June is Pride Month, and this year’s celebrations are particularly crucial. With parades cancelled and international Pride organizations moving in-person celebrations to virtual platforms, you may feel isolated from your community.. If you’re black and LGBTQ, this Pride month may be even more important to you. With the killings of black trans individuals Iyana Dior and Tony McDade, it’s more necessary than ever to see black transgender lives as equal to black cisgender lives.
Because this Pride Month is especially important, here are some ways that you can stand up for all LGBTQ individuals this Pride Month and beyond:
1. Practice intersectionality.
Fight for black transgender men and women as hard as you fight for cisgender LGBTQ people. Consider POC,disabled people, p, and those who live in places where they can’t safely celebrate. All individuals deserve the same inclusivity that we give White, cisgender gay and lesbian men and women during pride. Everyone deserves the right to live and love however they choose.
2. Share your pronouns to normalize pronoun sharing.
Sharing your pronouns can normalize gender-fluid, trans, and nonbinary people’s pronoun sharing.You can share your pronouns in conversation, in your social media bio, and in your daily life. You can even make them a part of your email address. Also, be sure to ask people what their preferred pronouns are when you first meet them.
3. Don’t make assumptions about someone’s sexual orientation.
Be supportive and respect people’s sexual orientations, especially when they come out. It takes courage to come out, so don’t assume anything about their attraction or preferences. Always remember to respect people’s labels and support them on their journeys. Your support can go a long way.
4. Do your own research.
If you don’t understand a particular issue in the LGBTQ community, do some research on it. The emotional labor of educating others should never rest on the shoulders of the minority. Don’t just ask the nearest queer person for anexplanation of what you don’understand It’s more respectful to educate yourself on your own.
5.Remember the history behind Pride.
Before the beautiful celebrations that we know now, LGBTQ people had riots to fight for their rights. The riots at Stonewall in NYC Compton’s Cafeteria in San Francisco mark resistance to the police harassment and violence that LGBTQ people faced. Also, remember Marsha P. Johnson, Slyvia Rivera, Victoria Cruz, and the countless other black LGBTQ female activists who paved the way for the celebrations we have now. In our current climate, their work means more than ever.
6. Be a good Pride ally.
If you aren’t LGBTQ, remember that Pride isn’t about you. Pride isn’t a tourist attraction; it’s a celebration of how hard the LGBTQ community fights for equality. Listen to LGBTQ people’s experiences. Don’t interject your opinions on how you think that the community should live. Wear Pride colors and fully participate in events to support the community. Make sure that you make LGBTQ people feel safe, comfortable, and loved.
7. Support LGBTQ individuals beyond Pride Month.
Buy and support your queer friend’s art. Fight for LGBTQ rights. Participate in rights campaigns. Makerecurring donations to organizations that support LGBTQ people. Don’t stop your support and momentum after Pride Month ends.
Remember to show your love for LGBTQIA people with pride this month – and every month after that. Openly support the LGBTQIA community to normalize LGBTQIA rights. The community needs your support now and forever.
Featured Photo by Josè Maria Sava on Unsplash
