Pride Is a Protest, a Celebration and a Lifeline
Every June, rainbow flags start popping up across social media, shopfronts, and city streets. There’s glitter, drag, merch, marches — and yes, a lot of joy. But Pride Month was never just about celebration. It started as resistance. And in 2025, it still is.
In the face of political backlash, rising loneliness, and creeping complacency, Pride Month is a reminder: our stories, our safety, and our spaces still matter. And sometimes, the most powerful thing we can do — is show up. Whether it’s in protest… or at a gig.
From Sin to Symbol: How Pride Got Its Name
The word "pride" wasn’t always a rallying cry. Its earliest meanings date back before the 12th century, when it was synonymous with sin — specifically, the "deadliest" one: an inflated sense of self. It wasn’t until centuries later that pride began shifting toward something more life-affirming — self-respect, dignity, identity.
In 1966, years before the Stonewall Uprising, a group in Los Angeles even adopted the acronym P.R.I.D.E. — Personal Rights In Defense and Education. The term gained momentum post-Stonewall, when activist L. Craig Schoonmaker pushed back on the slogan “gay power,” arguing instead for “pride.” Why? Because power wasn’t accessible to everyone. But self-worth could be.
“Say it loud, gay is proud” soon echoed across cities — a defiant answer to the shame and stigma that had defined queer lives for too long.
From Stonewall to Sydney
Pride Month is celebrated globally in June to mark the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots —the moment in 1969 when LGBTQIA+ people in New York City fought back against police brutality and systemic discrimination. The protests were led, in part, by trans women of colour like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, and became a turning point for queer liberation movements around the world.
Australia had its own uprising nine years later, on June 24, 1978. In solidarity with American activists, Sydney’s queer community gathered for what was meant to be a peaceful protest. It ended in violent arrests and public outing. But that day sparked the beginning of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras — and the 78ers who led it still march at the front of the parade today.
Pride, then and now, is both protest and power. It’s visibility in the face of erasure. And it's as vital now as it was then.
Why We Still Need Pride
In 2025, Pride is still necessary — not just as a celebration, but as a shield. Because while we’ve come a long way, the reality is: rights can be rolled back, and visibility can make us targets.
Here’s why it still matters:
Republican support for same-sex marriage in the U.S. is at its lowest in a decade, with a 47-point gap between Republicans and Democrats — the largest since Gallup began tracking it in 1996.
Gallup PollMost LGBTQIA+ Americans don’t believe trans people are socially accepted, according to Pew. Only 1 in 10 say there’s “a fair amount” or “a great deal” of acceptance.
Pew Report45% of LGBTQIA+ youth seriously considered suicide in the past year, with higher rates among trans and nonbinary young people, according to The Trevor Project’s 2024 national survey.
1 in 3 LGBTQIA+ Australians experience high or very high levels of psychological distress, compared to 1 in 8 in the general population. This rate is even higher among trans and gender-diverse people.
Private Lives 3, La Trobe UniversityOnly 43% of Australians surveyed say they are comfortable with gender-diverse people, according to the 2023 Mapping Social Cohesion report by the Scanlon Foundation. Comfort drops significantly with age and political alignment.
Rates of family rejection, homelessness, and healthcare discrimination remain disproportionately high for queer people — especially for First Nations LGBTQIA+ people, migrants, and those living in rural areas.
So yes — we wear rainbows. But we’re also wearing armour.
Pride is our reminder that we still have work to do. That being seen is not the same as being safe. And that progress isn’t permanent — unless we protect it.
Loneliness: Our Other Quiet Crisis
But while the fight for equality often grabs headlines, another struggle quietly affects our community every day: loneliness.
From the “friendship recession” reported globally, to local studies showing long-term isolation in middle-aged Australian women, the LGBTQIA+ community — especially those who are trans, neurodivergent, or ageing without traditional support networks — is disproportionately impacted.
From the “friendship recession” reported globally, to Australian research showing persistent loneliness among middle-aged women, it’s clear that social disconnection is on the rise. But for LGBTQIA+ people — especially those who are trans, neurodivergent, or ageing without traditional support networks — the impacts can be even more acute.
And while the digital world has made connection easier in some ways, dating apps and algorithms often leave people feeling more isolated than ever.
So where do we go to find each other again?
Sometimes, the Answer Is Music or Live Entertainment
A recent review by wellbeing researcher Professor Nikki Rickard looked at over 18,000 attendees across 59 live music studies — and found that gigs and concerts weren’t just fun nights out. They were a genuine remedy to loneliness.
Here’s what live entertainment can do:
Create social connection — sparking new friendships, shared moments, and conversations between strangers
Foster emotional unity — syncing bodies, breath, and mood through shared rhythm and collective energy
Offer a safe space for self-expression — where people can feel authentic and unjudged
Build lasting identity — from band tees to festival rituals, these experiences become part of who we are
Act as a surrogate connection — when people feel most alone, music can remind them they’re not
Live music can be healing, especially for marginalised communities. And what better time to reclaim connection than Pride Month?
Pride Isn’t Just About Protest — It’s About Presence
Maybe this June, you don’t need to wave a placard to make a difference. Maybe you just need to show up — for yourself, your community, and your joy. Pride is in the rooftop gigs, the quiet exhibitions, the karaoke nights, the drag bingo, the poetry readings, the open mics. It’s in the eye contact, the shared laugh, the deep exhale of feeling seen.
Australia’s Pride Month is packed with events ready to welcome you: drag, music, storytelling, panel talks and more. Whether you go with friends or fly solo, there’s a space for you.
Qtopia Sydney Pride Fest 2025
Talks, exhibitions, and performances celebrating queer culture and history
Explore the program
Download the digital guide
Victorian Pride Centre
From rooftop gigs to community cabaret and intimate acoustic sets:
Check out what’s on
You don’t have to know anyone. You don’t have to dance. You just have to be there — to witness, to feel, to connect.
Because at its core, Pride is about showing up: for our rights, for our stories, and for each other.