From the bustling avenues of New York and London to Bangkok, Cape Town, and São Paulo, millions of people took to the streets in June, protesting in unison for their right to exist, love, and thrive in a world increasingly shadowed by oppressive political powers. Envisioned both as a celebration and a political statement, Pride marches blossomed all over the world, reminding us once more of the necessity to reaffirm our commitment as a society to eradicate bigotry and discrimination against sexual and gender minorities. And in the face of what can only be described as an unequivocal setback to acquired civil rights, the task appears more daunting than ever. Donald Trump's crusade on transgender people, the reintroduction of the Anti-Homosexuality Act in Uganda, and the election of a new pope known for his aversion to sexual and gender minorities1 prove to be severe threats to the civil liberties of millions of people around the world.

Denouncing an alleged erosion of traditional social structures, conservative politicians have framed the LGBTQIA+ movement as a threat born out of a "decadent" modernity. But such an assertion ignores a fundamental truth: sexual and gender minorities have existed for centuries, woven into the very fabric of foundational myths, literature, and cultures across the globe.

The Odyssey, an epic poem that serves as a foundational myth for the Greek civilization, features plenty of queer characters such as Apollo, Hermaphroditus, and Calisto, millennia before the creation of modern states. On the other side of the globe, Hindu scriptures explicitly refer to a third, neutral gender, known as 'hijra.' Still active to this day, the hijra community rallies people who do not conform to the binary definition of gender, neither male nor female2.

Queer figures also appear in historical records. Emperors of the Han dynasty (206 BCE - 220 CE) enjoyed the company of both female and male consorts. Similarly, from ancient Rome to feudal Japan, same-gender relationships were common practice and were, in fact, encouraged. More recently, the analysis of primary sources has shed light on the hidden lives of important historical figures. The romance between Kathleen Lynn and Madeleine ffrench-Mullen, who played an instrumental role in the 1916 Irish Easter Rising, is, for instance, well-documented in their respective diaries3. Alan Turing, the mastermind behind the decryption of the Nazi military codes during the Second World War, was also unapologetically queer. After a prosecution in 1952 for ''gross indecency'' (meaning his relationship with another man), the mathematician's contributions and personal life were hidden away.

Contrary to what some historians and political figures may profess, queer individuals have therefore shaped our history, daily lives, and understanding of the world. From entertainment, sciences, and technology to contemporary politics, their contributions are invaluable. As the world sinks further into ignorance, with partisan movements seeking to erase our existence, it is essential to keep our community’s history alive. From the first advocates for equality to the advent of queer rights, let’s take a look at the work carried out by our foremothers and forefathers in advancing our collective rights as a community.

The first definition of queerness

The LGBTQIA+ community, as we know it nowadays, serves as a safe haven for a wide array of sexual and gender minorities. Our understanding of queerness is, nonetheless, relatively recent.

Criminalised in Europe since the colonial era, queer relationships were banned by obscure legal codes, such as the Buggery Act (1533), upheld in the British Empire and its colonies. For about 500 years, people were convicted, imprisoned, and shunned away from society solely on the ground that their gender or sexual orientation did not align with the societal norms of the time. The public opinion was slow to evolve, and queer individuals were forced into hiding, leading to the development of an underground culture characterized by secret meeting places and a coded language4.

In 1862, Karl Heinrich Ulrichs, a German jurist, was the first scholar to come up with a definition of same-gender relationships. Although his theory confuses sex and gender, claiming that men who were attracted to other men "constituted their own gender, a third sex," Ulrichs' work laid the foundation for modern discussions surrounding gender and sexual orientation. His contributions were nothing short of controversial at a time when the Prussian government was actively seeking to ban same-gender relationships.

In response to an attempt to enshrine such a provision in the Prussian Constitution, Karoly Maria Kertbeny, an Austro-Hungarian journalist, sent an open letter to the minister of justice, heaping opprobrium on what he felt was a clear infringement on his personal freedom. This letter, which may have appeared inconsequential at the time, included terms such as "heterosexual," "homosexual," and "bisexual"—terms that would be later adopted in fields such as psychology and gender studies.

By the late 19th century, early advocates for gay rights emerged in Europe. Magnus Hirschfeld, a German doctor, founded the Scientific Humanitarian Committee in 1897, one of the first organizations to push for equality. His extensive work on gender identity also set the groundwork for trans advocacy. But Hirschfeld’s efforts were soon overshadowed by the rise of totalitarian regimes in Europe, which repressed and deported thousands of queer individuals through the 1930s and 1940s.

During the decades that followed the end of World War II, public perception of queer people remained bleak. Despite some local protests, the movement as a whole struggled to gather sufficient support. Governments and medical institutions alike perceived sexual and gender minorities as "deviants" and saw homosexuality as an illness to be cured. Classified as a mental disorder in the American classification of mental disorders of 1968, therapists resorted to violent means such as electroshock therapies and drugs to vanquish an imagined evil. Cruelty was, however, not a prerogative of the medical world.

