The PGspot - Pride: Then, Now, and Always

In this powerful episode, we journey through the rich and resilient history of Pride; from its radical roots in protest and resistance to its evolution into a global celebration of identity, love, and progress. We explore key moments in LGBTQ+ history, the struggles and triumphs that have shaped the movement, and the legacy of those who fought for the rights many enjoy today. But the story doesn’t end there. As we examine how past victories have influenced modern society, we also confront the ongoing challenges the LGBTQ+ community faces and why continued advocacy, allyship, and awareness are more important than ever. Join us as we honor the past, celebrate the present, and look toward a future where Pride is not just a moment, it's a movement. 

If you want to learn more about sexual health, sexual dysfunction, or how to improve your sex life, follow me on Instagram at @thepgspot or check out my website at doctorpattyj.com for blogs and resources related to sex positivity and real talk about sexuality.  As as always, stay curious, stay empowered, and stay you.

Transcript

Speaker 0:08

Welcome to the PG spot, where our goal is to take the X out of sex by breaking down the barriers that prevent open communication about sexual health. I'm Dr. Patty Jalomo a dual certified nurse practitioner, pelvic floor therapist, and certified sexual counselor. I'm here to provide expert insights, debunk myths, and empower you to embrace your sexual wellbeing. Whether you're looking for answers or simply curious, join us as we open up the conversation around sex, intimacy and everything in between. I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge that some content may not be appropriate for all listeners. I'm a huge proponent of honest and accurate information regarding sexuality. But I'm also mindful that this should be age appropriate. Therefore, if you are under 18, this may not be the podcast for you. Additionally, some of the language used in this podcast may be offensive to some listeners. Please take these things into consideration before going forward with your consensual participation in this podcast. The opinions expressed by myself or my guests are just that, and these opinions are neither expected or required to be shared by all listeners. The information that is provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only, and should not be mistaken for individual medical advice if you do find the information that we cover in the PG spot. Helpful. Interesting or informative. Please rate and review the podcast wherever you're listening from. If you think this information is important, I would love for you to share it with your friends or family. This is a great way to get the information out to more people. So thank you for listening and let's get on with the show.

