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June is Pride Month

Pride Month is a time to support and celebrate the voices and experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals! Nationally, approximately 5.6% of the population identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community. This figure includes our FSSA team members and the individuals we serve daily.
While each letter in LGBTQ+ stands for specific groups of people (typically lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning), the term encompasses the entire spectrum of gender fluidity and sexual identities.

LGBTQ+ history -Indiana and national

Though many milestones and events influenced the modern LGBTQ+ movement, many point to a June 1969 New York City police raid at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village and resulting demonstrations as the primary instance that sparked this movement. In Indiana, Pride Month was not celebrated openly and publicly until the late 1980s, a decade after the movement had started in other parts of the country. To learn more about the history of LGBTQ+ individuals nationally and in Indiana, please check out the following resources:

Key terms

As mentioned earlier, the term LGBTQ+ includes the spectrum of variation in gender and orientation. The plus sign at the end of LGBTQ+ can include members of other communities, including allies — people who support the LGBTQ+ community even though they don’t identify within the community itself. Sometimes, people just use the letters LGBT, and at other times, they use the letter Q, and may also use IA (intersex and asexual) and the plus sign.

Please click here to learn more about different key terms, communities and abbreviations used to refer to the diverse LGBTQ+ community.

Pronouns

You may have seen pronouns, such as he/him/his, in FSSA team members’ or others’ email signatures. Why do pronouns matter? In English, our most commonly used pronouns, he/she, refer to a person’s gender. For queer, gender non-conforming, non-binary and transgender people, these pronouns may not fit, can create discomfort, and can cause stress and anxiety. A recent study showed that in transgender youth, using correct pronouns and names reduces depression and suicide risks.

To learn more about the difference between sex and gender and why it matters for pronoun use click here.

A Q&A guide is available here, for those interested in learning how to use and ask about people’s pronouns.

Resources

Learn more through documentaries about diverse LGBTQ+ experiences, history and movements:

Learn more about the history of addressing racial diversity within Indiana’s LGBTQ+ community and attacks against South Bend’s gay community here.

Learn more about organizations that support LGBTQ+ communities and individuals:

Events statewide