How To Celebrate June Pride Month In Aurora

AURORA, IL — Pride Month started Saturday and continues through June, with several ways in Aurora to participate in the celebration of LGBTQ culture, rights and identity.

Among them is the Pride Parade, stepping off at noon July 9 in downtown Aurora.

Other events include:

• Pride flag-raising ceremony at 11 a.m. June 7 at One Aurora Plaza, 8 E. Galena Blvd.
• Drag show at 6:30 p.m. June 8 at Millenium Plaza, 21 S. Stolp Ave.

Pride Month occurs during June in deference to the Stonewall Uprising, a tipping point in the struggle for equality among people who identify as LGBTQ. New York City police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar, in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969. Such raids were common, but patrons fought back, resulting in days of violent clashes across Greenwich Village.

The observance started as Gay Pride Day on the last Sunday in June, but soon grew to the point that June calendars around the world are packed with Pride parades, parties, workshops, symposiums and concerts.

In Illinois, about 506,000 people 13 and older identify as LGBTQ, according to the Movement Advance Project, which tracks LGBTQ-targeted legislation.

The organization gives Illinois 38 points out of a possible 44.5 points. The state received 18 points out of a possible 21.5 for sexual orientation policy and 20 points out of a possible 23 for gender identity policy. The overall ranking was graded “high.”

Pride Month 2024 occurs amid a historic surge in bills targeting LGBTQ rights, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. Over the last few years, states have advanced a record number of bills attacking LGBTQ rights, especially transgender youth, the civil rights group said.

The ACLU said that while more states every year are passing laws to protect LGBTQ people, others advance bills that target transgender people, limit local protections and allow the use of religion to discriminate.

Hundreds of pieces of legislation nationwide have been filed in state legislatures this year, according to the ACLU tracking. In Illinois, three related to healthcare barriers and other civil rights restrictions have been introduced this year, while three others — two regarding the redefinition of sex and one about other healthcare barriers have advanced to committee.