Diversity Thursday: Pride Month

June is Pride Month around the world. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer and asexual people, as well as people of other sexual orientations and identities (LGBTIQ+ for short) and their allies commemorate the beginning of one of the greatest waves of emancipatory protest in the 20th century.

Pride Month makes queer history visible and at the same time looks ahead to continue fighting for equality and social recognition. We at Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg (H-BRS) would also like to send a message this month: for acceptance, visibility and an open, respectful university culture. Pride means that everyone can be themselves.

What is Pride Month?

Pride Month dates back to the Stonewall riots on 28 June 1969 in New York. For the first time, queer people collectively and publicly defended themselves against police violence and systematic discrimination during a police raid at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar on Christopher Street. These events are considered a turning point in the LGBTIQ+ movement.

“For the first time, homosexuals resist a police raid in a gay bar: the 'Stonewall Inn' on Christopher Street in New York City. It is a violent day. But at the same time, it marks the beginning of one of the biggest emancipation movements” (Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung, Federal Agency for Civic Education).

Just one year later, on 28 June 1970, the first "Christopher Street Liberation Day" took place in New York, marking the first "Pride parade", which now take place worldwide. Since then, June has been a symbol of queer resistance, self-determination and social participation.

Pride Month in Germany

The first demonstration called “Christopher Street Day” (CSD) in Germany took place in Berlin in the summer of 1979 with around 450 participants. It was embedded in a social climate of change that had been triggered primarily by the student protest movements.

Since the 1990s, CSD – and, in a broader sense, Pride Month – has become established in many German cities. It is not only large cities such as Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg and Frankfurt that organise annual parades, cultural programmes and political discussions. Although many of the events have now become commercialised, political demands and educational work remain at the centre of attention.

Legislative milestones in Germany in recent years:

• 2017: Introduction of "marriage for all" (same-sex marriage)
• 2018: Inclusion of the third gender "diverse" in civil status law
• From 2022: Federal Government action plan "Queer leben" (Queer living)
• 2024: Passage of the Self-Determination Act (facilitates the change of gender and first name for trans*, inter* and non-binary people)

Current status: progress and setbacks

While Pride events in many countries are an expression of social acceptance and political participation, the situation worldwide is unequal: in numerous countries, queer people continue to face discrimination, repression and even criminal prosecution. Even within the European Union, for example in Hungary and Poland, LGBTIQ+ rights are increasingly under pressure.

According to the Ipsos Global Advisor study "LGBT+ Pride 2024", social acceptance in Germany is comparatively high. Nevertheless, differences remain – for example between age groups or genders – and queerphobic attitudes are often subtle nowadays. One example of public counter-movements is the digital campaign started in 2023 using the hashtag "Stolzmonat" (Pride Month), in which right-wing groups share queerphobic and nationalist content.

Despite such challenges, Pride Month remains an important symbol of visibility, emancipation and social solidarity for LGBTIQ+ people.

H-BRS is a place of diversity

H-BRS defines itself as an open-minded university that actively promotes diversity and mutual respect. As part of Pride Month, we would like to draw attention to existing information, opportunities as part of the Respekt! initiative, advice centres and student engagement around queer -related topics:

Sources

• Amadeu Antonio Stiftung (2024): Rechtsextreme Kampagne gegen den Pride Month: Der "Stolzmonat"
• Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend (2025): Gleichstellungspolitische Meilensteine im LSBTIQ*-Bereich
• Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung (2010): Geschichte des Christopher-Street-Day
• Ipsos (2024): Studie zum Pride Month. LGBTQIA+-Rechte weltweit unter Druck, in Deutschland hohe Akzeptanz und neue Brüche

Contact

Do you have any questions, comments or requests? Please feel free to contact us at respekt@h-brs.de.