June is Pride Month, and a time to celebrate and uplift the rights of LGBTQ people to be who they are and love who they love. This year, Pride month comes during a very challenging time for our community and we want to acknowledge the pain many are feeling as we – and the entire nation – address the violence against Black people and the racism and injustice that persists in this country.
While we remember and honor the lives of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor that were recently lost to the cruelty of violence and an unequal system, we also want to honor and acknowledge the names of the 12 transgender and gender non-conforming people who have been killed in the U.S. so far this year: Tony McDade - Nina Pop - Monika Diamond - Dustin Parker - Helle Jae O’Regan- Neulisa Luciano Ruiz - Yampi Mendez Arocho - Lexi - Johanna Metzger - Serena Angelique Velázquez Ramos - Johanna Metzger - Layla Pelaez Sánchez – and Penélope Díaz Ramírez
MAY THEY REST IN POWER.
Here are 5 things you can do this month to use your power to stand up for equality, health, love and respect for all.
1. Learn and Acknowledge the Black + Brown Origins of Pride
As we witness the demonstrations across the country, it’s especially important that we recognize and lift the voices of the Black and brown leaders who made the LGBTQ movement what it is today.
In 1969, patrons of a LGBTQ bar called the Stonewall Inn in New York City staged an uprising to resist a violent and discriminatory police raid, leading to the birth of the modern LGBTQ rights movement. The leaders of the action, known as the Stonewall Riots, were largely black and brown people, including Marsha P. Johnson, (a black transwoman), Stormé DeLarverie (a biracial lesbian), and Sylvia Rivera (a Latinx drag queen). The first Pride parade took place the following year in commemoration of the riots. This year marks the 50th anniversary of that first parade.
You can learn more about LGBTQ history here, and specifically more about Black leaders of the LGBTQ movement here.
2. Own Your Health
LGBTQ teens and all young people need and deserve the right to own their health. Check out TeenSource blogs on LGBTQ issues like HPV facts for LGBTQ-identifying individuals, bisexual visibility week, non-binary identities, what to do when your friend comes out to you, and of course, the TeenSource resource page for LGBTQ teens!
3. Promote + Practice Respect
If you don’t identify as LGBTQ, you can still participate in Pride month activities, but it’s a good idea to listen and learn from those in the community to make sure you are being respectful. Check out these helpful tips for allies!
4. Share Safe Protest Tips
This is a challenging and heartbreaking time for many. For those who are considering or planning on protesting, or who know others protesting during this time, it is important to stay as safe as possible – especially since we are still in the middle of a global pandemic.
Here are some tips you can share with anyone who may need them:
- Think about your COVID risk and the risk of others you live with before you join
- Wear a mask! Wearing a mask can protect both you and others from droplets that may contain COVID-19
- Do your best to stay 6 ft. or more away from other people
- Stick to a small group
- Don't yell - yelling is more likely to spread coronavirus. Use signs and noise makers instead.
- Protect your eyes with goggles
- Bring water, hand sanitizer, snacks, and IDs
- Write emergency numbers on your arm in case you need them
- Check out these other general safety tips for protesting.
5. Find a Way to Celebrate Pride Online!
Some of the best parts of Pride are the celebrations of LGBTQ love, identity, and visibility. It may be difficult for us and our LGBTQ loved ones to skip out on the festivities this year due to COVID-19. While we know online events can’t replace the real thing, joining in community to celebrate Pride is still an option! On Saturday, June 27, Global Pride will host a 24-hour online event with musical and artistic performances, speeches from activists and campaigners, and addresses by public figures. You can sign up here!
Share your ideas for how you’re going to celebrate Pride with us on Instagram at @teensourceorg!