Subject Guides: 2SLGBTQIA+ Resources: History of Pride

Pride History

For many, Pride is seen as a wonderful celebratory event, often showcasing parades, music, rainbows and performers of all kinds.

However, at its roots, Pride was borne out of riots and protests, as members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community fought for equal rights and freedoms. Although Pride can be seen as a celebration for all that the 2SLGBTQ+ community has overcome, it is important to recognize that, at its core, it is also a time and space for community members to assert their right to the same freedoms as those who are cisgender, gender-conforming and heterosexual. There is no Pride without the protests.

Find out more:

Canadian Pride Historical Society (CPHS)
Canadian Heritage: Advancing 2SLGBTQI+ rights for over 50 years (YouTube)
McMaster University: A PRIDE History Synopsis - Equity and Inclusion Office
Canadian Museum of History: Community and Protest: The Origins of Pride in Canada
Library of Congress (U.S.): 1969: The Stonewall Uprising - LGBTQIA+ Studies
Smithsonian Institution (U.S.): Marsha Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and the History of Pride Month

Paul2520, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

[Video]. The fruit machine. (2018). TVO.

In filmmaker Sarah Fodey's documentary, survivors of a decades-long homosexual witch-hunt recount their personal stories of dedication and betrayal at the hands of the Canadian government. Some softened by age and sadness, others loud and angry, the voices of the former public servants targeted in the purge are now united, and determined.

*Please note that this documentary deals with content including homophobia; depression; suicide; substance abuse; and sexual violence. Viewer discretion is advised.*

Stonewall by Martin Duberman
ISBN: 9780593083987

The definitive account of the Stonewall Riots, the first gay rights march, and the LGBTQ activists at the center of the movement. On June 28, 1969, the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York's Greenwich Village, was raided by police. But instead of responding with the typical compliance the NYPD expected, patrons and a growing crowd decided to fight back. The five days of rioting that ensued changed forever the face of gay and lesbian life. Fifty years after the riots, Stonewall remains a rare work that evokes with a human touch an event in history that still profoundly affects life today.
We Are Everywhere by Matthew Riemer; Leighton Brown
ISBN: 9780399581816

Have pride in history.A rich and sweeping photographic history of the Queer Liberation Movement, from the creators and curators of the massively popular Instagram account LGBT History. Through the lenses of protest, power, and pride, We Are Everywhere is an essential and empowering introduction to the history of the fight for queer liberation. By challenging many of the assumptions that dominate mainstream LGBTQ+ history, We Are Everywhere shows readers how they can-and must-honor the queer past in order to shape our liberated future.
365 Gays of the Year (Plus 1 for a Leap Year) by Lewis Laney; Charlotte MacMillan-Scott (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9780711273702

A fun and fascinating compendium of LGBTQ+ icons, one for every day of the year, and a celebration of queer history - or as RuPaul would say; Herstory! Discover your queer hero and learn something new every day with 365 Gays of the Year, an accessible and fun introduction to LGBTQ+ history through the people that made it. This witty, unique celebration of queer history promises to inspire and empower readers with its wealth of bright stars.