This month, the DEI committee is commemorating the history of the Stonewall Riots with the rest of the country. June is a month for Pride all around the United States. Most people see these parades as a fun event to get together as a large family and celebrate the likeness of our fellow neighbors. The reasoning behind these celebrations goes much further. On June 28th, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn of New York. Without a tip, the mafia ran establishment was caught off guard. Women not wearing clothing congruent to the state’s “gender-appropriate clothing statute” were roughly drug to the restroom for a gender identification. People seen dancing with someone of the same gender were arrested and roughly drug into cop cars. You see, only 60 years ago was it illegal to be LGBTQ in public. Sixty years ago, people were forced to live a lie outside of their homes. Dress per statues, engage per statutes, and never show same-sex relations. The mere gathering of LGBTQ individuals was considered “disorderly”. The day of the raid at Stonewall, an officer hit a lesbian woman on the head with his baton. She screamed to the crowd to “act”. At that moment the tides changed. Cobblestones, pennies, bottles, and other objects were thrown toward the police. Neighbors of the Stonewall Inn bar gathered. Thus began the first stand of a six-day march and riot that set the standard for LGBTQ rights as we know them. The following year, those same people and their thousands of neighbors gathered on June 28th to march the street from Stonewall Inn to Central Park. Called Christopher Street Liberation Day, the first Pride event was held. June 26th, 2015 marked the end of a fight that had gone on for so long. Same-sex marriage became legal nationally. That’s right, only 6 years ago. However, some states still provide no protection to the LGBTQ community as far as housing, employment, service, or healthcare- there is still a fight to be had.  As communities commemorate the Stonewall Riots and gather for further equality, National Women in Roofing will celebrate along with these communities. Please look forward to our posts throughout the month of Pride events happening across America. To dig further into this information, we welcome you to listen to two podcasts or read the following: Pride hosted by Levi Chambers, Pride: The Podcast, The Book of Pride, and The Stonewall Riots by Gayle E. Pitman. If you would like to get involved, please reach out to Jess Cress (jcress@bonedryroofing.net) or Rae July (rae@chinookroofing.com) for more information.