Patty 1:47

Hey everyone. Welcome to the show as I'm recording this, I just came back from the AASECT Conference in Las Vegas. It was so amazing being just in an environment of like-minded people and hearing about all of the latest research and developments in sexual health. Maybe even more exciting than that was just the overall atmosphere of diversity and acceptance that was there. AASECT holds their annual conference every June for a reason. As many of you know, June is the time where communities come together to celebrate Pride Month as a time to honor the L-G-B-T-Q community; its history, struggles and contributions. But beyond the rainbow flags and parades lies a deeper story of resistance, resilience, and ongoing inequality that still needs our attention. Although I had another episode scheduled to be released, as you're hearing this, I couldn't let June go by without acknowledging these things. So in today's episode, we're going to take a deeper look at the history of pride. The challenges that those folks in the lgbtq plus community still face, and what we as a society can do to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion in our daily lives. Regardless of your background or beliefs, my hope is that this episode invites curiosity, compassion, and a deeper appreciation for the journey of the lgbtq plus community. So let's get into it. To understand the significance of Pride Month, I want to begin with a time when simply existing as a lgbtq plus was criminalized in the mid 20th century, so roughly the 1940s through the 1960s, lgbtq plus people in the US and many parts of the world faced systemic discrimination. They were barred from jobs. They were arrested for public displays of affection, and oftentimes subjected to harassment by both civilians and law enforcement Societal beliefs were largely shaped by stigma, fear, and misunderstanding. The American Psychiatric Association classified homosexuality as a mental disorder in the first diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, which is the manual that uh, people in the psychiatric and mental health world used to classify disorders and LGBTQ plus people were often subjected to institutionalization, conversion therapy, electric shock therapy, and other practices in an attempt to quote, unquote cure them. These folks were frequently labeled as threats to traditional family values And homosexuality was widely viewed as immoral, sinful, or deviant based on conservative religious teachings that still have major influence from puritanical beliefs. There was a pervasive fear that just being around LGBTQ plus people, especially in schools or youth programs, might influence others to become queer, and this population was largely invisible in mainstream media and culture unless they were being portrayed in a negative light. Many were forced to live, doubled lives to avoid societal and legal consequences. It was during this time that what became known as the Lavender Scare resulted in thousands of federal employees being fired or forced to resign based on suspicions or accusations of being gay or lesbian. They were labeled as security risks because officials believed that they were more vulnerable to blackmail by foreign powers. Particularly communists. In 1953, president Eisenhower signed executive order ten four fifty, which officially barred people with quote unquote, sexual perversion from federal employment. Many of these people lost their careers reputations and livelihoods because of this, some were publicly outed and humiliated. And others died by suicide under the weight of the fear and shame that they felt. The lavender scare contributed to really deepening social stigma and made it extremely dangerous to be openly LGBTQ plus in public life. it also galvanized parts of the gay rights movement that would later gain momentum in the 1960s and seventies. So let's fast forward to that time in history. The modern LGBTQ plus rights movement gained international attention following the Stonewall Uprising in June of 1969. This was widely considered to have been a pivotal moment in lgbtq plus history. The Stonewall Inn, which was located in New York City's, Greenwich Village, was one of the few spaces where lgbtq plus people, especially drag queens, um, transgender women, or homeless queer youth. Where they could gather with some sense of community, even though it operated under constant threat of police raids. On the night of June 28th, 1969, police once again raided the bar, but that night the patrons pushed back. And what followed was six days of protests and resistance that reverberated across the city and eventually across the world. The uprising wasn't led by mainstream figures, but it was driven by the courage of those most marginalized, including Marsha P Johnson, who is a black transgender woman, and Sylvia Rivera, a Latinx trans activist. Although Stonewall wasn't the first lgbtq plus protest, It was the most visible and sustained and became a turning point. It inspired formation of activist groups like the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activist Alliance. Then on June 28th, 1970, Which was the one year anniversary of Stonewall. thousands, marched from the Stonewall into Central Park in what was then called Christopher Street Liberation Day. It was the first pride march, and it set the tone for what would become a global tradition of protest and celebration. Similar marches took place that same weekend in Chicago, San Francisco, and LA. These early pride events were defiant, grassroots responses to decades of oppression. They weren't corporate sponsored or family friendly. They were raw, political, and urgent. Pride has since grown and diversified, but at its core, it remains a platform for visibility, advocacy, and remembrance. Pride events are now held in virtually every major US city, as well as smaller towns and rural areas. It's estimated that nearly half of all US Pride celebrations take place in towns with fewer than 50,000 residents. But this certainly