Diversity & Inclusion

The mission of the Office of Diversity & Inclusion is to strategically lead, coordinate, and develop overall diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policy, education, and activities to advance inclusive excellence in the College’s learning and working environments, as well as to enhance belonging and the intercultural awareness of faculty, students, and staff.

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A Brief History of Pride Month

Written by AJ Del Gaudio, Director of the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center GSRC@gettysburg.edu

In 1969, a dive bar in New York City called the Stonewall Inn was a “private” gay club, used to circumvent the State Liquor Authority policy that prohibited gay people from being served alcoholic beverages. At this time, there were also “cross-dressing” laws, that mandated an individual wear certain clothing items that matched the assigned sex at birth listed on their Driver’s License/State ID. The police took advantage of these laws, and frequently raided drinking establishments to arrest LGBTQ+ people. Just after midnight on June 28, 1969, the police raided the Stonewall Inn, as they had many times before. But, on this day, patrons of the bar finally had enough and decided to fight back. While the riot was certainly not the first of its kind across the world, it was the first that gained enough attention to start a worldwide movement towards LGBTQ+ equality. Several individuals played a very significant part in the Stonewall Riots, some of which include: Silvia Rivera, Marsha P. Johnson and Stormé DeLarverie. Within a few months after the Stonewall Riots, multiple LGBTQ+ organizations were born. One year later, the first annual Gay Liberation March took place, which we now know today as NYC Pride. 

Today, Pride Marches around the world have become a celebration of visibility for the LGBTQ+ community. However, it is important to remember that the origin of Pride was a riot due to inequitable laws targeting the LGBTQ+ community. While some laws from 1969 have been altered, more have been recently created that place the LGBTQ+ community in danger.

What can you do to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights during Pride Month and beyond?

-Support businesses and organizations that uplift LGBTQ+ communities, rather than corporations who are simply making rainbow merchandise to make a profit.

-Donate to an LGBTQ+ non-profit organization.

-Learn more about legislation impacting LGBTQ+ communities. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is currently tracking 491 anti-LGBTQ+ laws in the United States.

-Educate yourself and educate others. For faculty, staff and students, you can sign up for any of the training sessions that are offered by the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center throughout the academic year (which can be found on Engage Gettysburg at the start of each semester).

-Remember that even if you hold an LGBTQ+ identity, you don’t hold every LGBTQ+ identity, or every overlapping/intersecting identity. There is no such thing as an expert in identity, so remember to learn about how you can advocate for the members of the different communities.