Happy Pride Month! June is a month of celebration and support for the LGBTQ+ community.
Chances are, someone you know is part of this community in some way. And while you will likely see a lot of support for the community this month, you are also probably going to see a lot of rude comments, hateful social media posts, and slurs thrown around too.
So much of the world still feels hate toward the LGBTQ+ community. That makes it extremely important for us allies to stand up for the community and voice our support (loudly).
There are many ways we can show our support during both during Pride Month and all year long.
If you are looking for some ways you can help the LGTBQ+ community, here are a few ideas:
1. Stand up to the hate you will (inevitably) witness.
If you are on any social media platform, there is almost a guarantee that you will see some hateful content being shared this month.
Standing up for others’ rights can be a small way to make a big impact.
I’m not saying to start fights in the comments of a Facebook post, but finding little (kind) ways to show support can mean a lot to the LGBTQ+ individuals seeing those posts.
Stand up for your neighbors, and remind others that everyone deserves love and kindness, no matter their sexual orientation.
2. Respect pronouns & preferred names.
If someone has a preferred pronoun or name, even if it’s different than what you’re used to, respect it! Everyone has a right to be addressed in the way they are comfortable and identify with.
If some guy you worked with decided he wanted to start going by his middle name, everyone would likely respect that decision, so why not respect it when an LGBTQ+ member wants to go by a different name?
If someone you are used to calling ‘she/her’ lets you know that they prefer ‘they/them’, start using their preferred pronouns immediately. If you slip up and say ‘she’, apologize and correct yourself. Show your support and respect for their preferences.
3. Be the kind of person that someone would feel comfortable coming out to.
If a friend or family member came out to you, how would you respond? Would you be supportive? Would their feelings and needs be heard or would you instead be putting your own feelings and opinions in the spotlight?
Coming out is such an important and huge moment in a person’s life. If they are coming out to you, be kind, loving, supportive, and remind them you’re proud of them for being themselves and that you accept them for exactly who they are.
A loved one coming out to you may catch you by surprise or bring up a variety of feelings and emotions in yourself. And while your feelings do matter, try not to let them take over the whole situation. Be accepting, be supportive, and sort through your feelings later. This is such an important moment for them.
While it might be easy for some people to come out, others may have spent several years building up the courage to get to this moment. Don’t be the reason they have a bad coming out experience.
Imagine if you had been keeping a crucial part of your identity a secret for years. If you finally revealed that part of yourself and you were met with hate and disappointment, how would that make you feel?
Remember- be kind, be supportive, be a good listener, and remind them that they are loved and valued.
4. Don’t ‘out’ someone.
If someone comes out to you, you may feel the need or desire to share that with others. But don’t.
Coming out is someone’s personal choice and their choice only. Don’t take it upon yourself to come out for them unless they specifically tell you that you can. Don’t tell your friends or other family members. They trusted you with a piece of themselves and when they are ready to share that piece of themselves with others, they will.
If you are dealing with your own emotions/feelings from your loved one coming out, there are a ton of sources for you to find the answers or listening ear that you need. Even if you are the only one that knows, that doesn’t mean you have to sort through your emotions alone. Here are several helpful resources:
You can also search for local support groups by doing a quick Google search or using resources such as this.
5. Give to organizations that are fighting for the LGBTQ+ community.
If/when you give to organizations, give to ones that are doing their part for LGBTQ+ lives.
Donating money (or time) to these organizations is an amazing way to do your part for the LGTBQ+ community.
Here are a few great organizations and what they are working toward:
The Trevor Project
Taken from the Trevor Project website, “The Trevor Project’s mission is to end suicide among LGBTQ young people.”
Did you know that LGBTQ youth are 4x more likely to attempt suicide than non-LGBTQ youth? The Trevor Project is working to put an end to that.
They are an amazing organization doing so much to help LGBTQ+ youth and their families find the answers and support they need.
You can donate to the Trevor Project here.
Human Rights Campaign Foundation
THe HRCF aims to improve the well-being and quality of life of the LGBTQ+ community. They also are known for their Corporate Equality Index, which rates employers on their inclusivity and equality for employees.
You can donate to the HRCF here.
Point Foundation
The Point Foundation provides scholarships for LGBTQ+ college students.
You can donate to the Point Foundation here.