didn't happen overnight. Pride month today stands on the shoulders of decades of activism and perseverance. I want to briefly mention some of the major milestones in the gay rights movements to get a better understanding of just how long it's taken to get where we are, and also to acknowledge how much further we have to go in the quest of diversity, equity, and inclusion. So in 1950. This is when the Mattachine Society was founded, and this was one of the first gay rights organizations in the us. Mattachine was derived from French medieval masquerade societies where men wore masks to criticize social injustices. It symbolized the idea of hidden identities and the subversive challenge to dominant societal norms. The Mattachine Society played a crucial role in laying groundwork for the modern L-G-B-T-Q Rights movement, and it demonstrated the power of organized activism in challenging systemic oppression and also help pave the way for later organizations like the Gay Liberation Front and Act Up, which took more confrontational and visible approaches to advocacy. Then in 1955, the Daughters of Bilitis, was organized in San Francisco, and it was the first lesbian, civil and political rights organization. The name was unusual, but deliberately obscure to protect members' identities. The DOB was created as a social alternative to lesbian bars to provide support, education, and community for lesbians during a time of intense stigma and legal danger, and later to promote lesbian visibility and advocate for civil rights, health and psychological wellbeing. In 1970, the national organization dissolved due to internal tensions between members, though local chapters and individuals. Still remained active in feminist and gay liberation movements. The DOB was a pioneering organization that provided the first structured support system for lesbians in America. It helped to build lesbian identity and community, and later played a key role in connecting lesbian issues with second wave feminist figures like Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, who went on to become influential feminist activists and were the first same sex couple to legally be married in California in 2008. Then in the 1980s, the HIV AIDS crisis devastated lgbtq plus communities. President Ronald Reagan's response to the AIDS epidemic had profound and lasting effects on the LGBTQ plus community, particularly gay men who were disproportionately affected by the disease. In the early years, his administration's handling, or lack thereof, has been widely criticized for its delay, lack of urgency and moral undertones that mirrored broader societal stigmas towards homosexuality at the time. For example, the first cases of what would become known as AIDS were reported in 1981, but Reagan didn't publicly mention AIDS until 19 85, 4 years into the epidemic and after more than 5,000 people in the US had died from the disease. This silence contributed to the perception that the federal government did not consider the disease a priority, particularly because it was initially associated with gay men and marginalized groups. During the early years, the Reagan administration allocated very little federal funding for AIDS research and treatment, despite clear indications from medical experts that the disease was spreading rapidly. Activists and public health officials repeatedly called for more resources, but these requests were often ignored or delayed. The 1980s were marked by a conservative political shift, And Reagan's close ties to the religious right reinforced a cultural stigma against LGBTQ plus people. Some members of the Reagan administration made openly homophobic remarks, and there was a broader sense that AIDS was seen as a punishment or moral failing by some officials and commentators, Which deeply hurt the LGBTQ plus community. The lack of government action and public education helped fuel misinformation, fear and stigma, worsening the suffering of those affected by the disease. Many LGBTQ plus individuals face not only illness, but also being ostracized socially. And. Getting a lack of adequate medical care, the lgbtq plus community was forced to mobilize. In response, they created their own networks of care advocacy organizations like Act Up and GMHC, and we're pushing for faster drug approval and compassionate care. Reagan's slow response is often cited as a pivotal moment in the LGBTQ plus history, both as a source of trauma and as a catalyst for political and social activism, the community's experience during the AIDS crisis helped fuel a broader LGBTQ plus rights movement that would gain momentum in the following decades. Then in 2003, The US Supreme Court overturned sodomy laws in Lawrence v Texas effectively decriminalizing same sex relationships. The case of Rosen two men, John Lawrence and Tyrone Garner were arrested in Texas for engaging in conceptual sex in a private residence, violating Texas' sodomy law In a six to three ruling, the Supreme Court held that laws criminalizing private consensual sexual conduct between adults violated the due process clause of the 14th Amendment written by Justice Anthony Kennedy. The opinion stated that adults have the right to engage in private sexual conduct without government intervention. The ruling in validated sodomy laws in 13 states effectively making same sex, sexual activity legal across the us. In 2015, same-sex marriage was legalized nationwide in Obergfel versus Hodges. This case involved plaintiff James Obergfel, who sued defendant Richard Hodges, who is the director of the Ohio Department of Health. After Ohio refused to recognize his marriage to his terminally Ill partner John Arthur, which had been legally performed in Maryland. The case consolidated multiple lawsuits from same-sex couples across four states, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, and Tennessee. The ruling determined that the due process, clause and equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment guaranteed the right to marry as a