Pride Month: Yes, the Parade is in August

June is the month of many things: Idaho wine, Ohio wine, California avocados… the list goes on and on. But perhaps most notably, June is a special month for the LGBTQ+ — pride month.

Pride month began in the US to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, a riot that birthed the Gay Liberation Movement and was a significant turning point for queer rights. It was initially celebrated as “Gay Pride Day'' until it eventually became a month-long celebration. Some other countries that celebrate Pride Month include Canada, Australia, Brazil, Spain, Germany, and the UK.

This year, the Vancouver Pride Parade will take place on August 5th and 6th (Yes, it doesn’t coincide with Pride Month. It’s always like this). Curiously enough, it’s because Canada's most important pride protests were in August and so the parade was set to coincide with the occasion. Of course, it’s also peak tourism time, and thousands of people come to witness the celebration.

If it is anything like last year, expect a hot weekend of cheering, festivities and free merchandise from the countless companies, non-profits, and politicians attending. Also, rainbows. Loads of them. We both attended the parade last year, and it was a blast — from collecting Subway pride headbands to gay NDP pins, high-fiving a furry to laughing at the colourful Mickey Mouse stickers plastered on nearby garbage cans (Disney doesn’t have the best history with the LGBTQ+), it’s truly an unforgettable experience.

Curious? Above is an image of the official parade route. Feel free to settle down anywhere along that line since the paraders will be going through the entire path (it may, however, also be strategic to sit a bit closer to the beginning so you get to experience all the fun earlier… and more importantly, nab some free gifts before they run out!).

Some other ways to celebrate:

• Pride-themed arts and crafts

• Wearing LGBTQ+ colours — ex. rainbow for the gay flag, blue/pink/white for the trans flag

• Donate to charities such as the Trevor Project

• Call out homophobia and transphobia

• Educate yourself on LGBTQ+ history

• Support LGBTQ+ artists and content — read their books, listen to their songs, watch their films

  • Personal recommendations: Heartstopper (show & comic), Song of Achilles (book), Modern Family (show), Lady Gaga (musical artist)

  • If you want more, feel free to reach out to emlee.cui@gmail.com

• And of course, be kind. It’s easy to forget that LGBTQ+ hate crimes increase during June.

Happy Pride Month!