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When is Pride Month?

by Joleen Gan on May 08, 2025

Pride Month is more than just a time of celebration; it’s a global movement rooted in resilience, visibility, and community. For Australians, it’s a moment to reflect on how far we’ve come in the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights—and how far we still have to go. Whether it’s through protest, celebration, remembrance or education, Pride Month invites everyone to stand in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community.

What is Pride Month?

Pride Month is a month-long celebration that honours the LGBTQIA+ community, their history, achievements, and ongoing fight for equality. Observed every June, it shines a light on queer voices, raises awareness of issues affecting the community, and promotes acceptance, love, and unity across all walks of life.

What does LGBTQIA+ Stand For?

LGBTQIA+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, and other diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. The '+' symbol recognises the spectrum of identities that exist beyond these labels.

Pride Month History

The roots of Pride Month go deep, tied to powerful acts of protest and resilience. Understanding where it all started helps us see why this month remains so important today.

What are the Stonewall Riots?

The modern Pride movement began with the Stonewall Riots in New York City in June 1969. After a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Greenwich Village, patrons and allies fought back. This act of resistance sparked days of protests and laid the foundation for LGBTQIA+ activism around the world.

Who Started Pride Month?

The first Pride marches were held in 1970 to commemorate the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. Activist Brenda Howard, often referred to as the “mother of Pride,” helped organise the first New York Pride event, which inspired annual Pride celebrations globally.

Origins of Pride Month in Australia

Australia's LGBTQIA+ movement took shape with the first Sydney Mardi Gras in 1978, which began as a protest march and ended in violent police clashes. Today, Sydney Mardi Gras is a world-renowned celebration of pride and protest. While Mardi Gras happens in February/March, Australians still recognise June as international Pride Month.

Why is Pride Month Important?

Pride Month is important because it reminds us that visibility matters. Even in 2025, many LGBTQIA+ Australians still face discrimination, workplace barriers, and a lack of safe spaces. It’s not just about being proud; it’s about making space for others to be, too.

Why We Still Need Pride Month

Pride Month remains essential because LGBTQIA+ individuals continue to face significant social and systemic challenges. Nearly half of LGBTQIA+ people have experienced sexual assault, and discrimination remains a daily reality for many. Among young Australians, over 10% of high school students identify as gay, bisexual, pansexual, or asexual, and 3.3% identify as gender-diverse—yet these students often experience heightened risks of bullying, exclusion, and violence.

Pride Month provides a much-needed platform for visibility, education, and solidarity. It’s a time to affirm queer lives, challenge stigma, and advocate for a future where everyone can live openly and safely.

When is Pride Month?

Globally, Pride Month is celebrated in June. It’s the time when communities around the world come together to acknowledge and uplift LGBTQIA+ voices. Events, parades, campaigns, and conversations fill the month with energy and intention, aligning with a powerful historical moment.

When is Pride Month in Australia?

Australia observes Pride Month in June, aligning with global celebrations. However, it’s worth noting that some of Australia’s largest LGBTQIA+ events—like Sydney Mardi Gras and Midsumma Festival—occur earlier in the year, during summer. That said, June is still widely acknowledged across workplaces, schools, and community organisations as the month of Pride.

Why is Pride Month in June?

Pride Month takes place in June to mark the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. This pivotal moment in LGBTQIA+ history began on 28 June 1969, when members of the queer community fought back against police raids at the Stonewall Inn in New York. The uprising ignited a global movement for LGBTQIA+ rights, making June a lasting symbol of resistance, remembrance, and celebration.

Pride Month 2025 Theme

Each year, Pride Month introduces a new theme to spark meaningful conversations and inspire action around LGBTQIA+ visibility and rights. The theme for Pride Month 2025 hasn't been announced yet, but past themes include:

  • 2024 – Reflect. Empower. Unite.
  • 2023 – Strength in Solidarity
  • 2022 – Be Brave, Be Strong, Be You
  • 2021 – Visibility, Unity, Equality

Pride Month Activities

Pride Month is celebrated around the world with a colourful mix of parades, protests, parties, and public events that uplift LGBTQIA+ communities and promote inclusivity. In cities like New York, London, Berlin, and São Paulo, millions gather for Pride marches and festivals, often featuring performances, speeches, and creative expression. These global celebrations not only foster a sense of unity but also remind us of the ongoing fight for LGBTQIA+ rights in places where they are still under threat.

