In June, we celebrate Pride Month: A time to commemorate the Stonewall Uprising; expand inclusivity and increase visibility and activism in the legislative progress; and celebrate the history, diversity and contributions of LGBTQ+ people.

Origin and history of Pride Month 

In June 1969, police raided a Greenwich Village gay bar, Stonewall Inn, provoking the patrons and community to stand up against oppression and discrimination. Raids like this were common, and it was not safe for many LGBTQ+ people to be open about their identities in public. As the protest spilled into the neighborhood, lesbian, transgender and non-binary people confined to the  Women’s House of Detention  shouted through the jail’s bars encouraging the protestors on the streets below. 

Marsha Johnson, a Black transgender woman, and Sylvia Rivera, a Latina transgender woman, were among the first to push back on police during the raid. Black trans femmes have always been at the center leading the community toward the demand for fundamental rights.  

Pride Month is a time to commemorate the Stonewall Uprising; expand inclusivity, and increase visibility and activism in the legislative progress; while reverently celebrating the history, and the diversity and contributions of LGBTQ+ people across the globe. 

The importance of supporting gender-diverse people 

It is more important than ever to support those in our community who identify as LGBTQ+. Currently, over 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills that have been proposed, passed or are being considered throughout the country, many of them targeting transgender people and gender-affirming care specifically. Many of these bills are based on harmful myths about trans people and gender-affirming care and significantly impact the ability of these individuals to live safe, dignified lives.

We all have the right to not just survive but to thrive.

LGBTQ+ acronym expansion and inclusion 

The LGBTQ+ community is incredibly diverse, including people of all races, abilities, religions and nationalities. The acronym LGBTQ+ is a commonly used and widely understood term. There are many variations that people in the community use like LGBTQIA2S+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual and Two Spirit). The acronyms are used to identify different sexual orientations and gender identities. Learn more about these terms and identities. 

There are many ways to celebrate Pride at UW Medicine

• Our observance begins on Monday, June 1 with flag-raising ceremonies at noon on the hospital campuses.

UW Medicine is a proud sponsor of these iconic Pride Month events. Visit our booth at Pride in The Park and Trans Pride Seattle. Or march with us at the parade:

• Pride in the Park on Saturday, June 6, from noon-7 p.m. at Volunteer Park.
• Trans Pride Seattle on Friday, June 26, from 5-10 p.m. in the Volunteer Park Amphitheater.
• Seattle Pride Parade on June 28, at 11 a.m. in downtown Seattle. Sign up to march with UW Medicine (space is limited to 200 employee participants).

Resources

Supporting LGBTQ+ people should happen year-round — and we’ve compiled a list of resources to help you do just that. 

Read and learn 

• UW Medicine employees share: Being Our Authentic Selves (UW NetID required) 
• Browse books about and by the LGBTQ+ community at the UW Q Center’s library. 
• Learn about UW Medicine programs including the LGBTQ+ health pathway for medical students; and the Transgender and Gender Non-Binary Health Program; plus, for UW employees, transgender resources. 
• Names and pronouns matter. Learn why proper pronouns are important to inclusion and check out the Office of Healthcare Equity’s new training on pronouns for UW Medicine employees. 
• View the Department of Medicine’s Out List. 
• Get advice for building resilience as a queer person. 
• For allies: Learn what and what not to say when someone comes out to you and how to be a good ally. 
• Get tips for how to support transgender and gender non-binary youth. 
• Get information about Washington state’s LGBTQ Commission. 
• Read a timeline of milestones in the LGBTQ+ liberation movement. 
• Educate yourself about the diversity within the LGBTQ+ community with guides from the Human Rights Campaign.
• Learn about how you can support member organizations working to positively impact the lives and well-being of LGBTQ+ people with the UW Combined Fund Drive.