BELCHERTOWN, Mass. (WWLP) – A pride flag was raised in Belchertown Tuesday morning to commemorate the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.
The riots took place on June 28, 1969 and marked the beginning of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.
The flag raising comes a day after the Belchertown Select Board unanimously passed a historic resolution, in support of a proclamation that recognizes the contributions, history, and progress of Belchertown’s LGBTQ+ community.
Chair of the Belchertown Selectboard Jen Turner told 22News, “We want to make sure that everyone knows that this is a safe and welcoming community for folks to come here and visit here and live here. And that’s really what this is all about.”
Massachusetts is considered one of the most advanced states in the country, regarding LGBT rights legislation. In 2004, it became the first U.S. state to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples.