Pride week became a time to reaffirm that the gay masses were out and about, openly proclaiming and claiming their place in society. Newfound visibility was cause for celebration and in large cities throughout the U.S., Pride parades, picnics, and rainbow flags marked the collective coming out of a community once relegated to silence and invisibility. For many gay men, lesbians, and transgendered persons, gay liberation translated into visibility, the path out of the darkness of the closet. Every June, LGBTQ communities across America celebrate Pride month to commemorate the Stonewall riots of 1969-the catalyst that launched the modern gay rights movement.
