Utah/Idaho June Pride Month

PPH Therapy Supports and Celebrates Our LGBTQIA2S+ Community Members

June is a historical month to highlight, celebrate, and support our LGBTQ+ friends, family, and community members.

LGTBQIA2S+ is an acronym that describes the many affirming ways that people choose to identify. Spelled out this acronym represents Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, and Two-Spirit persons.

At Psychological Preventative Health (PPH), we affirm our LGBTQIA2S+ community members and work to support them by keeping up to date with relevant information locally and nationally.

Gay Pride History

The history of Pride begins in June 1969 with the Stonewall Riots in New York City. At that time, serving alcohol to someone who was gay was illegal. It was also illegal to wear more than three items of “gender-inappropriate” clothing, and people who cross-dressed became targets for humiliation and arrest.

These discriminatory practices and laws allowed police to raid the Stonewall Inn, which was a popular gay bar. Police raids on gay bars, which frequently led to brutal police encounters, were something that commonly occurred across the United States at that time.

At the Stonewall raid, police officers used excessive force on a patron, which began the resistance at Stonewall. After word spread about the raid and brutality, thousands of protesters flocked to the areas near and at the Stonewall Inn. Protests continued for a week, with further altercations continuing after.

The Start of The Pride March

One year later the first Pride march was held to

“…commemorate the Christopher Street Uprisings of last summer in which thousands of homosexuals went to the streets to demonstrate against centuries of abuse….from government hostility to employment and housing discrimination, Mafia control of Gay bars, and anti-Homosexual laws” (Christopher Street Liberation Day Committee Fliers External, University of Connecticut).

Salt Lake City Utah Pride Festival

Pride Utah, based out of Salt Lake City hosts a ton of wonderful events celebrating our LGBTQIA2S+ community members in Northern Utah!

Utah pride month events begin with a festival and a parade and continue into the month of June with art exhibits, drag performances, a bicycle ride, picnics, and more! Some of these Salt Lake City events you can still attend include the Pride Picnic and an 80's Pride Party.

The Utah Pride festival and rally is spread across two days and has a variety of entertainers, food, and vendors. according to the Pride Utah website

The Utah Pride Festival is the largest PRIDE celebration, per capita, in the Western United States.

More Pride

Pride Utah does so much more than celebrate pride month. Although located in Salt Lake City they aim to service the entire Utah LGBTQ+ community. They offer mental health services, community spaces, suicide prevention, training, information on LGBTQ+ friendly jobs, and more every day of the year.

Idaho Falls Pride Festival and Parade

The 10th annual Idaho Falls Pride Parade and Festival will be held Saturday, June, 25th at the Idaho Falls River Walk Greenbelt trail in the morning. After the parade, the Egyptian Coffee House will be hosting a Rainbow party from 1-5 p.m.

Other Idaho Falls June pride month events include drag shows and pride night at a Chukars baseball game.

LGBTQ+ Mental Health

At Psychological Preventative Health, we honor our clients and their experiences. Clinicians participate in training events and stay up-to-date on current events related to members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community.

In the last year, LGBTQ+ youth, especially our transgender youth, have faced opposition in sports and equal treatment in Utah schools.

LGBTQIA2S+ Youth

In a 2019 GLSEN school climate report for Utah students, they found that “Utah schools were not safe for most lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) secondary school students.

In addition, many LGBTQ students in Utah did not have access to important school resources, such as an LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum, and were not protected by supportive and inclusive school policies” (GLSEN 2019 Snapshot).

At PPH, we affirm our LGBTQIA2S+ youth and work to support and address their mental health needs. We collaborate with established groups and community resources to address the gaps in support found in many Utah schools.

We Trust that You are the Expert of You:

Clinicians at PPH focus on the strengths of all of our clients. We are trained to provide services to help you meet your goals and support your mental health through affirming treatment in trauma.

PPH Therapy Commitment

In addition to our clinical training, we participate in continuing education and participate in active councils such as The LGBTQ+ Affirmative Psychotherapist Guild of Utah. As new issues arise, we look for the most updated information to ensure we are offering useful and ethical help.

If you have any questions regarding your mental health, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We would be more than happy to help you get the care, treatment, resources, and respect that you need and deserve. We look forward to serving you!