I have been meaning to post for Pride Month literally all month long. I’ve been distracted with all of the other things going on in the world, and once I got this engagement session on my calendar, I knew it was going to make for the perfect Pride Month Post. So here I am! Better late than never – it’s still June!
Here’s a little history on Pride Month thanks to our friends at Wikipedia:
Pride Month occurs to commemorate the Stonewall Riots which took place at the end of June 1969.
What were the Stonewall Riots, you might ask? They were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations by members of the LGBT community in response to a police raid that began in the early morning hours of June 28th 1969 at the Stonewall Inn which is in Manhattan, New York. Patrons of the Stonewall as well as other lesbian and gay bars in the neighborhood fought back when the Police became violent. These riots are widely considered to constitute one of the most important events leading to the gay liberation movement and the modern fight for LGBTQ rights in the United States.
Does this sound familiar to anyone? When people have had enough, people have had enough.
I believe our country has done a massive disservice in not recognizing Juneteenth as a national holiday. Full disclosure – I don’t recall ever hearing about Juneteenth until this year. I do recall learning about the Emancipation Proclamation and how long it took for the news to get to those still enslaved in Texas… but I don’t recall ever hearing that this was a date that is celebrated by black people across our nation until this year. This date should be celebrated by EVERYONE in this country, as should Pride month. These monumental moments in history should be a badge of pride, recognition and celebration for every US citizen because we should be celebrating any movement that brings us forward in the fight for equality among gender, race, sexuality, ethnicity, etc. We are a melting pot and we should all be celebrating equality in all of its forms, and all of its movements. These are not holidays for just black people, for just LGBTQ people… these should be holidays we all recognize.
Let’s not forget where we started or how we got where we are today. We have a LONG way to go, but we finally seem to be getting somewhere. HISTORY is vital. We cannot forget our history, if we don’t want to repeat it. Don’t forget our history.
In honor of Pride Month, and just because they’re so damn adorable… I have to share my engagement session with Abby & Isabelle. These two are high school sweethearts and come from families who have supported their relationship from the very beginning. Here’s to hoping their story, their families love and acceptance, the fact that they did not have to grow up hiding who they are…. becomes the norm in our country and around the world. Congratulations to this beautiful couple. I cannot wait to photograph your wedding!
Happy Belated Juneteenth to everyone in this country. Happy Belated Pride Month to everyone in this country. Let’s keep each other accountable, let’s be kind, let’s remind each other to honor these important dates.
Abby & Isabelle are both becoming teachers! In honor of these bright young women going out in the world to help shape our Youth I want to share some educational resources for children.
For information on how you can educate your children on discrimination and help bring this country a better future by teaching your kids about acceptance and love, check out these articles:
https://www.edutopia.org/blog/teaching-young-children-social-justice-jinnie-spiegler
https://parentline.com.au/older-kids/issues/helping-kids-deal-discrimination
https://www.apa.org/topics/kids-discrimination
For information on booking wedding photography, engagement photography, family photography or anything photography related – check out my website and drop me a line at http://www.briannacaster.com
Peace, Love & Equality,
Brianna
Shy Heart Studios 
Leave a Reply