Celebrating Pride 2024!

May 28, 2024

Early on the morning of June 28, 1969, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning persons rioted following a police raid on the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. The Stonewall Inn was a gay bar that catered to an assortment of patrons, but was popular with the most marginalized people in the gay community. The Stonewall riots are generally considered to be the beginning of the modern gay rights movement, as it was the first time in modern history that a significant body of 2SLGBTQI people resisted arrest.

Pride month, and most Pride events, take place in June to commemorate the Stonewall riots. Pride is a celebration of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Two-Spirit culture. Pride events also, at times, serve as opportunities to raise awareness and advocate for human rights and combat discrimination.

2SLGBTQI workers may feel invisible and unable to fully express themselves in their workplaces and their communities. Pride is a time for self-affirmation and expression, acceptance, acknowledgement and celebration. Pride gives members of the 2SLGBTQI communities the opportunity to honour their diverse histories, experiences, backgrounds and the progress they have made. Pride expresses the efforts of diverse member communities to build a larger community that is inclusive of all.

We are proud to recognize and support the diversity of our members and staff, and to join in the fight against discrimination based on an individual’s sexual orientation and/or gender identity. ONA continues our journey to defend everyone’s right to dignity and equal treatment on the job. We are committed to making our members’ workplaces safe and respectful. We must educate ourselves to recognize and challenge homophobic, transphobic and biphobic language and behaviour. We must support and show solidarity with our 2SLGBTQI members who experience discrimination or harassment and enforce their rights.