Hey there, BEB faithful!
At the beginning of the month, we promised you a pride-themed blogpost that got into the history behind the pride we know and love today.
But first, a couple announcements from our editor Nicole:
“We extend our sincere congratulations to our social media coordinator, Theresa on her new position at Dark Horse Comics. Theresa will be staying on with us on at Blind Eye Books on a limited basis as she forges her new path in the world of comics and we offer her every encouragement, so you can still look for her at conventions and online.
We will also be joined in the office by our summer intern, Leah, who will be assisting with the promotion for Ginn Hale’s fall release, “Master of Restless Shadows Book One.” We’re excited to see what she’ll be dreaming up.”
But back to World Pride Month.
By this point most people know that American Pride event was a bar fight led by trans women and drag queens but did you know that most of those pioneering elders were people of color? The famous riot at the Stonewall Inn, fifty years ago sparked six days of protests and violent clashes with law enforcement outside the bar on Christopher Street, in neighboring streets, and in nearby Christopher Park.
If you don’t know anything about these events or the people who sparked them, may we recommend Stone Butch Blues, Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home, and this fantastic article on a mural in Texas that was recently made to honor the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots for some end of Pride reading?
But remember, these were only the events that sparked revolution in America. Long before our queer siblings rioted at Stonewall, people were fighting for our rights and making queer history in Germany. The book Queer Identities and Politics in Germany: A History, 1880–1945 may be two years old already, but the information about the activists and organizations that fought for queer rights certainly isn’t!
For example, on May 14th, 1897, German physician and sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld founded the Scientific Humanitarian Committee, the world's first official organization advocating homosexual and transgender rights. You can read more about how this organization fought for our rights here.
For a larger global view on the work the queer community has done throughout history, check out the Encyclopedia Britannica’s entry on the subject here.
Here’s hoping you had a lovey Pride, faithful. And never forget where you come from. <3
- Theresa