Written by Samantha Vega

Compassion strives to celebrate and uplift voices in diverse communities all year long, and we are excited to celebrate Pride this year with our staff and supporters around the world. Our mission to finally bring an end to factory farming can only be brought to fruition through compassion for all—a tenant we are proud to celebrate this June during Pride Month and share with you all year round.

What some may not know is that Pride as we know it began as protests spurred by BIPOC trans women and lesbians fighting against police brutality. These were known as the Stonewall Riots, and took place on June 28^th 1969. This event brought LGBTQIA rights to the political forefront, spurring decades of hard work, loss, and protests, ultimately breaking barriers and making strides toward a just and equitable treatment for people of all sexual and gender identities.

It’s important to note that Stonewall wasn’t the start of the gay rights movement; rather, it was the spotlight that illuminated the work that LGBTQIA groups had been doing for years prior.

We must continue honoring inspirational people like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera who started and even died doing this hard work on the road to justice. In too many places around the world, celebrating Pride is still fundamentally an act of protest, a day to honor your truest self in the face of adversity.

Elsewhere, Pride is seen as a celebration! Festivals, parades, and parties all over the world are designed to be epicenters of loving acceptance for all. Many businesses and organizations put out Pride-oriented content and even create entirely new products and logos to express their support for the LGBTQ community.

This June, our Pride logo includes, in addition to rainbow stripes, a chevron pattern symbolizing BIPOC LGBTQIA+ and trans individuals. This is known as the Progress Pride flag. At Compassion, this change symbolizes our commitment to a compassionate world for everyone and our dedication to informing ourselves and our supporters.

We believe that our journey to a more compassionate food system is not possible without uplifting and honoring the diverse voices powering our communities every day.

To  add more plant-based creators to your Instagram fee check out last year's pride resource!