Allies, join us in the nuanced beauty of Pride Month
June is Pride Month, home to celebrations of LGBTQIA+ history and creativity, alongside fierce protests that fight back against a growing movement trying its damnedest to erase us from public life.
Pride means embracing this joy and defiance all in one. But too often, allies fail to recognize this, instead interacting with us or speaking about our experiences as though we live in a binary world where we are only ever enraged or carefree. (And you know how we abhor a false binary!) Ignoring the delight of being LGBTQIA+ shows that allies don’t see us, and ignoring the urgency of our fight shows that allies don’t believe us.
So consider this a reminder to look closely at your plans for Pride month. Planning a night on the town? Go further — because if you can dance alongside us, you can advocate alongside us. Or are you showing your support by posting sensational alerts about anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation? Make room for more — because we are more than the oppressions we face.
As long as there have been LGBTQIA+ people, there has been bigotry. We have always loved ourselves and each other, and we have always fought for the space to live safely and freely. There is defiance in our joy; there is joy in our defiance. Celebrating Pride does not mean choosing to recognize one or the other of these realities. It must include both.
How content creators can lead during Pride
Communications professionals have a real opportunity to help the world recognize moments like Pride with equity, action and community building. You might lift up trans and gender nonconforming voices to drown out disinformation, drive petition signatures for LGBTQIA+ affirming bills or encourage donations to organizations run by LGBTQIA+ Black people, Indigenous people and people of color.
No matter what approach you take, this guide can help you create Pride content with thoughtfulness and self-reflection.
Think bigger than trauma
Anti-trans violence is no secret. The media frequently covers gender-affirming care bans, murders of Black trans women and suicide attempts among trans youth, and advocates highlight these issues to marshal better LGBTQIA+ support.
While calling out attacks is part of our duty as communicators and activists, we have to think bigger than trauma. Trans people are equally worthy of celebration and recognition as all LGBTQIA+ people.
When we make space for the fullness of trans people’s lives, we recognize them as wholly human. The importance of this can’t be overstated. Depicting trans people as inhuman is fueling a right-wing power grab that trades on fear of “the other” to boost their own political standing. It’s an insidious, subtle way to convince the public that trans people don’t deserve safety and equal treatment.
That’s why it is so vital to do the opposite — to fund efforts and tell stories that prioritize trans humanity.
- Donate to organizations like Black Trans Femmes in the Arts, which celebrates Black trans femme creativity
- Uplift trans voices with this #TransOutLoud video from the National Center for Transgender Equality
- Find your first summer read on A Trans Joy Booklist
There’s more where this came from. Curious about all the other ways you can supercharge your marketing and communications to make a bigger impact? Introduce yourself here and let us know how we can support your work!