How do Australians Celebrate Pride Month?

From coast to coast, Aussies celebrate Pride Month with everything from parades and protests to brunches and movie nights. Pride Month Melbourne and Pride Month Sydney events often include community picnics, drag shows, and art installations.

Popular Pride Festivals in Australia

  • Sydney Mardi Gras (Feb/March)
  • Midsumma Festival in Melbourne (Jan/Feb)
  • Brisbane Pride Festival (Sept)
  • Perth PrideFEST (Nov)
  • ChillOut Festival in Daylesford (March)

These events showcase queer talent, advocate for equality, and celebrate love in all forms.

LGBTQIA+ Traditions

During Pride Month, traditions like flying the rainbow flag, attending community events, and sharing stories play a key role. Others include:

  • Wearing rainbow or trans flag colours
  • Hosting queer book clubs or film nights
  • Participating in memorials for lives lost to violence and HIV/AIDS
  • Sending personalised Pride Month gifts to loved ones

Pride Month Celebration Ideas

Looking to get involved in Pride Month Australia? Whether you're planning a big event or a small gesture, there are plenty of creative ways to celebrate.

Pride Month Gifting Ideas

Send a sweet surprise with rainbow-themed cupcakes, colourful confetti-filled explosion boxes, or Pride-themed donuts. These edible gifts are perfect for sharing pride, joy, and sugar all at once.

DIY Pride Month Party Ideas

Host a rainbow brunch, decorate your space with LGBTQIA+ flags, or set up a Pride-themed photo booth. You could even get crafty with a DIY donut kit or cupcake decorating party!

How to Show Support During Pride Month

Being an ally goes beyond rainbows. It’s about consistent support and making space for queer voices in everyday life—at work, at school, and at home.

Pride Month Celebrations In the Office

Workplaces can show support with inclusive policies, visual displays, and team discussions. Host a Pride-themed morning tea, invite LGBTQIA+ speakers, create an inclusive resource library, or launch initiatives that celebrate diversity and support queer employees.

Pride Month School Activities

Schools can celebrate with art projects, rainbow dress days, and inclusive classroom readings. Holding assemblies about Pride and establishing safe spaces for students also allows them to better express themselves freely.

Pride Month Celebrations At Home

Celebrating Pride at home can be as simple or elaborate as you want. Watch LGBTQIA+ films, read queer literature, hang rainbow decorations, or have heartfelt conversations with friends and family about identity and inclusion. It’s about creating space to reflect and connect.

Pride Month Activities

Attend a local parade, visit a queer-owned cafe, donate to LGBTQIA+ charities, or write letters of support. The goal is simple: make the LGBTQIA+ community feel seen, safe, and celebrated.

Virtual Pride Month Celebration Ideas

If you’re celebrating from a distance, go digital: host a Zoom drag trivia night, send digital gift cards to queer artists, or surprise someone with a Pride Month gift box delivered to their door.

Pride Month Quotes

Sharing quotes is a powerful way to honour the LGBTQIA+ community and inspire change. Whether you're planning an event, creating social content, or simply reflecting on the meaning of Pride, the right words can uplift, empower, and unite.

These quotes come from a variety of influential voices—activists, artists, allies, and community leaders—each reminding us of the strength, visibility, and love at the heart of Pride:

“Openness may not completely disarm prejudice, but it’s a good place to start.” – Jason Collins
“Love is never wrong.” – Melissa Etheridge
“Hope will never be silent.” – Harvey Milk
“The beauty of standing up for your rights is others see you standing and stand up as well.” – Cassandra Duffy
“Equality means more than passing laws. The struggle is really won in the hearts and minds of the community, where it really counts.” – Barbara Gittings

No matter how you celebrate, Pride Month is about showing up—for yourself, for others, and for the future. Whether it’s with a rainbow cupcake, a heartfelt message, or a parade, it’s a time to honour the progress made and keep pushing for a more inclusive world.

Sweeten your Pride Month celebrations with Pride cupcakes and dessert boxes! Add a confetti explosion that bursts rainbow confetti when your gift is opened to make your gift more fun! Hosting a Pride event at the office or school? Our bulk packs ensure there's enough treats to go around. Shop our Pride cupcakes and dessert boxes to get started.

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