LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Lexington’s annual LGBTQ Pride celebration is noting several milestones this year.
The city’s 12th annual Pride Festival coincides with a important anniversary for the gay rights movement.
It was on June 28, 1969, when patrons at a gay bar called Stonewall in New York City’s Greenwich Village fought back against police during a raid.
The actions by police sparked days of protests and is considered a major catalyst in the modern gay rights movement.
Closer to home, activists in Lexington are celebrating another anniversary: 20 years since the passage of the city’s fairness ordinance, which prohibits discrimination against people based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
“It’s a big deal to celebrate and the people that have come before us and honoring our history,” said Sarah Brown, marking chair of the Lexington Pride Festival.
The festival continues at 11 a.m. Saturday and lasts all day and night downtown.
