In a proclamation sponsored by Pittsburgh City Councilman Bruce Kraus and the entirety of Pittsburgh City Council, June 2022 has been declared “Pride Month” in the City of Pittsburgh.
Full text of the proclamation:
WHEREAS, in the early hours of June 28th, 1969, two transgender women of color, Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, were said to have resisted arrest and said to have thrown the first bottle at the police after they raided the Stonewall Inn; a refuge for gay, lesbian, and transgender individuals; and,
WHEREAS, On June 28th, 1970, one year after the Stonewall Riots, the first Gay Pride Parade began as several hundred people began marching up 6th Avenue toward Central Park. The procession eventually stretched over 15 city blocks and encompassed thousands of people; and,
WHEREAS, this procession stoked the fires of activism across America and sent shockwaves around the world which are still felt today as we remember that the first Pride Parade was, in fact, a riot, and;
WHEREAS, in Pittsburgh in 2022 the Pride Revolution parade continued the tradition of marching in the streets to celebrate and promote the visibility and acceptance of the LGBTQIA+ community, and;
WHEREAS, every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, sex, age, or mental or physical disability; and
WHEREAS, recognizing Pride Month is more important than ever, as our country is confronted with hateful and myopic opinions that advocate for the regression of our rights to identify, love, and marry; and,
WHEREAS, our Most Livable City will continue to support and promote the rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual Pittsburghers and our neighbors of all sexual orientations and gender identities; and,
WHEREAS, the Council of the City of Pittsburgh offers sincere congratulations and gratitude to all of the organizers from the Pittsburgh Pride Group and participants of the 2022 Pride Revolution Parade, for without them Pittsburgh would not shine as bright; and,
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby commend the resilience and strength of all LGBTQIA+ individuals; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare, the month of June 2022, to be “Pride Month” in the City of Pittsburgh.
Additionally, on June 8th, Coraopolis Mayor Michael Dixon declared June 2022 as “Pride Month” in the Borough of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania. It is believed to be the first recognition of LGBTQ Pride month in the history of the Borough.
