Pride 2025: Where it all began, Stonewall 1969

Guest blog from Andy Allen, Head of Organisational Development

Pride marks an important anniversary, but do you know about the event where it all began?

What happened at the Stonewall Inn in June 1969?

In the early hours of 28^th June 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in the Greenwich Village area of New York City. This was not unusual at the time for LGBTQ+ spaces were frequently targeted by law enforcement. But this time, something different happened.

Rather than quietly accepting the arrest and harassment, patrons and members of the local LGBTQ+ community resisted. A crowd gathered outside, and clashes broke out, leading to several nights of protests and unrest. What followed became known as the Stonewall Uprising: a pivotal moment that ignited the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.

What was the social context at the time?

The late 1960s were a period of significant social unrest and change in the United States. Civil rights, women’s liberation, and anti-war movements were gaining momentum. But for LGBTQ+ people, life remained heavily policed and marginalised:

• Same-sex relationships were criminalised in most U.S. states.
• LGBTQ+ people were routinely arrested, fired from jobs, or institutionalised.
• Bars like Stonewall were often one of the few places where LGBTQ+ people could safely gather - yet even these were frequently raided.

The Stonewall Uprising happened at a time when many communities were starting to demand their rights and challenge oppressive systems. It was a tipping point.

Why is the anniversary marked each year with Pride?

One year after the riots, on 28^th June 1970, the first Christopher Street Liberation Day March took place in New York City, marking the anniversary of the uprising. Similar marches took place in Chicago and Los Angeles. These events evolved into what we now call Pride parades.

Today, Pride Month, celebrated every June, is both a celebration of LGBTQ+ identity and a reminder of the struggle for equality. Pride commemorates the bravery of those who stood up at Stonewall and honours the ongoing fight against discrimination and exclusion around the world.

Why does it still matter?

Because equal rights are not guaranteed everywhere - and even where legal protections exist, lived experiences of LGBTQ+ people still include discrimination, exclusion, and violence. Pride is about visibility, community, and justice.

The Stonewall event reminds us that real change often begins when people say: “Enough.” And Pride reminds us that the fight continues - boldly, joyfully, and together.