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 are 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 comparable to black cisgender lives.
Because this Pride Month is particularly 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 cannot safely celebrate. All individuals deserve exactly the same inclusivity that we give White, cisgender lgbt men and women during pride. Everyone deserves the authority to live and love nonetheless 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 routine. You can even make them a part of your current 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, particularly when they come out. It takes courage to be released, so don't assume anything about their attraction or preferences. Always remember to respect people's labels and support them on their own journeys. Your support can go a long way.
4. Do your own research.
If you do not 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 closest 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 Bay area mark resistance to the police harassment and violence that LGBTQ people faced. Also, remember Marsha P. Johnson, Slyvia Rivera, Victoria Cruz, and also 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 before.
6. Be a good Pride ally.
If you are not LGBTQ, remember that Pride isn't in regards to 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 take part 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 exhibit your love for LGBTQIA people with pride this month – and every month after that. Openly offer the LGBTQIA community to normalize LGBTQIA rights. The community needs your support now and forever.
