With June having been pride month, there’s been a lot of talk about history and events within the LGBTQ+ community, especially on the legal front. And while there are a lot of legal problems and cases that happen throughout the year, there are still legality issues the LGBTQ+ community is facing. But fortunately, there have been vast improvements over the past few years. So let’s take a look at a few important events that happened during pride month that impacted the LGBTQ+ community.
Ecuador Legalized Same-Sex Marriage
There are numerous countries around the world that have very liberal LGBTQ+ laws. The Netherlands was the first nation to decriminalize homosexuality, Canada’s Prime Minister openly supports the LGBTQ+ community, and even Malta, a prominently Catholic nation, was the first European nation to ban conversion therapy. An average of 2.4 million weddings are performed in the U.S. each year, and many of these are now same-sex marriages. But there are still many countries that have yet to legalize same-sex marriage. However, Ecuador is no longer one of them. While same-sex unions have been legal for a decade now, those with a civil partnership had fewer rights than couples married under law. The ruling was made in a landmark case after several couples and advocates filed legal claims. And while people with an attorney typically get three to four times more for a claim when they have an attorney, this lengthy legal battle ended in a 5-to-4 ruling.
Wisconsin Lawmakers Celebrate Pride Month
Countries, states, and cities all around the world have celebrations in honor of Pride Month. And this year, lawmakers in Wisconsin celebrated Pride Month for the first time at the State Capitol. Lawmakers expressed their pride in how far the state has come in supporting the LGBTQ+ community.
State Rep. Mark Spreitzer (D-Beloit) said, “If you had told me then that 14 years later, I would be standing at the Wisconsin state capitol as an openly gay elected representative, speaking about June as LGBTQ Pride Month, with the governor standing next to me, I would never have believed you.”
And while those in attendance felt the joy and pride within the community, both lawmakers and advocates also acknowledged there is still a long way to go regarding equality.
The 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots
Pride Month 2019 was especially important because June 1st was also the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, or the Stonewall Uprising. This event occurred in 1969 when members of the LGBTQ+ community stood up against harassment from police. This was years after the LGBTQ+ community began uprising in the 1950s, forming groups that lobbied for equality and acceptance. Stonewall consisted of a more active approach, calling for social change. And while there is still much violence towards the LGBTQ+ community, including even domestic violence, this uprising was an important time in the battle for equal human rights.
Pride Month is a time to specifically celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and the ongoing fight for equality. And these are just a few of the many events that this year’s Pride Month saw impact the LGBTQ+ community.
