Happy Pride Month from AARI!

Hi everyone!

My name is Grace, my pronouns are they/them or she/her, and I’m a queer and non-binary member of AARI. I’m really excited to share with you a couple of resources that I hope will help you to celebrate Pride Month! We celebrate Pride Month in June in recognition of the history of the LGBTQIA+ liberation movement, to celebrate the impactful contributions of LGBTQIA+ people, and to spread the joy of being a part of the LGBTQIA+ community.

History

The reason Pride is celebrated in June is because the Stonewall riots, a series of protests against a police raid at the landmark Stonewall Inn, took place beginning on June 28th, 1969. The Stonewall Inn is a landmark gay bar in Greenwich Village, New York City, and when patrons refused to submit to humiliating brutality by police during a raid, a riot broke out and continued into following nights. These riots marked the beginning of the LGBTQIA+ liberation movement. Prominent figures in the Stonewall uprising include Sylvia Rivera, Stormé DeLarverie, and Marsha P. Johnson. Omar Thomas’s “A Mother of A Revolution!” celebrates the life of Marsha P. Johnson and countless other trans women of color, without whose strength and bravery the LGBTQIA+ liberation movement could not exist.

• Check out the Hodgson Wind Ensemble’s recording of the work here: https://youtu.be/R6ieR-YZ4eY

• Learn more about “A Mother Of A Revolution!” at Omar Thomas’s website here: https://www.omarthomas.com/a-mother-of-a-revolution

Impact

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Julius Eastman. Benjamin Britten. Jennifer Higdon. These composers, and many others, are members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and their contributions to the musical world are immeasurable. Wendy Carlos is a pioneer of electronic music whose 1968 album Switched-On Bach changed the landscape of synthesized music forever; she’s also a trans woman. Francis Poulenc, member of Les Six and known for numerous religious works, had long-lasting intimate relationships with men as well as women. It’s important to recognize and celebrate queer and trans musicians every day, but especially during Pride Month.

Check out the following lists of LGBTQIA+ composers you should know, spanning hundreds of years and many different styles of music:

• 15 Queer Composers You Should Know: https://www.wfmt.com/2015/06/25/15-queer-composers-know/

• 10 Contemporary LGBTQ Composers You Should Know: https://artsboston.org/2018/06/21/10-contemporary-lgbtq-composers-you-should-know/

Joy

Above all, Pride Month is a time to revel in the joy of existing and resisting in a world that would seek to deny LGBTQIA+ folks the right to live freely. Despite rejection from others, queer and trans folks found community with one another, and thanks to the heroism of trans women of color like Marsha P. Johnson, that community became a movement for liberation. The LGBTQIA+ community has weathered incredible hardships, but it has also made great strides toward justice and equity. This month, I hope that you will join me in uplifting LGBTQIA+ folks, past and present, and celebrating our PRIDE!

• Check out this playlist of new music from LGBTQIA+ artists: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX3LyU0mhfqgP?si=1d827792af7b44b6