"Straight pride parades" or "straight pride days" have been organized in response to similar events organized by LGBTQ groups. Conservative organizations at UMass Amherst held another such event the next year, attended by about fifty people and protested by a crowd estimated to be ten times larger. The UMass event was promoted as "Burn a Fag in Effigy" rally. In 1990, rallies in support of Straight Pride were held at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst) organized by the group Young Americans for Freedom and at nearby Mount Holyoke College. In 1988, Vermont Republican John Burger asked the state's Governor to establish a "Straight Pride Day". Incidents where the slogan or concept of "Straight pride" caused controversy have occurred since the late 1980s. Heterosexual pride parades exist as a response to societal acceptance of LGBTQ visibility, and originated in campuses in the 1990s as a backlash tactic. Analysts of LGBTQ rights state as a counter-argument that mainstream culture offers many approved social venues (weddings, baptism, family reunions and so on) for heterosexuals to express and celebrate their sexual orientation in public, while LGBTQ individuals feel more isolated and pride parades offer them support and an opportunity for socializing. This appeal to ridicule argument expresses the idea that showing pride for LGBTQ orientations is equally absurd. In this context, the terms straight pride and heterosexual pride have been used as an argument criticizing gay pride as unnecessary, stating by contrast with heterosexuality that heterosexuals "don't talk about straight pride", don't have "straight pride rallies", and would be seen as ridiculous if they were to "band together and have a heterosexual pride parade". The concept of LGBTQ pride originates as a movement which seeks to challenge the negative images of LGBTQ people by being openly identified with a culturally stigmatized group as such, it creates a discomfort.
During the HIV/AIDS epidemic of the 1980s, LGBTQ communities were further stigmatized as they became the focus of mass hysteria, suffered isolation and marginalization, and were targeted with extreme acts of violence. Late in 1979, a new religious revival among conservative evangelical Protestants and Roman Catholics ushered in the conservatism politically aligned with the Christian right that would reign in the United States during the 1980s, becoming another obstacle for the progress of the LGBTQ rights movement. In the 1970s, the popularity of disco music and its culture in many ways made society more accepting of gays and lesbians. A new period of liberalism in the late 1960s began a new era of more social acceptance for homosexuality which lasted until the late 1970s.
It was the commemorative march one year later that drew 5,000 marchers up New York City's Sixth Avenue, that got nationwide publicity and led to modern-day LGBTQ pride marches. Newspaper coverage of the events was minor, since, in the 1960s, huge marches and mass rioting had become commonplace and the Stonewall riots were relatively small. LGBTQ history traces back to ancient civilizations, but the term gay pride is usually associated with the modern LGBTQ rights movement that was sparked by the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City. "I think the biggest disappointment is just the lack of effort people are not putting in to taking this seriously," said Jacob Miller.Further information: 1960s in LGBT rights and Counterculture of the 1960s
"Considering the crowds we get and how tightly packed together they are, unless you're absolutely confident about the safety factor, you really can't do it," said coordinator Timothy Frye. "We had high hopes but we have to listen to what everyone is telling us, advising us," said Alexandria Evangelou, co-owner of Elevate Coffee. We must cancel the parade for a second year." "We don't feel, though, that we can do it safely for everyone in the parade and people watching. "We really wanted and hoped there could be a parade in 2021," the organizers wrote. Organizers added they had hoped an October parade would allow them to introduce LGBTQI+ History Month, and had hoped to recognize The Chicago Gender Society, which they said have been an entry in the Pride Parade every year since 1985, as well as honor some specific individuals. "Everyone knows the reasons we were wrong in our estimate as to how safe things would be in the fall. "Sadly, we were naive in that belief or, a more accurate word - 'hope'," organizers said in a letter.