15 Ways to Celebrate Pride Month
It's June, which means it's officially Pride month! June holds significance as we commemorate the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots.
When police raided the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village to shut down its gay bar and haul away its patrons and employees, spontaneous demonstrations and riots by the LGBTQ+ community and their allies ensued. Today, we celebrate each June to recognize the impact the LGBTQ+ people and allies have had in the world.
Here are 15 ways to show your pride and support for our LGBTQ+ community!
1. Explore the Stonewall Monument from Home
See where it all started with the Stonewall monument, celebrating 50 years of pride. Turn it into a virtual event with friends. You can hang out at StoneWallForever.org.
There are always vloggers and podcasters talking about their own experience with Stonewall, their LGBTQ+ experiences, and all things pride.
2. Decorate Your Space with Rainbow Decor
Now’s the time to get some colorful bling going on with rainbow decor. A rainbow rug, flag, table cloth, and fun plates turn your apartment into an explosion of pride-approved colors.
3. Host a Party with Family & Friends
Throw a party to celebrate LGBTQ+ love! Rainbow-themed cocktails or shots, anyone?
4. Join a Pride Parade or Festival
It seems like every weekend in June there's a different Pride Parade happening. Check out a few of the major ones in the US:
- SaMo (Santa Monica) Pride
- Philadelphia Pride Parade
- Baltimore Pride
- Denver Pride
- NYC Pride
- San Francisco Pride
- Seattle Pride
Some cities such as Nashville, Houston, and Chicago have delayed their parades until later this year, so if you wanted to, you could actually celebrate twice this year!
5. Indulge in an LGBTQ+ Movie or TV Marathon
A Netflix binge is a great way to support LGBTQ+ creators and overall representation in film and television. Movies like Moonlight, Green Book, and A Fantastic Woman all unravel stories of heartache and suspense as lives are turned upside down.
6. Shop Your Way to Support LGBTQ+ Related Causes
This month, many companies are helping consumers shop for a cause with a percentage of proceeds going towards LGBTQ+ charities. If you're not sure where to get started, Target has a #takepride collection with a pledged donation of $100,000 to GLSEN. That’s an education organization that advocates for LGBTQ issues.
7. Donate to a Worthy Cause
Now’s the perfect time to donate to a worthy cause. Pick and choose your favorite charity, like The Trevor Project, to help LGBTQ+ youth in crisis. CharityNavigator can also help refine your search to align with multiple causes you care most about.
8. Educate Yourself in Allyship
Becoming an LGBTQ+ ally is an ongoing process where we listen, advocate, and support. GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network, is one place to start looking for resources. The Human Rights Campaign and PFLAG also offer support for those who want to become responsible and proactive allies.
9. Turn Up the Colors in Your Life
There's never been a better time to drench yourself, and your apartment, in rainbows. Add a rainbow flag to everyday items. Some items to consider include your apartment door, laptop, water bottle, bumper stickers, and balcony to show off your pride in style.
10. Enjoy Socially-Distanced Drinks
If your state isn't fully open yet, you can still toast to Gay Pride from a distance. Depending on your area, meet up for a cocktail outdoors while sitting an appropriate distance apart. You could also set up an area on your balcony for you and your roommate to toast to summer celebrations from afar.
11. Get Social
Sometimes being a supportive ally for the LGBTQ+ community is normalizing pronoun usage. Add pronouns to your social media handles, like She/Her/Hers, to let people know your status and support others who want to do the same.
12. Send Some Swag
Spread the pride of love by sending someone else some swag. Load up on rainbow stickers, merchandise, T-shirts, and rainbow-packaged snacks. You can also ship off a care package to your favorite pride supporter.
13. Bake Rainbow-themed Treats
Roll-up your sleeves and get ready to show off your baking skills with some rainbow-themed treats. Get creative with frosting and sprinkles and take some over to neighbors to leave for their own at-home pride fest.
14. Buy Someone a "Happy Pride" Lunch
Support local LBGTQ+ businesses and your community at the same time. Ask around about which businesses in your area are LGBTQ+ owned. Then, order up a to-go lunch for your favorite neighbor as a fun surprise.
15. Say Thank You
Without our LGBTQ+ advocates at the Stonewall riots and beyond, we wouldn't have the colorful world we live in today. Say thank you to the community by writing a note to a local charity, scheduling a call with a friend, or just acknowledging those who advocated before us on social media.
Final Thoughts
Spend this June celebrating celebrate pride, our rights, and our allyship with loved ones!