Celebrate and honor pride year-round
In many parts of the world, June is Pride Month, and June 28th is LGBTQ+ Pride Day. Each year around this time, people gather to celebrate LGBTQ+ identity and culture through parades, marches, workshops, parties and other organized festivities. Through these events, participants raise awareness and advocate for the equal rights and treatment of LGBTQ+ people.
Why limit it to one month? Here are some ways to support the community throughout the year.
Keep learning about the community and engaging in it
Whether you’re a part of the community or a supporter of it, there’s always more to learn. Interacting with people from different groups will help you better understand other perspectives. It will also give you a chance to contemplate any preconceived notions you may have had about a specific group.
Frequent businesses that openly support diversity and the LGBTQ+ community
You can choose to support LGBTQ+ individuals, and you can choose to support businesses that uphold LGBTQ+ rights. From national retail stores to your local bank, favorite restaurants, cafes, boutique shops, local businesses and more, many organizations declare their commitment to inclusivity on their websites and through signs displayed at their physical locations.
Create safe spaces and safe landings
Especially if something doesn’t directly affect you, it can be difficult to understand it. And, in some cases, it may be easier to look the other way. But the difficult truth is, many LGBTQ+ people do not feel welcome or safe at home, at work or around town — and may not be. They may fear being misunderstood, rejected or even ostracized. They also may fear potential harm. So, they may choose to hide this part of their life.