Pride Month kicks off with events around the world starting this weekend.

It's an annual series of parades and other gatherings to celebrate LGBTQ+ culture and rights.

At its heart, Pride is both a party and a protest.

In the U.S. this year, that means speaking out against a slew of policies that impose restrictions on transgender people and that try to end diversity, equity and inclusion programming in government, education and businesses.

Here's a look at the event's roots and this year's events and themes.

When Pride Month began

The monthlong global celebration began with Gay Pride Week in late June 1970, a year after the violent police raid at New York’s Stonewall Inn, a gay bar.

At a time when many LGBTQ+ people kept their identities private, the June 28, 1969, raid sparked a s

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