Page 446 - ILIAS ATHANASIADIS AKA RO1

Today, Los Angeles boasts they had “the world’s first permitted parade
advocating for gay rights.”

In San Francisco, activists marched down Polk Street and held a “Gay-in” at

Golden Gate Park on June 28th, too.

Two years later, SF held its first Pride parade. Known as the Christopher Street
West Parade, it was deemed too small for Market Street (where SF Pride now

marches annually),

As they estimated there would only be 15,000 spectators. With the San

Francisco Chronicle publishing articles in support of the burgeoning LGBT

rights movement.

The first-ever SF Pride March was deemed a huge success. (The year before the

Chronicle had even published an editorial piece supporting same-sex marriage).

To this day, SF, NYC and Chicago continue to honor the anniversary of the
Stonewall Riots, always having their parade on the last weekend in June (LA

participates earlier in the month).

Hundreds of cities worldwide have created their own Pride Parades, including in
a few countries, like Pakistan, where same-sex sexual contact is still illegal.

On June 11, 1999, President Bill Clinton issued the first-ever proclamation

declaring June to be Gay and Lesbian Pride Month.

His successor, George W. Bush, did not continue the tradition. The practice was
picked up again by Barack Obama, who declared June LGBT Pride Month all

eight years of his administration.

On June 24, 2016, President Barack Obama also established a 7.7-acre area
around the re-opened Stonewall Inn as the Stonewall National Movement,

turning the site that sparked a worldwide movement into the first LGBT national
park site in the United States.