What's up everybody, it's Jake T. with Minimal Audio, and we are back again with another blog! It's PRIDE MONTH and we want to celebrate! That's why we've compiled a list of some of our favorite LGBTQ artists into a playlist perfect for your next party. Dance music is a fundamentally queer genre and we want to honor that in the best way we know how – By sharing tracks with our community!
...but first some history!
Why We Need Pride
What comes to mind for most people when it comes to Pride, is a parade.
Thousands of individuals claim their queerness and celebrate themselves unashamedly and publicly. It's a call for queers to come together, to be different, to be who we are. For anyone who's ever had to deal with the stigma of growing up and being afraid of their feelings, afraid of who they want to love. It is a beacon of understanding.
Without examples, and without models for queer youth to look up it's a common experience for young people to turn inward. They reduce themselves over and over again, and again. "I'm different, I'm a freak, I am unloveable because I am this way." We're told that we're wrong, or our feelings are incidental; a phase we'll age out of.
That's why Pride is important. Our visibility is our power. We are here, telling each other that you belong, that you're here and you matter despite what every other part of the world is telling you. We love you.
That's Pride now, but for a greater understanding of its importance lets take a look at Pride then...
Stonewall
The Stonewall riots began on June 28, 1969, in New York City. The Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Greenwich Village, was frequently targeted by police raids. On that night, the patrons, tired of the constant harassment and discrimination of the NYPD, fought back against the police. This spontaneous act of defiance marked the beginning of a new era in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights.
The riots lasted for six days, sparking a wave of activism across the United States. The participants included many transgender women of color most famously Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. Who played crucial roles in challenging the oppressive systems of the time. Their courage inspired the formation of various LGBTQ+ organizations, such as the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activists Alliance, which sought to address issues of inequality and push for legal and societal changes.
The first anniversary of the Stonewall riots was commemorated with the Christopher Street Liberation Day march on June 28, 1970, marking the origins of what is now known as Pride. These marches quickly spread to other cities, evolving into the annual Pride parades celebrated globally today. Pride Month, held every June, honors the legacy of Stonewall and continues to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, equality, and acceptance.
Pride is an important reminder for all queer people, that our rights are not given freely. That we have to fight for them!
But that doesn't mean Pride needs to be all doom and gloom. We can hold space for the struggles of our forebears and still want to party! That's why I went around and asked everyone over at Minimal Audio HQ who some of their favorite queer artists are so we can bump them during this year's PRIDE!