There are many ways to write the story of the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement. We can start in the 1920s, when the Society of Human Rights was founded, or in 1955 when the secretive Mattachine Society was founded, or with the 1965 gay march in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia. The LGBTQ+ community has been fighting for their civil rights for decades; however, it wasn’t until the 1968 Stonewall Riots that issues facing the LGBTQ+ community attracted attention from mass media in the United States.

How the Stonewall Riots pioneered the way for the LGBTQ+ community

The Stonewall Riots united many different LGBTQ+ groups to take back their civil liberties, which were unfairly stripped away because of who they were and who they loved. The events of 1968 started a revolution inspired by many other movements of the time, such as the anti-Vietnam war movement and the Black Power Movement.

Activism on all fronts during this period empowered the LGBTQ+ community to keep working towards justice and encouraged others to “come out of the closet” and join the fight. In the video below, produced by SAGE, a national advocacy and services organization that’s been looking out for LGBTQ+ elders since 1978, Reverend Magora Kennedy, Jay Toole, and Joe Negreli share firsthand their stories of being part of the Stonewall Uprising of 1969.

Although chaotic, the late '60s could be characterized as a time of unity and inspiration between diverse groups fighting for the same things: human rights.

However, the fight is far from over.

The legalization of same-sex marriage was only codified in 2015. Even more recently, the US Supreme Court upheld federal laws to protect LGBTQ+ workers from discrimination on June 15, 2020—the same issue that prompted the 1965 Philadelphia gay parades. There's still more work to do.

We must honor the intersectionality that exists within the LGBTQ+ community and stand with those most impacted by oppressive forces in society. Black transgender and gender non-conforming people face enormous discrimination and violence. The fight for LGBTQ+ rights does not end with marriage or parades; it will not end until all LGBTQ+ people are safe, supported, and free.

As we celebrate Pride Month this year, we must remember that there would be no Pride Month if it wasn’t for the efforts of the LGBTQ+ elders who fought against unfair laws and treatment.

We still have a long way to go to achieve equity. As long we follow the footsteps of those who came before us as we fight for the same freedoms, we will get there. 

How you can refuse to be invisible for Pride 2023

Pride this month is about so much more than sparkles and parades.  It's about exploring the ways that you can get involved and support the LGBTQ+ community, including honoring these incredible pioneers. For generations, LGBTQ+ elders have shown us what it truly means to "refuse to be invisible".

Do you #RefuseToBeInvisible each day? SAGE is collecting stories from the LGBTQ+ community, including from older adults, on how they are refusing to be invisible. If you're ready to shout it from the rooftops, tell your story to SAGE, or take your story to social media and use the hashtags #WeRefuseToBeInvisible #Pride23, along with sharing this graphic.