PFLAG
PFLAG is a pretty large organization dedicated to helping LGBTQ+ individuals throughout their lives, as well as helping others understand how they can better support the LGBTQ+ community.
For example, I have attended webinars through my employer before where PFLAG representatives have spoken about the LGBTQ+ community and ways that we can be better allies and do our part, both in the workplace and just in life in general.
You can donate to PFLAG here.
Family Equality Organization
The Family Equality Organization works to help LGBTQ+individuals and families who are needing assistance. This includes adoption assistance, foster care, legal services, employment, housing, healthcare, and so much more.
You can donate to the Family Equality Organization here.
SAGE
SAGE is an organization that helps LGBTQ+ elders live their best lives. They provide training for assisted living and senior living facilities, help with housing, provide resources for elders on a variety of LGBTQ+ related topics, and advocate for elders’ rights in legal settings.
You can donate to SAGE here.
6. Frequently remind people that they are loved and valued for who they are.
I truly think that there are way more loving and accepting people than there are hateful ones. But the hateful, angry ones seem to scream louder.
So doing your part to make the love louder than the hate can make a difference in someone’s life.
Imagine if you were being constantly ridiculed, called names, and hated because of one single part of yourself.
Going through that is likely to take a toll on your mental health and self-image.
Seeing a post that reminds you that you are valuable, worthy of love, and important could change your entire outlook and help you realize that just because some people may not value you doesn’t mean you aren’t valuable.
So post on social media, text an LGBTQ+ friend, send a card, do whatever you need to do to remind that person that they are amazing just as they are.
7. Vote for representatives who prioritize LGBTQ+ rights.
When it comes time for you to vote, keep the LGBTQ+ community in mind. It’s no secret that many representatives are on a mission to take away basic rights from LGBTQ+ people. Vote for representatives who are going to protect those rights and make equal rights for all their goal.
To get a good idea of what candidates value and prioritize, check out sites like Vote411 or Ballotpedia. These sites typically have a list of questions they ask candidates, and voters can read their answers and stances on certain topics.
Vote as if your loved ones’ rights were at stake- because they very well might be.
8. Buy from companies who truly care about pride.
Pride Month is full of companies changing their social media photos to a rainbow version of their logo and giving the impression that they truly care about the LGBTQ+ community. But many of these same companies are donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to politicians who are shutting down rights for LGBTQ+ people.
Choosing to buy from companies that “put their money where their mouth is” is a way you can make a difference. Find companies and businesses that are actually doing their part to make the lives of LGBTQ+ people better instead of just changing their profile picture for a month.
This website has a search option where you can look up different companies and see how they rank as far as LGBTQ+ inclusivity for their employees.
Here are a few companies that are doing their part:
Keep in mind that being a perfect shopper isn’t possible. There are always going to be companies whose decisions don’t perfectly align with our values. But by giving our money to companies doing good when we can, we are taking a step forward.
9. Better yet, support queer-owned businesses.
There are countless amazing small businesses out there run by members of the LGBTQ+ community. Why not support a business like that rather than the big corporate stores you usually buy from?
Etsy, for example, is full of queer-owned shops with awesome products of all kinds.
Next time you’re shopping for a gift or home décor or whatever else, try to find a queer-owned business you can support!
10. Set a good example for future generations of allies.
Pride month is a thing because for so long, LGBTQ+ individuals have not been accepted for who they are. If we want to live in a world where everyone is accepted and loved, no matter their sexual orientation, we have to create that world! What better way to do that than to set an example of love, kindness, and acceptance for the generations of the future?!
Be a role model that shows the importance of being an ally. Show those younger than you that the world is a better place when everyone can be themselves freely without fear of persecution.
11. Frequently reflect on how you can be more inclusive & supportive.
All of us would like to think that we are being the perfect ally, but there are always going to be a few things we could improve on. (There’s no shame in it, life is a constant process of reflection & improvement.)
If you need to confront your own biases or prejudices, do so. No matter how uncomfortable or difficult it may be.
12. Don’t let the support stop after June 30th
Everyone is hyper-aware of the issues during June, but that doesn’t mean the LGBTQ+ community only needs help during that month. Supporting the community should be a year-around thing.
If you are supportive during June, great! But don’t let it stop there. Do your part all year long!
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