fundamental liberty, and that this right applies equally to same-sex couples. Therefore, states must license and recognize same-sex marriages. The impact of Obergfel versus Hodges was that same-sex marriage was legalized in all 50 states and required states to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions. This marked a historic victory for the LGBTQ plus rights movement in the US and strengthened legal precedent for equality and civil rights under the Constitution. Then in 2020, the court ruled in Bostock versus Clayton County that LGBTQ plus employees are protected from workplace discrimination under federal law. The ruling made no new law, but interpreted existing federal law to cover lgbtq plus employees. This was a major victory for LGBTQ plus civil rights as it extended nationwide workplace protections to millions of workers and set precedent influencing other civil rights protections in housing, education, and healthcare. This progress, however, is not experienced equally by all the LGBTQ plus community is diverse and multifaceted. And while pride often presents a unified front, individuals within the community experience discrimination differently based on the intersections of their identities, such as race, gender, socio socioeconomic status, disability and immigration status. So here are some statistics. According to a 2023 Gallup report, 7.2% of US adults identify as LGBTQ plus, but that number rises to over 20% among Gen Z. A 2022 Williams Institute study found that 29% of black LGBTQ plus adults in the US live in poverty compared to 16% of white LGBTQ plus adults, and 12% of the general population and transgender people of color, particularly black and Latinx trans women face disproportionately high rates of violence, homelessness, and job discrimination. Understanding intersectionality is essential to understanding how overlapping forms of discrimination affect people's lives. Identities such as these create unique experiences of oppression or privilege, pride, month must be inclusive not only in its celebration, but also in its activism to recognize that not all LGBTQ plus individuals, face the same challenges or barriers. For example, a black trans woman may face racism, transphobia, and sexism simultaneously, or a disabled gay man may experience both ableism and homophobia. So to put it simply, intersectional activism connects lgbtq plus rights with racial justice, disability rights, reproductive justice, and economic equity without intersectionality, lgbtq plus activism. Risks erasing the most marginalized voices within the community, repeating systems of exclusion even within a movement aimed at justice and overlooking policies that disproportionately harm LGBTQ plus people of color, those with disabilities, or those of a lower socioeconomic status. So we can see that in many ways, pride has become more visible and accepted. Rainbow logos and corporate sponsorships are now common sites in June, but it's important to understand that this increased visibility hasn't eliminated the challenges. In the us, hundreds of anti LGBTQ plus bills have been introduced in recent years. Many targeting transgender youth and LGBTQ plus education in schools as well as access to gender affirming care hate crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity are still a serious concern in many countries. LGBTQ plus people, especially trans individuals and people of color, are at higher risk of experiencing physical violence and harassment. LGBTQ plus individuals, often see uneven protections regarding adoption, marriage and parental rights, and there could be a lack of legal recognition for non-binary and gender diverse identities in over 60 countries. Same-sex relationships remained criminalized, and in several, they're punishable by death. This is why pride is still political, and it's not only a celebration of identity, it is a protest, a memorial, and a demand for change. It honors those we've lost uplifts. Those still fighting and envisions a future where lgbtq plus people everywhere can live safely, openly, and with dignity. Here are a few meaningful ways we can all support diversity, equity, and inclusion during Pride month and throughout the year. One, listen and learn. Engage with the LGBTQ plus voices by reading books, following activists and attending events with an open mind and a willingness to grow. Two, speak up challenge homophobia, transphobia, and other forms of discrimination wherever they show up. Whether in personal conversations or professional settings. Three support lgbtq plus organizations donate to or volunteer with organizations doing essential advocacy, particularly those uplifting trans people, youth and communities of color. Four. Vote and Advocate, participate in elections, support inclusive policies, and push for legislation that protects and advances LGBTQ plus rights. And five, celebrate with intention. Remember that pride began as a protest. Celebrate in ways that honor its history through visibility, respect, and meaningful action. In closing, let's remember that pride month is more than a celebration. It's a living legacy of resistance, resilience, and hope. It asks us to reflect on our history, face the injustices of today, and imagine a more inclusive and equitable tomorrow. Whether you're part of the lgbtq plus community or a committed ally, this month is a call to action, a chance to renew our shared commitment to justice, dignity, and equality for all. So thank you for listening and as always, be curious, be empowered and be you.

Speaker 20:39

That's it for today's episode. Thanks for listening, and be sure to rate and review the podcast on whatever platform you're listening from and share it with your friends. That's a great way to help reach new listeners and make this a more sex positive world. Also, I'd love your feedback and questions, so send me a message. It's at email@drpatj.com, and that's doctor spelled out, D-O-C-T-O-R-P-A, tt y j.com. Until next time, stay curious, stay empowered, and stay you.