Pride Month
Why Pride? Why June?
Pride is “the consciousness of one’s own dignity” and “a product of praise, independent self-reflection, and a fulfilled feeling of belonging.”
We celebrate Pride during the month of June to honor the Gay Liberation Movement.
On June 28, 1969, police raided the popular Stonewall Inn gay bar in the West Village in New York City. Although raids often took place, that night the patrons fought back and began the six-day Stonewall Riots led by Marsha P. Johnson. The clamor was simple: the LGBTQ+ community demanded to have places (like the Stonewall Inn) where people can express their sexual orientation without fear.
We Want To Hear From You
Share with us how you learn about LGBTQIA+ :
- community
- history
- health inequities
- allyship/advocacy
- pride
- any topic of interest related to celebrating Pride and LGBTQIA community!
Your recommendations can be books, podcasts, videos, movies, articles, etc.!
Meaning of the Rainbow Flag
In 1978, gay politician Harvey Milk commissioned Gilbert Baker to design a symbol that represented Pride to take on the San Francisco Pride March. Originally, the traditional colors of the rainbow were each illustrated in the flag with a powerful significance that embraces the meaning of Pride:
Over time, modifications have been made to the flag, drawing attention to the needs of the community:
- the arrow shape within the flag honors the advancement of the LGBTQ+ community
- black and brown was added to bring awareness about people of color within the LGBTQ+ community
- light pink and light blue is in honor of the transgender community
- white symbolizes the individuals that are transitioning
- purple circle in yellow background symbolizes intersex individuals
- red is life
- orange is healing
- yellow is sunshine
- green is nature
- blue is harmony
- purple is spirit
Respecting Everyone’s Identity
Check out the monitors at the Jacobs School for useful info about pronouns!
Importance of pronouns
Pride Event: LGBTQIA+ Education and Inclusivity in Healthcare
The inaugural LGBTQIA+ Education and Inclusivity in Healthcare conference is a half-day event hosted by OUTPatient Student Medical group and sponsored by the Office of Inclusion and Cultural Enhancement and the Office of the Dean at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. We are kicking off Pride Month with this important conversation, providing space to our community to be educated and informed of best practices and current affairs for LGBTQIA+ matters.
2023 Keynote Speaker
Blair Peters, MD (he/they), gender-affirming surgeon and assistant professor at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU)
Blair Peters, MD, (He/They) is the keynote speaker at the inaugural LGBTQIA+ Education and Inclusivity in Healthcare conference.
“The Current State of Gender-Affirming Surgery” will be discussed in is lecture where Peters will guide us on the clinical aspects of his practice and the always evolving nature of gender-affirming procedures
Peters is a gender-affirming surgeon and assistant professor at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) with dual appointment in the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the Department of Urology. He is the first in the world to obtain both training in gender affirmation surgery as well as peripheral nerve surgery. He attended medical school at the University of Manitoba, where he went on to complete a residency in plastic and reconstructive surgery. His extensive surgical training has made him a rising star and innovator in the field of gender-affirming surgery. Peters is also an international award-winning researcher with an extensive research portfolio most notable for defining the number of axons of the human clitoral dorsal nerves.
Outside of clinical practice, he is both a member and a steadfast advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community. He frequently lectures across the country regarding advocacy and policy change for all queer people. He strives to continue to be a strong queer voice in medicine and surgery and focuses on mentoring the future generation of gender-affirming surgeons. You can follow him on Instagram and Twitter under the handle @queersurgeon.
Events
Education resources
Additional UB resources
LGBTQ Community in Buffalo, NY
In Western New York, there are a tremendous amount of LGBTQ+ friendly organizations. Below is a list of institutions that are working tirelessly to make us stronger. We encourage you to get involved!
- Pride Center of Western New York
- CPH Mental Health Counseling (Former Center for Psychosexual Health)
- Spectrum: Transgender Group of WNY
- LGBTQ Health at ECMC
- LGBTQ at the Buffalo/Erie Public Library
- Buffalo Pride Week
- Smyal: Empowering LGBTQ Youth
- Evergreen Health in WNY
Additional Resources
If you or someone you know want to talk to someone
Don’t lose sight of what is happening around you
Special Acknowledgement
June Pride web page was built in colaboration with Polity, SNMA, LMSA, OUTPatient, Graduate Students and University Advancement Alumni Association. Special thanks to all the individuals that contribute with ideas, information and links!