At RealPage, we strive to inspire and empower everyone to bring their full, true selves to work. In honor of Pride Month, we’re sharing some RealPage flavor with a gallery of the Irvine office’s virtual Pride Happy Hour, Buildium’s Pride Panel & Parade event, and our Pride Virtual Event which will be hosted from our headquarters on June 25th! We’ve also curated inspiring stories from around the globe, complete with some history and a timeline of key events. Let’s celebrate Pride by promoting LGBTQ inclusivity at work!

 

 

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LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY BEHIND PRIDE

On a hot summer’s night in New York on June 28, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay club in Greenwich Village, which resulted in bar patrons, staff, and neighborhood residents rioting onto Christopher Street outside. Among the many leaders of the riots was black, trans, bisexual woman, Marsha P. Johnson — leading the movement to continue over six days with protests and clashes. The message was clear: protestors demanded the establishment of places where LGBT+ people could go and be open about their sexual orientation without fear of arrest.

Pride Month is largely credited as being started by bisexual activist, Brenda Howard. Known as, “The Mother of Pride,” a year after the Stonewall Riots, Brenda organized Gay Pride Week and the Christopher Street Liberation Day Parade. This eventually morphed into what we now know as the New York City Pride March, and from where parades and marches across the world evolved.

Bill Clinton was the first US President to officially recognize Pride Month in 1999 and 2000. Then, from 2009 to 2016, Barack Obama declared June LGBT Pride Month. In May 2019, Donald Trump recognized Pride Month and announced that his Administration had launched a global campaign to decriminalize homosexuality.

The New York Pride Parade is one of the largest and most well-known parades to take place, with over 2 million people estimated to have taken part in the 2019.

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LGBTQ+ Folks Share Stories of Their First Pride Celebrations

Allure - by Jennifer Gerson Uffalussy

 

E. Jaguar (Jag) Beckford, 52

"I am 52 years young and identify as gender fluid. I am a designer of man-tailored suits for women like myself and fashion is my passion. My first Pride experience was during my years in law school and I celebrated with women who walked topless in the parade. Boy, was that an uplifting experience. I feel that Pride celebrations all over the world empower young and old to "be who they are and express themselves as they desire to do so. It uplifts the entire community during one of the greatest celebrations of our times.

My Pride experience definitely contributed to the founding of Rainbow Fashion Week (RFW). I recall just looking at all hair, makeup styling, and designs that it took to create just one total look. So it actually sharpened my 'fashion eye' I realized people were always looking for something special to wear and that so many of those struggling in life exhausted or depleted funds just to look beautiful. RFW is curated each year to send a strong message of social responsibility and inclusion for all — that's what the Pride experience is all about.”

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Dan Shinaberry, 28

"I was pretty anxious and nervous to be out and proud for my first Pride. There is a power in the city that comes with being gay — especially in a place like NYC where there is no such thing as normal. Church members wearing pride pins handed me water, drag queens danced around me, and people cheered me on and high fived me as I marched with my friends at Facebook. Stampeding down the avenues holding a rainbow flag with straight friends, gay friends, and people I didn’t know, made me feel like I was exactly where I was supposed to be- for the first time ever. This year, Pride means so much more to the LGBTQ community. In light of the current Political climate we find ourselves in, the year anniversary of the Pulse shootings, and so much hate in the world—it is truly a perfect time to celebrate the love, equality, diversity, and laughter every person deserves."

Angela Denae, 36

"My first pride was in New York City about five years after I came out to my friends and family. Being surrounded by thousands of people who were LGBTQ+ and allies was an actualization of what it is like to be in a world where, whoever you are, you are perfect. The palpable energy, love, and acceptance are breathtaking.

Now, Pride to me is my favorite time to be surrounded by those I love while celebrating the courage of all who love whomever they want to love. Cheers to all of us living in their own truth.”

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Timothy Wagner, 34

"My first Pride was in Berlin in 2008. (They call it Christopher Street Day there). I was 25 and had been out to pretty much everyone since I was 20, but I had never gone to pride before. Demonstrative celebrations of gayness have never jived much with my experience. A little background: I was fortunate enough to have grown up in a supportive atmosphere and come out to tolerance and acceptance, so my sexuality has always been more or less a non-issue. And my sexual politics basically entail a desire to see sexual and gender identity become a non-issue as widely and for as many people as possible.

So Pride was a little counter-intuitive for me. But my new boyfriend and his friends wanted to go, and so we did. The weather was good. There were feather boas and a lot of champagne. I was struck by the number of allies who were there; I hadn't anticipated that. More than anything else though, I realized that Pride provided a forum for an affirmation of self that I didn't need, but that many others did. And I felt, and feel, a responsibility to be an ally and an advocate for others who don't have the privilege of being able to choose for their sexual identity to be a non-issue. And I think going to my first Pride helped me to that realization."

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Watch Inspiring Messages as LGBTQ+ Folks Share Their Truth.

 

Ellen’s Best of Pride

Kick off Ellen’s Pride Week with some of our most inspiring LGBTQ+ show moments, featuring Ellen announcing her wedding, Sam Smith talking about wanting to be a spokesperson for the LGBTQ+ community, Laverne Cox on being the first transgender person on TIME magazine, and much more

Shane Wickes

Shane Wickes had his dream job: line coach at his high school alma mater. But there was one complication. "Football teaches so many great life lessons to those who play or coach," he says, "but one negative thing that it does teach is that being gay is not okay." In this moving talk, Wickes shares his story about coming out to his team. A story of owning your truth in the face of adversity.

My-King Johnson

Pac-12 Networks' Ashley Adamson talks with Arizona freshman My-King Johnson, who's made headlines around the country as the first openly gay scholarship player in Division I college football. As Johnson, his teammates and coaches all explain, he's been enthusiastically embraced as part of the Wildcat family and is now solely focused on what impact he can make on the field.