Queer Christian Celebrations | June 2024
Commemorations and celebrations of events and dates of particular interest to queer people of faith in the body of Christ.
The rainbow flag with cross image, above, comes from the Rainbow Christ Prayer page by Kittredge Cherry at QSpirit.net.1
UPDATED AND CORRECTED with the appropriate dates for 2024 as of 28 May 2024.2
Enjoy this list of celebrations and commemorations of interest to queer people of faith in the body of Christ and beyond for June 2024.
All of June
LGBTQ+ Pride Month
From the Library of Congress: “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month is currently celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. The Stonewall Uprising was a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. In the United States the last Sunday in June was initially celebrated as ‘Gay Pride Day,’ but the actual day was flexible. In major cities across the nation the ‘day’ soon grew to encompass a month-long series of events. Today, celebrations include pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia and concerts, and LGBTQ Pride Month events attract millions of participants around the world. Memorials are held during this month for those members of the community who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS. The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally.” - loc.gov/lgbt-pride-month/about/
02 June 2024 (Sun)
Affirming Sunday (the first Sunday of Pride Month)
“Affirming Sunday is the first Sunday of Pride Month where churches across the globe unite to celebrate and affirm LGBTQIA+ individuals within their congregations and communities. It’s an invitation for pastors and community leaders to demonstrate their commitment to inclusivity, love, and acceptance, fostering a welcoming environment for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.” — from Nu.Foundation.3
05 June 2024 (Wed)
Aromantic Visibility Day (started 2023)
A day to promote the visibility of people on the aromantic spectrum.4
HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day (HLTSAD)
June 5 is HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day (HLTSAD). On June 5, 1981, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) reported the first five cases of what would become known as the HIV/AIDS pandemic. This day was first celebrated in 2014 to highlight the resilience and strengths of people living longest with HIV and AIDS, while pointing out the challenges facing this population and demanding action to improve their quality of life. It was started by Tez Anderson, founder of Let’s Kick ASS (LKA) and promoted on social media using #HLTSAD. Find out more at hltsad.org.
12 June 2024 (Wed)
Pulse Night of Remembrance
On 12 June 2016, a man armed with an assault rifle and a pistol murdered 49 people and injured 53 on Latin Night at the gay Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida. It was the deadliest instance of violence against LGBTQ people, and the largest act of mass terrorism since September 11, 2001. Pulse Night of Remembrance has marked this tragedy every year since 2017. For more information, visit the onePULSE Foundation.
16 June 2024 (Sun)
Father’s Day
On Father’s Day we remember and celebrate fathers of all orientations and genders, as well as those paternal influences in our lives (and in ourselves) we have found to be nurturing and generative. For many it is a time to grieve broken relationships with paternal figures and versions of masculinity which have caused harm.
19 June 2024 (Wed)
Juneteenth
Juneteenth (June 19) commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers led by Major General Gordon Granger landed at Galveston, Texas, with news that the Civil War was over and that enslaved people were free. While the day has been celebrated ever since, it was only recognized as a federal holiday in 2021.
20 June 2024 (Thu)
Summer Solstice
[Exact 4:50 pm ET] Today marks the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. What will you do with all that daylight this year?
27 June 2024 (Thu)
National HIV Testing Day
First observed on June 27, 1995, National HIV Testing Day (NHTD) is a day to encourage people to get tested for HIV, know their status, and get linked to care and treatment. #HIVTestingDay
28 June 2024 (Fri)
Stonewall Riots Anniversary
This day recalls the Stonewall Riots, a reaction beginning 28 June 1969 to the NYPD raid of the Stonewall Inn. This initial event was a galvanizing force for LGBT political activism, and argued by some to be the birth of the gay rights movement, in the United States and around the world. The world's first pride parade occurred on the 1st anniversary (28 June 1970). It’s also known as International LGBT Pride Day.
30 June 2024 (Sun)
NYC Pride March and PrideFest
The annual NYC Pride March, commemorating the Stonewall Riots. Heritage of Pride notes: “The inaugural March took place in 1970, one year after the Stonewall Uprising, and has since evolved into an annual civil rights demonstration. Its purpose has expanded over time to encompass raising awareness about the fight against AIDS and honoring those we have lost to illness, violence, and neglect.”5
Right after the NYC Pride March is PrideFest, the “annual LGBTQIA+ street fair that combines exhibitors, entertainers, food and activities for a day of fun and celebration in the name of equality.”6 More info at nycpride.org.
30 June 2024 (Sun)
5th Annual Queer Youth of Faith Day
“Queer Youth of Faith Day (June 30) is a national day celebrating LGBTQIA+ youth across religious and spiritual traditions. The day also marks a call to action for allies to support and advocate for queer youth in their religious communities. Hosted by Beloved Arise, Queer Youth of Faith Day has been celebrated since 2020.”7 Find out more at belovedarise.org/qyfday.
Thank you for reading, commemorating, and celebrating!
If I missed anything, let me know. I’m also open to posting events of interest to queer people of faith from other traditions, so if you’d like to help me make this list more complete, email me at joncarl.lewis@gmail.com.
QSpirit is a refreshing, empowering, obscure-information-packed website and blog curated by Kittredge Cherry “questioning spiritual assumptions with quality content for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender & queer (LGBTQ) people and allies” —from QSpirit.net.
To my horror, I posted June 2025’s dates instead of this years’. All should be correct now. (And you now know the dates are ready for June 2025!)
“About Affirming Sunday | Nu Foundation,” accessed May 28, 2024, https://nu.foundation/affirming-sunday-about.
“NYC Pride,” accessed May 28, 2024, https://www.nycpride.org/event/nyc-pride-march.
“NYC Pride,” accessed May 28, 2024, https://www.nycpride.org/event/pridefest.
“#QYFDAY 2024,” Beloved Arise, accessed May 28, 2024, https://www.belovedarise.org/qyfday.