Pride is a Riot

Cyborg Studios
Jun 2
2 min read

Pride is a Riot: Honoring the Legacy of Stonewall and the Power of Craft

June is Pride Month—a time to celebrate love, identity, and the enduring fight for equality. At Cyborg Studios, we honor this season not only with color and celebration but with deep reverence for the history that made Pride possible.

The Spark That Lit the Flame

In the early hours of June 28, 1969, the Stonewall Inn in New York City was raided by police—a common occurrence in an era when LGBTQ+ people were criminalized simply

for existing. But that night, something changed. Patrons, led by trans women of color like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, resisted. The uprising lasted six days and ignited a global movement for LGBTQ+ rights.

The first Pride march followed one year later, on June 28, 1970. It was not a parade of corporate floats or rainbow merchandise—it was a protest, a declaration of existence, and a demand for justice.

Pride as Protest, Pride as Power

Today, Pride is both celebration and resistance. It is a joyful affirmation of queer lives and a solemn remembrance of those lost to violence, discrimination, and neglect. It is a call to action against ongoing injustices, including the rollback of transgender rights and the erasure of queer histories.

At Cyborg Studios, we believe that the personal is political. Our handcrafted leather and wood intimate goods are not just objects—they are expressions of identity, autonomy, and pleasure. Each piece we create is a testament to the beauty of queer craftsmanship and the resilience of our community.

Crafting with Pride

This Pride Month, we invite you to celebrate with intention. Support queer artists and makers. Learn about the history of the LGBTQ+ movement. Reflect on the progress made and the work still to be done. And remember that Pride began not with a party, but with a riot—a courageous stand against oppression.