Pride Month is one of my favourite times of the year. I live in Toronto, which is one of the most diverse and queer-friendly cities. Pride Month is a time where the weather is finally getting warmer, the city becomes adorned with colour and liveliness, and though major corporations love to adopt Pride month as part of their marketing strategies (which I don’t really agree with), people are reminded of why there is so much to celebrate in the queer community.
That being said, it’s extremely important for us to remember what the origins of the Pride Parade and Pride Month were, and that it’s not all rainbows and positivity. Pride originates as a commemoration of the Stonewall Riots on June 28, 1969. The Stonewall Riots took place at a gay bar called the Stonewall Inn, which the police violently raided – but the patrons did not go gently into the night. They rioted and fought back against the oppressive, homophobic and gender stereotypical regimes of the time, marking a significant and revolutionary wave in the way of LGBTQ+ rights. Read more about the origins of Pride and the Stonewall Riots in this Bustle article.
There is still a lot to be done in the way of human rights and acceptance for and of the LGBTQ+ community. We must not forget how many cruel injustices, hate crimes, and phobias still exist. Just a mere three years ago, 49 people were killed in a hate-crime at Pulse nightclub. Tragedies like these ones cannot be ignored, and it’s important to regard Pride Month not only as a celebration, but as an active remembrance of the queer history that has come before us. An acknowledgment that we are still fighting the fight, that our work is far from being over.
During Pride Month (and of course, also during any other month of the year) I like to listen to music that reminds me of how amazing it is to be queer. Whether they are songs sung by queer artists, songs about being queer, songs typically played in LGBTQ+ positive spaces, or songs I’ve heard in my favourite queer shows and movies, they all uplift me. Because at the heart of all of these songs, even when they’re about immense pain and heartbreak, it is a celebration. Here’s a playlist of some of my favourite songs that feel significantly apt for Pride Month, ranging from universally heeded queer songs like “I’m Coming Out” by Diana Ross, “Believe” by Cher, “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga, and anything by RuPaul, to songs more specific to my own experience. Enjoy, and happy Pride, everyone.
~ Z ~
Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash
