Beer Factoid: June 28

The Stonewall Riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations by members of the gay community against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. They are widely considered to constitute the single most important event leading to the gay liberation movement and the modern fight for gay and lesbian rights in the United States.

After the Stonewall riots, gays and lesbians in New York City faced gender, race, class, and generational obstacles to becoming a cohesive community. Within six months, two gay activist organizations were formed in New York, concentrating on confrontational tactics, and three newspapers were established to promote rights for gays and lesbians. Within a few years, gay rights organizations were founded across the U.S. and the world. On June 28, 1970, the first Gay Pride marches took place in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York commemorating the anniversary of the riots. Similar marches were organized in other cities. Today, Gay Pride events are held annually throughout the world toward the end of June to mark the Stonewall riots.

Gay Pride Parades are symbols of strength, creativity, and viatlity in GLBTQI (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Inquiring) communities all over the world. They support every “flavor” of sexuality, including asexuality and pansexuality in current parades. Even large beer sponsors are helping parades (and the after parties!) happen (but not without expectations of a return from the communities they represent). Below are some of the most well known beer, both macro and craft) sponsors for gay pride parades around the world.