Our first pride was a riot. A rebellion. An uprising of tired and angry “faggots” that were sick of being treated as subhuman.

Our first pride was broken ribs and bloody noses, police batons leaving concussions. Our first pride were street queens and homeless queer kids fighting back against a system that had done nothing but beat and break them down for years.

Our first pride was throwing bricks and bottles at cops. It was burning garbage and overturned paddy wagons. It was graffiti littering the Stonewall; “Drag power”, “They invaded our rights”, “Support gay power”, “Legalize gay bars”.

Pride is not simply just being proud of our identities. Pride is about years of oppression and anger reaching a boiling point. Pride is about our right to live as who we are. To survive as who we are.

Pride is a rebellion.

Pride is a war we fight daily.