events this year. Among them: Anheuser-Busch, the St. Louis-based brewer, declined to sponsor PrideFest in its home city after three decades of support, leaving organizers $150,000 short of last year's budget, they told The Associated Press. NYC Pride said about 20% of its corporate sponsors dropped or reduced support, including PepsiCo and Nissan. The carmaker said it was reviewing all its marketing costs. In other cities, such as Kansas City, Missouri, pride events lost about half their budgets. Several companies that have pulled back have not explained why to the AP. But some experts see the change as part of a broader retreat from brand activism. Still, the groups behind many Pride events say some companies have kept contributing but have asked not to be listed publicly as sponsors.
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Pride Month starts this weekend. Here's what to expect
Pride Month kicks off with events around the world starting this weekend. It's an annual series of parades and other gatherings to celebrate LGBTQ+ culture and rights. At its heart, Pride is both a party and a protest. In the U.S. this year, that means speaking out against a slew of policies that impose restrictions on transgender people and that try to end diversity, equity and inclusion programming in government, education and businesses. Here's a look at the event's roots and this year's events and themes. When Pride Month began The monthlong global celebration began with Gay Pride Week in late June 1970, a year after the violent police raid at New York's Stonewall Inn, a gay bar. At a time when many LGBTQ+ people kept their identities private, the June 28, 1969, raid sparked a series of public protests and catalyzed the gay rights movement. The first pride week featured marches in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco, and it has since grown to other cities. On the calendar are events in Philadelphia this weekend; New Orleans on June 14; Chicago on June 21 and 22; and New York over the weekend of June 28 and 29. Many other events in big cities and small towns are also planned. There are pride celebrations around the world, including in Tokyo on June 8; Toronto on June 27-29; Sao Paolo on June 22; and Paris on June 28. Some events fall outside of June, too. World Pride, a biannual event held this year in Washington, D.C., began in May and goes through June 8. Pride in London is in July; a big celebration in Rio de Janeiro is in November and Atlanta's is in October. Former President Bill Clinton proclaimed June as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month in 1999, marking the first time a U.S. president did so. How Trump is targeting trans people and DEI policies When President Donald Trump returned to office in January, he quickly attempted to roll back LGBTQ+ rights. He's especially targeted transgender people with policies that halted allowing people to change the sex listed on their passport, removed transgender military troops and sought to stop using federal insurance programs to pay for gender-affirming care for transgender people under age 19, and keep transgender athletes out of girls and women's sports competitions. All of those changes are being challenged in court. His actions follow years of policies in Republican-controlled states that bar gender-affirming care for transgender minors and dictate which sports transgender people can play and which school and other public bathrooms they are allowed to use. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule this month on whether Tennessee's ban on medical treatment is constitutional. One of Trump's orders called for removing references to what he and some other conservatives call 'gender ideology' from government publications and websites. A result of that: References to transgender people have been removed from government websites, including the one for the Stonewall National Monument, site of the event that inspired Pride. About half of U.S. adults approve of how Trump is handling transgender issues, an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found last month. About 4 in 10 voters approve of his job as president overall. But support for his individual policies on transgender people is not uniformly strong, with a clearer consensus against policies that affect youth. This year's celebrations in the U.S. Organizers of Milwaukee's PrideFest are prepared for close to 50,000 people at the event scheduled for June 5-7. 'We're feeling that people will be showing up, and that's their protest,' said Wes Shaver, the president and CEO of Milwaukee Pride, Inc. The event's theme is 'Celebrating the Power of Pride' and for the first time, one of the entertainment stages one night will feature only transgender performers. Shaver said that's an intentional move in response to Trump's policies. Another night, the stage will feature only performers of color. Jeremy Williams, the executive producer of Philly Pride 365 in Philadelphia, said he didn't expect more protest than in the past there. 'Everybody's just there to be together,' he said. The 10th anniversary of same-sex marriage legalized nationwide One milestone that's likely to be celebrated: This month marks the 10th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's Obergefell v. Hodges ruling, which recognized same-sex marriage nationwide. It was a watershed event in establishing rights for LGBTQ+ people across the country. About two-thirds of LGBTQ+ adults in the U.S. said the case made the nation more accepting of same-sex couples, according to a Pew Research Center poll released last week. The poll found that LGBTQ+ people don't always feel accepted, though. About 6 in 10 said they see 'a great deal' or 'a fair amount' of social acceptance for those who are lesbian, gay or bisexual. But only about 1 in 10 said the same is true for nonbinary and transgender people. Which companies are backing off on sponsorships Several big companies have pulled back on sponsorships for Pride events this year. Among them: Anheuser-Busch, the St. Louis-based brewer, declined to sponsor PrideFest in its home city after three decades of support, leaving organizers $150,000 short of last year's budget, they told The Associated Press. NYC Pride said about 20% of its corporate sponsors dropped or reduced support, including PepsiCo and Nissan. The carmaker said it was reviewing all its marketing costs. In other cities, such as Kansas City, Missouri, pride events lost about half their budgets. Several companies that have pulled back have not explained why to the AP. But some experts see the change as part of a broader retreat from brand activism. Still, the groups behind many Pride events say some companies have kept contributing but have asked not to be listed publicly as sponsors.