Brutalized and shamed in the public forum, queer individuals were the target of intimidation and harassment tactics from police forces. But in the early hours of June 28, 1969, after yet another storming of the NYPD in a staple amongst the LGBTQ+ community in New York, the Stonewall Inn, all hell broke loose. For the first time, the patrons of the establishment, who were asked to leave, refused.

This fiery act of resistance soon awakened something that had been suppressed by years of institutional and societal intimidation: the desire for equality.

A community shaped by successive waves

The Stonewall Riots, as they would be remembered, soon spread out in Greenwich Village, and a six-day-long confrontation began. As police forces and protesters clashed in the streets of New York, the movement gained traction, reaching other cities in the United States. Emblematic figures of the movement, such as Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, carried the voices of millions, claiming their rights to live and love in peace. A year after the Stonewall uprising, Craig Rodwell, a queer rights activist, organized the first Pride, commemorating the "Christopher Street Liberation Day."

This pivotal moment laid the foundations of a broader, transnational network. Little by little, citizens started to speak out against their government's policies. Amidst the events of May 1968 in France, several youth associations occupied public spaces, garnering attention for their cause. At the end of the 1970s, Swedes also engaged in civil disobedience to protest the classification of homosexuality as a mental disorder. Masters of malicious compliance, thousands of workers called in sick, using their gayness as an excuse to benefit from company perks. But as the cause gained in visibility, it also encountered unforeseen challenges.

The AIDS outbreak of 1981, combined with the indifference of the global community, dealt a heavy blow to the LGBTQIA+ movement, leading thousands of queer individuals to their early deaths. The unveiling of the AIDS Quilt in October 1987 shocked the world, serving as a testimony of the lives that were lost to institutional apathy. Simultaneously, although homosexuality was decriminalized in several countries throughout the 1980s and 1990s, social stigma remained very much alive. Pride marches faced tremendous backlash from Christian organizations, like the "Save Our Children" campaign of 1977-1978. Self-proclaimed "children's rights" activists such as Anita Bryant rose to prominence, supported by affluent private stakeholders.

Yet, as hardships accumulated, the LGBTQIA+ community grew stronger. The trans community, which had been at the forefront of change during the Stonewall uprising, was finally welcomed in the community at the end of the 1990s, joining the acronym. Virginia Prince, a transfeminine activist, popularized the term ''transgender,'' opening up a societal discussion on how to address gender identity. Her work on the differentiation of sex and gender as two separate entities remains, to this day, a reference in gender studies.

Later on, during the 2000s, the acronym grew to include other sexual and gender minorities such as intersex and asexual people. The derogatory term ''queer'' was reclaimed and redefined to encompass everyone who might be questioning their identity. Overall, the term began to represent a sort of challenge to the heteronormative constructs surrounding gender and sexuality. But much more than the terminology, it is the scope of the community's actions that grew over time. The evolution of the LGBTQIA+ community reflects a budding awareness of the various layers that compose our modern societies. Pride marches stand, in that regard, as a powerful example of this inclusivity.

Intersectionality and the evolution of Pride

Inspired by the work of Kimberlé Crenshaw and her concept of intersectionality, social scientists have started to think of social factors such as race, class, gender, or even sexuality as interconnected entities. Much like individuals accumulate several social identities, they can also be the victims of different forms of oppression.

In coherence with this line of thought, Pride marches have recently adopted a broader approach, becoming a forum of expression and a sign of solidarity between different communities. The logic is rather simple: the system that oppresses sexual and gender minorities is the same one that wrongs racial minorities and the working class. It is therefore unsurprising to witness, amongst the crowds of Pride marches, slogans and signs directly referencing civil movements like Black Lives Matter or denouncing the harms of capitalism. Geopolitical events like the genocide in Palestine have also made their way into the parades, with activists waving both Palestinian and rainbow flags in unison. These messages reflect a growing awareness of the interconnectedness of social struggles and the necessity to unite civil resources to dismantle unjust political and judicial systems.

Pride parades, beyond the flashy performances and the feel-good tunes, have always been and should remain inextricably tied to politics, history, and courageous protest. It is simultaneously a celebration of what has been achieved and a statement about the fight to come. Their existence proves that queer liberation, much like racial justice and economic equality, still has a long way to go, especially as conservative and traditionalist political forces return to power. Pride marches always were a tool of resistance and a powerful reminder that minorities ought to remain visible and loud. They are simultaneously protests, parties, and events of historical importance, carrying forward the legacy of defiance against political or religious persecution.

So, if you are planning to, or if you already took part in one of the many Pride marches around the globe, give a thought to the dedicated men, women, and non-binary people who made it happen. Sing, shout, and dance to your heart's content, because that is the best way to immortalize their sacrifice and carry on their legacy.

References

1 Mackey, R. (2025, May 9). Unearthed comments from the new pope alarm LGBTQ+ Catholics. The Guardian.
2 Rajkumar, S. (2021, June). The History of Hijras: A Glimpse Into Queerness on the Other Side of the World. Overachiever Magazine.
3 McAuliffe, M. (2023, June 2022). Who were Ireland's queer revolutionaries?. RTE.
4 RTE. (2025, June 5). Queer History Lesson: Secret codes in LGBTQ+ history.