Burlington in Chittenden County, Vermont — The American Northeast (New England)
First Vermont Lesbian and Gay Pride Parade
Photographed by Jordan Romano
1. First Vermont Lesbian and Gay Pride Parade Marker
In 1983, a group of lesbian feminists began planning for the first Vermont Pride march to be held in Burlington and invited the gay male community to join. At the time, public celebration of pride in Vermont was controversial. Vermonters attended marches in larger cities where it was safe to be visible commemorating the Stonewall uprising of June 1969 in NYC, the beginning of the national LGBT Pride movement. Linking the struggles to racism, classism and anti-Semitism, planners of the Vermont event asked for the endorsement of government officials and over 300 organizations. Despite some vigorous opposition, Burlington's Board of Aldermen ultimately endorsed the march in a 6-5 vote.
Vermont's first Pride March was entitled the "Lesbian and Gay Pride Parade and Celebration" with the theme Water Won't Run Straight and Neither Will We. The rally on June 25, 1983, which was proclaimed as Lesbian and Gay Pride Day, was held in City Hall Park, and was followed by a parade through the business district. In a sea of purple balloons, over 350 courageous marchers risked physical safety, jobs, housing, and relationships with
this page online
Erected 2022 by Vermont Division for Historic Preservation.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Civil Rights • Notable Events • Women. A significant historical date for this entry is June 25, 1983.
Location. 44° 28.617′ N, 73° 12.838′ W. Marker is in Burlington, Vermont, in Chittenden County. It is at the intersection of St. Paul Street and College Street, on the right when traveling north on St. Paul Street. Located at the northwest corner of City Hall Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 103 St Paul St, Burlington VT 05401, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Vermont’s Champlain Valley. It is also in the American Northeast and in New England. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Photographed by Jordan Romano
2. First Vermont Lesbian and Gay Pride Parade Marker
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Burlington Civil War Memorial (a few steps from this marker); Site of the Old Gas Station (a few steps from this marker); Captain John Lonergan (within shouting distance of this marker); City Hall Park (within shouting distance of this marker); Chittenden County Trust Company (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); 103 Church Street (about 400 feet away); Howard Bank Building (about 400 feet away); Green Mountain Club (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Burlington.
Also see . . .
1. Roadside Historic Site Marker to Commemorate Pride 1983. (Submitted on August 3, 2022, by Jordan Romano of Kings Park, New York.)
2. Wikipedia article about Lesbian Feminism. This marker references lesbian feminism, which is a specific school of feminism. Not all lesbians who are feminists identify as lesbian feminists. (Submitted on August 7, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.)
Additional keywords. LGBT, LGBTQ, Lesbian Feminism
Credits. This page was last revised on June 27, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 3, 2022, by Jordan Romano of Kings Park, New York. This page has been viewed 1,660 times since then and 57 times this year. Last updated on June 25, 2025, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 3, 2022, by Jordan Romano of Kings Park, New York. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
