This is a caption in Farsi.Rezvaneh Mohammadi

Throughout the world, the month of June is known as “Pride Month”. But when does the history of this event date back to? On June 28, 1969, the New York police raided a club owned by homosexuals in Greenwich Village. During this raid, club employees and customers were met with police violence, leading to six days of protests in the area and surrounding streets. While Stonewall was not the beginning of the LGBT rights movement, many remember this uprising as a catalyst for it.

The 1960s in the United States was a dark period for homosexuals, bisexuals, and trans individuals. In 1969, homosexuality was considered a crime and wearing clothing that did not match the gender listed on identification documents had legal consequences. In the mid-60s, hundreds of people were arrested for same-sex relationships in New York. However, the Stonewall Inn raid exposed the hidden oppression and nothing could push them back into the closet. This was the third widespread police raid on gay bars in Greenwich Village. Perhaps this is what caused the people outside the bar to not back down or disperse as easily as before. This time, they fought back. Their anger intensified when customers inside the bar were being taken towards police cars. Bottles and garbage were thrown at the police. These reactions surprised the New York police, who were used to the passive behavior of homosexuals, even when dealing with larger crowds. The police forces, who were facing a crowd of 400 protesters seeking

“Month of Pride” has become an opportunity for raising awareness about the rights of sexual minorities in society, while also being a time for celebration, protest, and holding festivals around the world. Finally, this year, the New York Police Chief, James O’Neill, apologized for what happened at Stonewall 50 years ago. “To be honest, the actions of the New York Police were wrong.”

“Month of Pride” has gained importance for Iranians in recent years. Iranian LGBT refugees have participated multiple times in Pride Parades in various cities in Turkey. The parade, which has been held in major cities such as Istanbul and Ankara since 2015, has been met with violence by the police in recent years due to its ban. However, the “Kaos GL” association in Ankara has recently succeeded in overturning the ban on gatherings related to LGBT.

Despite such prohibitions and discrimination, what is the reason for talking about the Straight Pride Parade that has recently been brought up in the Persian-speaking virtual space? This parade, which was first introduced in the late 1980s by a small group of conservative individuals who were its creators, was a reaction to the Pride Parade for LGBTQ+ individuals and had no other purpose than to marginalize them. It is similar to those who speak out in protest on March 8th (International Women’s Day) about the lack of an International Men’s Day, despite the fact that November 19th is designated as International Men’s Day. These individuals have no concern other than mocking the rights of marginalized individuals and are only seeking to destroy anything that has been achieved over time through social movements.

Given the current conditions in Iran, although we cannot expect a widespread gathering of LGBTQ+ individuals, through certain legal opportunities, we can also speak about the rights that transgender and intersex individuals have been deprived of in Iran. It is not enough to only address discrimination during events such as Pride Month or the International Day Against Homophobia. As even Persian-language media only mention LGBTQ+ individuals during these limited days. It may take years for even a slight change in public opinion to occur. What is necessary is not just acceptance or tolerance of sexual minorities, but full support at all levels of society, respect, and protection of the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals for the future of Iran.