OutRight Releases Briefing on Prides Around the World

June 30, 2021 - The annual Pride month, symbolically marked to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall riots, comes to an end today. However, Pride events take place around the world year-round, and the essence of Pride - affirming the existence of LGBTIQ people and fighting for the protection of our rights - never ends. As such, OutRight marks the end of the month with the release of a new briefing - "Pride Around the World" - providing a global snapshot of what Pride looks like in different countries, documenting both increasing attacks on Pride events, and new Prides.

The briefing aims to highlight the continuing importance of Pride events in the global movement for LGBTIQ equality, and equip activists and allies around the world to keep organizing Pride and fighting for the recognition and protection of the human rights of LGBTIQ people.

OutRight's briefing shows that:

• 102 countries around the world host some form of Pride event;
• 8 countries have held their first Pride in the last 3 years (Eswatini, Guyana, Micronesia and North Macedonia in 2018; and Angola, Botswana, Saint Lucia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2019);
• in many places, even ones with a history of Pride events, they are coming under increasing attack;
• despite often hostile environments, new Pride events emerge every year, including virtually, such as Global Black Pride.

Deputy Executive Director of OutRight Action International, Maria Sjödin, comments:

"Pride events are the most visible element of the global movement for LGBTIQ equality. OutRight's briefing shows that Pride events are held in over half the countries in the world. They take many forms, and sizes, in some places celebrating progress and diversity, in others protesting and demanding recognition and protection of rights. Increasingly, even in places with a history of Pride events, they are coming under fire. At the same time, new Prides continue to emerge, loudly affirming their continuing central importance in our movement. As Pride month comes to an end, let this briefing serve as a reminder that the essence of Pride never ends, and that we fight for our rights every day."

For the purposes of this briefing paper, OutRight defines Pride as a public-facing, open and visible event with the purpose of affirming the existence of LGBTIQ people, demanding recognition and protection of our rights, and celebrating progress to date. This briefing is intended as an initial look into the state of Prides around the world. OutRight intends to publish a full report on the subject in June 2022.

This briefing was made possible with the support of Google.org

OutRight Action International works at a global, regional and national level to eradicate the persecution, inequality and violence lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ) people face around the world. From its offices in 7 countries and headquarters in New York, OutRight builds capacity of LGBTIQ movements, documents human rights violations, advocates for inclusion and equality, and holds leaders accountable for protecting the rights of LGBTIQ people everywhere. OutRight has recognized consultative status at the United Nations.