LGBTQ+ Holidays Around the World

Holidays are important dates with cultural or social meanings. We are used to religious or national holidays that highlight the importance of some events. But besides that, holidays can help with representation, making people feel like part of society. Some exist to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, but many don’t know about them. And as a result, we feel like we are not represented.

In this article, my goal is to help you see which LGBTQ+ holidays exist worldwide. I hope to make you feel represented by them if you’re part of this community. It will include both minor and significant holidays recognized internationally. So stay tuned and read this article if you want to know which one is special for you!

1. Zero Discrimination Day (March 1st)

This date aims to promote awareness against discrimination, including that against the LGBTQ+ community. It is a way of promoting integration, affirming that we are valid and do not deserve discrimination. Even though it’s not limited to the LGBTQ+ theme, the fact that it includes us is worth acknowledging.

2. Trans day of visibility (March 31st)

The focus of this holiday is to validate transgender people. I’m talking about people who identify with a gender different from those assigned to them at birth. It includes non-binary folks and everyone else who doesn’t think their assigned gender fits them.

3. International Asexuality Day (April 6th)

This day is celebrated for people who lack sexual attraction to others. There are many different degrees of asexuality, and the holiday exists to promote awareness of them. Asexuals generally call themselves “aces,” and because of that, April 6th is also known as “Ace day.”

4. International Day of Pink (Every second Wednesday of April)

Bullying is a serious problem in both schools and workspaces. Minorities often suffer from it in silence, feeling like they’re alone and have no support to fight back. And in some conservative regions, it affects the LGBTQ+ community more than others. An example of that is something that happened in 2007. In this event, a gay student in Canada was being bullied and harassed for using a pink shirt. Some of his colleagues saw it happen and began a movement where other students showed up in pink the next day.

Their actions showed support for the bullied student. Then, it became an international Holiday thanks to the Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity. Now, on every second Wednesday of  April, millions of students and workers show up to their schools and workspaces dressed in pink attire. And even though the goal is to stop all forms of bullying, its focus is on bullying against the LGBTQ+ community.

5. Lesbian Visibility Day (April 26th)

Lesbian or sapphic relationships used to be somewhat neglected. The conservatives thought of that as something disgusting. The lesbian visibility day tries to correct that, giving visibility to relationships between two women. It’s worth mentioning that trans women who feel attracted to other women (either cis or trans) are lesbians. Sapphic is a term for relationships between individuals that identify themselves as feminine. But lesbian is some sort of synonym, so there’s a broad meaning to it.

6. International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (May 17th)

This is a date used to coordinate actions and events against LGBTQ+ discrimination. These are primarily international events focusing on conscientization and information. It draws attention and promotes awareness about violations of rights suffered by this community. Events like that also help to put some pressure on the authorities. And it is essential to encourage them to take action against such violations.

7. Agender Pride Day (May 19th)

Agender pride day is here to celebrate people who do not identify with a gender. Gender is an imaginary spectrum, and you don’t have to fit into one of these. It also varies between different cultures and societies. Because of that, agender fits under the non-binary and trans umbrellas. But still, they don’t identify with any particular gender. This holiday helps to validate them for who they are and, as the name suggests, makes them feel proud.

8. Stonewall Riots Anniversary (June 28th)

On June 28th, we celebrate the anniversary of a significant event for the LGBTQ+ people in the United States. I am talking about the stonewall riots of 1969 and how they helped shape civil rights for our brothers and sisters. It all started during police raids on gay bars that year, which the Italian-American Mafia owned. Laws at the time were highly homophobic, under the false pretext of being anti-communist. The government used this excuse to promote police invasion of underground bars where gays and lesbians used to go.

Such rigid laws culminated in resistance to a raid when police became violent. This resistance was spread out across the state of new york, but it originated at the Stonewall Inn, hence the name. People started demanding the right to be themselves. That is, without being arrested for their sexual orientation. The result was that the oppressed now felt empowered, and the oppression began to decline. On June 28th, 1970, the first gay pride parade in Chicago took place, celebrating the first anniversary of the riots.

9. Pride month (June 1 – June 30)

Following the Stonewall riots and the assassination of gay politician Harvey Milk in 1978, who helped to create the pride flag, the United States saw an increase in LGBTQ+ pride marches and parades. With time, it morphed into what we know today as the pride month in that country. Former US president Bill Clinton, however, was the first one to establish this month as the official pride month in that country during the years 1999 and 2000.

10. Non-Binary People’s Day (July 14th)

Non-binary is any gender identity that doesn’t fit the binary norms of man and woman. It’s more of an umbrella term and a rather broad one. It includes bigender, genderfluid, genderqueer, and agender people as well. This date was first celebrated in 2012. It aimed at drawing attention to issues and challenges regarding people who identify as non-binary.

11. Drag Day (July 16th)

Happening on July 16th, the international Drag day exists to give some more visibility to drag art. As this form of art is quite popular among the LGBT community, it’s good to see it make its way into the mainstream. This holiday was established in 2009 with the objective of giving drag artists a better space to promote their art.

12. National Coming Out Day (October 11th)

This date exists to encourage people to “come out of the closet.” If you don’t know, coming out means living as an LBGTQ+ person openly. Such a holiday also serves the purpose of clarifying how important it is for us to try and come out. It’s better for both our mental and emotional health. It takes courage and confidence to come out, so it deserves to be celebrated.

13. Awareness Weeks (Various weeks during the year)

Besides all of these particular holidays, there are various Awareness weeks throughout the year. They promote awareness and integration of various gender identities and sexual orientations. Besides that, such an initiative helps validate different individuals and make them feel part of this community.

The existence of so many pro-LGBTQ+ holidays and dates proves that society is more accepting of us. This process takes time and effort, but we are seeing some results after decades of fighting. With such a variety, you may find yourself represented by at least one of the dates mentioned here. So which one will it be for you? Feel free to leave a comment about it!

Quiz:

Which one of these holidays do you think to be the most important?

A. International Day of Pink


B. International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia


C. Stonewall Riots Anniversary

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