But Caitlin McCarthy, the archivist for The Center, an LGBTQ community center in New York City, explains that the Stonewall riot was one of many. When asked about when the gay rights movement in this country began, people tend to point to June 28, 1969: the night of the Stonewall Riots. Pride Honors The Gay Rights Protests Of The '60s No matter what you call it, Pride Month has a rich history that informs how it's observed today. President Barack Obama made it more inclusive in 2011, calling it Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. Though the origins of Pride Month span back to the '50s, President Bill Clinton officially made it 'Gay and Lesbian Pride Month' in 2000. June has been an unofficial month of celebratory queerness for decades. Rainbow flags also start appearing in corporate office windows, coffee shops, and your neighbor's front yard. The sun isn't the only thing that comes out in June.
