Why is Pride Month celebrated in June?

In June of every year, rainbows appear everywhere, from billowing flags to colorful clothing, or just a burst of positive energy for the celebration of Pride Month.

On June 11, the government of Quezon City held a graduation ceremony where LGBTQIA+ participants freely marched across the stage as their true selves. The participants were previously disallowed by their schools from expressing their gender.

Then on June 13, LGBTQIA+ couples got married in a Holy Union Rights ceremony by the LGBTS Christian Church.

But why is Pride Month held every June? Here is a rundown.

It all started on June 28, 1969 when the Stonewall Riots happened in New York City. After authorities violently raided Stonewall Inn, a gay bar, the local LGBTQIA+ community got together and bravely fought back against the continuous discrimination and abuse they had been experiencing.

The first Pride March happened in New York City in 1970, on the first anniversary of Stonewall, according to the Library of Congress.

This historic event kickstarted Pride protests and celebrations around the world.

The Philippines is the first country in Asia to hold a Pride March in June.

In 1992, one of the most significant events in Pride history happened when the Lesbian Collective participated in the International Women’s Day protests, according to the University of the Philippines.

That same year, the UP Babaylan was established, which is the country’s first LGBTQIA+ student organization.

Then on June 26, 1994, 50 people participated in Stonewall Manila, where they marched from Edsa corner Quezon Avenue to Quezon Memorial Circle. It was led by the Progressive Organization of Gays in the Philippines and the Metropolitan Community Church to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. According to Love Yourself, it was the first LGBTQIA+ Pride March in the Philippines and in Asia.

Queers and allies not only fight for equal rights during Pride March, but it is also a way to protest economic issues at the time, like the higher prices of oil and the passing of Value Added Tax or VAT.

This was then followed by Pride March in 1996 in Metro Manila, and has continued to the present and spread throughout the country.

The depth and weight of what queer individuals fight for have thus made the celebration of Pride Month every June a tradition. This protest is a way to fight for equal human rights, especially with the passing of the SOGIE Equality Bill.

The SOGIE Equality Bill seeks equality and protection against all forms of discrimination and violence based on a person's sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics (SOGIESC).

In 2025, Senator Risa Hontiveros refiled the bill in the 20th Congress, and included it in her top 10 priority bills.

—Nika Roque/CDC, GMA News