June is unofficially known as Pride Month all over the world. Parades, demonstrations, educational seminars, and celebrations of the LGBTQIA community take place in most major cities as a chance to show pride. While the movement has been building for centuries, a turning point took place on June 28, 1969 at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar located in the West Village of New York City. After the authorities raided the bar and physically abused LGBTQIA+ patrons, riots took place on the street. This was the impetus to begin pride marches all over the country, which served as a watershed moment of the LGBTQIA+ rights movement. While this year may look much different, with marches all over the world being postponed due to concerns of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pride Month lives on.
Wondering how to celebrate Pride Month? Here are a few quarantine-approved ways to celebrate pride!
Honor LGBTQIA+ Pioneers
Sylvia Rivera was credited with throwing the first brick at The Stonewall Inn while resisting arrest. Barbara Gittings fought to remove the title of “disorder” from homosexuality from the American Psychiatric Association. Harvey Milk was the most notable openly gay man to be elected to public office. The Gay Rights Movement has no shortage of heroes along the way. Become educated with their inspiring beginning and, even, some of their tragic outcomes. Understand the sacrifices these brave pioneers made in order to advance LGBTQIA+ rights and promote acceptance and diversity in the world. See them in the same light as other national and global heroes.
Be an Active Ally
Being an ally requires more than just “accepting” the LGBTQIA+ community. According to the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), some of the best ways to be an ally include: listening to others’ experiences, letting people in your life know that homophobic/biphobic/transphobic jokes are offensive, standing up for your LGBTQIA+ friends and colleagues if they are being bullied or discriminated against, and to stop assuming everyone you meet identifies as straight. Allyship is not only literary -- it is action-oriented and requires folx to consistently show up and affirm people’s identities that are different from their own. Being a true ally means intentionally and unapologetically supporting the LGBTQIA+ community.
Be An Allied Consumer
Support LGBTQIA+ owned businesses and make contributions to allied organizations. A directory of businesses can be found here, including fashion designers, jewelers, and makeup artists. Another way to be an allied consumer is to support businesses that actively practice allyship through their mission and partnerships. Brands such as Nike, Reebok, Target and Uggs have all made contributions or participated in LGBTQIA+ initiatives this year.
Keep the Pride Alive
Pride month may only be 30 days, but LGBTQIA+ pride lasts for 365 days. Keep learning, keep growing, keep donating to incredible organizations supporting the LGBTQIA+ community. Some of our favorites are the National Center for Transgender Equality, Equality Federation, and The Trevor Project. Looking for additional resources about where to contribute? Checkout this list. And, as always, visit our Instagram page for more information on how to continue supporting the LGBTQIA+ community year round.