The Guardian
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
My cultural awakening: Queer As Folk helped me to come out
During my school years I was encouraged to believe that being gay was a serious medical handicap, like having one leg shorter than the other or a parent who was also your form tutor. This was during section 28, which outlawed the promotion of the 'acceptability of homosexuality' in UK schools, when nearly half the population thought being gay was 'always' or 'mostly' wrong. 'Gay' was a synonym for 'shit'; a descriptor deployed when no other slur was low enough. Detentions were gay, as was double maths. Two men having sex was so gay that it was almost unspeakable, the closest analogue being supermarket-brand trainers. Perhaps it's inevitable that many men of my generation grew up with shame coating them like varnish. This lack of self-esteem is supposedly what drives many to chemsex, or self-harm, or sporting harnesses as daywear, which is effectively the same thing. Unfortunately, there was never any hiding my gayness. It shone out of me like a tea-light in a lantern, and the most I could hope to do was deflect (every queer kid knows the heart-stopping sensation that greets the sentence 'can I ask you something?'). Aged 11, it was hard not to see being gay as a life sentence. Like prison, it felt inherently terrifying and degrading. Then Queer As Folk appeared on Channel 4. The very mundanity of the conceit (gay men going to work, having one-night stands, falling in and out of love) made it feel revolutionary. For the first time I saw gay people living gay lives, rather than acting as plot devices or cautionary tales in straight people's stories. They weren't ostensibly glamorous (Vince worked in a supermarket) but existed on their own terms, which felt entirely exotic and thrilling. Stuart was unapologetic and reckless – memorably driving his Jeep through the glass storefront of a car dealership after overhearing a salesman brag about how much money he made from gay men who die young. It was Pretty Woman's 'big mistake' moment for men with a preferred Minogue. The show inspired controversy, with the Daily Mail claiming that 'Any nation which allows this … [is] hell-bent on destruction.' Journalist Peter Hitchens appeared on BBC breakfast to bleat that it was propaganda aimed at persuading the public that 'homosexuality was normal behaviour'. In my limited experience, normal behaviour meant football chants and Toby Carverys and South Park catchphrases. The characters on Queer As Folk weren't normal. They were better. For the first time I wondered if my own difference could also be a gift, rather than a burden. Years later I would strongly identify with Tom Ford when he said that, growing up in America's bible belt, 'I thought I was fabulous and everyone else was stupid'. Queer As Folk gave me the permission to feel fabulous – or at least fabulous in waiting. I'm not the type of person to bang on about 'queer joy' – Instagram posts purporting to show it invariably feature blue-haired polycules milling about in dank warehouses – but Queer As Folk was joyful. As well as being funny, sad, poignant and sexy. At the risk of playing into the hands of homophobes who believe that queerness is a proselytising institution, watching the show made me glad to be gay. I began to come out, first to myself and then out loud. I wasn't scared any more. There would be unimaginable horrors to come (Trump's current rowing back of LGBTQ+ policies, the advent of gay men going on 'gym dates') but Queer As Folk felt like the promise of a brighter future. A flare sent up into the sky to let me know that my rescue was imminent. Did a cultural moment prompt you to make a major life change? Email us at
