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Katie H.
Katie H.
When most people think of October, images of carved pumpkins and candy come to mind. But Halloween isn’t the month’s only festivity. In Atlanta, Pride Month is celebrated every October to honor the LGBTQ+ community.
LGBTQ+ individuals were not always accepted as often as they are today. For centuries, gay and bisexual parties were ostracized, imprisoned, and even executed for being sexually involved with those of their gender. It wasn’t until 2015, after years of protest for LGBTQ+ rights, that same-sex marriage was legalized in the US. Gender-queer people have also experienced discrimination in healthcare, parenting, and even the right to use public bathrooms.
Even Howard Middle School students who are part of the LGBTQ+ community have experienced discrimination, both verbal and online. However, seventh-grader Violet Verdi created the Howard Pride Alliance, a safe space for all LGBTQ+ individuals to express themselves. The club meets every Tuesday after school.
“I was so tired of my friends getting bullied for their gender identity and sexuality, and they were getting called slurs left and right,” Violet said. “So I confronted Mr. Brunson about starting a club for LGBTQ+ students, and he approved the idea!”
Pride Month is a time to actively support the LGBTQ+ community. Every October, Atlanta pulls out all the steps, with parades, celebrations, and other “educational, social, and historical programs.” October is also the month where holidays such as National Coming Out Day, LGBT Center Awareness Day, Intersexual Awareness Day, and Asexual Awareness Week. These gatherings are an opportunity for people to gather together with kindness and respect, no matter what gender or sexuality they identify as.
https://guides.ll.georgetown.edu/c.php?g=592919&p=4182201 https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1061&context=englishfacpubs https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/25/party-and-protest-lgbtq-radical-history-gay-liberation-stonewall-pride https://www.aclu.org/issues/lgbtq-rights/transgender-rights https://lgbtqa.unl.edu/awareness-days
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