This story originally appeared on Them.
Pride Month is here, which means queer discourse (and discourse about the discourse) is bound to pop up on your social media feeds. Like clockwork, certain intra-community debates always resurface around this time of year. Think kink at Pride, straight boyfriends at Pride… actually, a lot of the drama revolves around who’s welcome at Pride.
Can riling up strangers on the internet give you a rush that rivals a poppers high? For sure. All jokes aside, it’s worth considering why we feel compelled to engage in infighting — and more importantly, how we can conserve our energy to fight our oppressors. Because some battles simply aren’t worth it.
In the spirit of the season, read up on the queer discourse you were destined to solve this month, based on your zodiac sign.
Aries: reclaiming slurs
Actually, fagcents are sexy
The shame around “gay voice” is giving way to something else: tantalization.
Who can say the f-slur? Look, you’re the fiery warrior of the zodiac. You know that words can cut deep, especially slurs, even when they’ve been reclaimed. But you also see how harping on semantics within our community distracts us from bigger, more urgent battles — like violent hate crimes or threats to gender-affirming healthcare for trans youth.
Taurus: rainbow capitalism
We regret to inform you that chips ahoy! is tweeting like a trans person
The cookie brand wrote “did you just clock me?????” in response to a question about surgery.
Hi, gay! As a luxury-loving earth sign, you have good taste and strong convictions. Put another way: You like to treat yourself and can see right through rainbow capitalism. It’s one thing to patronize a small queer-owned business, but snapping up merch from a giant corporation that’s blatantly capitalizing on Pride Month? Pass.
Gemini: policing labels or pronouns
Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images
Pronouns 102: A guide to using any and all he/she/they pronouns
For some people, pronouns aren’t about specifying which ones they want to use, but instead about welcoming any and all.
Labels and pronouns matter. As the wordsmith of the zodiac, you could never deny that. But you can also appreciate complexity and contradiction. Who are you to police which words people use to describe themselves? If someone can’t wrap their head around neopronouns or a they/them lesbian, maybe they need to open their mind. Or, I don’t know… mind their business?
Cancer: biological vs. chosen family
On the gratitude I feel to my chosen family
Especially in times of crisis, I’ve come to realize family is less a noun and more a verb, a practice, something we do, together.
You love and cherish your people, Cancer, which is why you’re primed to solve this discourse. It’s simple, really: As queer adults, we get to choose our family. And if your family of origin has rejected or alienated you? It can be incredibly empowering to build a community on your own terms, even if they aren’t related to you. Discussion over.
Leo: gold star lesbians / platinum gays
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Your guide to lesbian bars, pop-ups, and parties in every state
From Alaska to Wyoming, we’ve got hot leads on where to meet sapphics in every corner of the country.
Gold star this, platinum that… look, the wannabe starlet in you gets the appeal of an exclusive title. But you’re not interested in problematic labels that promote superiority complexes (or worse, misogyny). You mean to tell me the most notable thing about you is something you haven’t done? Just say you’re boring.
Virgo: debating who “counts” as queer or trans
Truscum and transmedicalism explained: everything you need to know about the online discourse
Dive into the history of the deep rift in trans online spaces.
You’re always here to debate details, and frankly, you’re good at it. That said, you’re not in the business of overanalyzing other queer and trans people’s life stories. You’re also uninterested in litigating who gets to call themselves [insert identity label here]. You have bigger fish to fry — like embracing your role as the Type A friend in the friend group and planning your Pride weekend itinerary.
Libra: queerbaiting
The problem with the internet’s obsession with queerbaiting
Harry Styles, Kit Connor, Cardi B, and other public figures have come under fire for “queerbaiting.” The accusations aren’t as straightforward as you think.
Face it: Queer people set the trends! It’s not our fault that cis-het celebrities covet our killer aesthetics and gender-bending couture. As a tastemaker yourself, you know how to curate a look — and you’re probably of the opinion that it’s not “queerbaiting” if the celeb in question pulls it off. (For what it’s worth: Current uses of this term have strayed far from its origins as a descriptor of actual exploitation.)
Scorpio: kink at Pride
Leo Vals/Getty Images
Why kink, BDSM, and leather should be included at Pride
Let's celebrate the contributions the kink and BDSM communities have made towards LGBTQ+ liberation.
Is it truly Pride Month if the “no kink at Pride” discourse hasn’t resurfaced? For you, this eternal debate about respectability politics hits on multiple levels. Yes, you value privacy, but you also have an affinity for societal taboos. Kinkster or not, you stand with this subculture on principle (which, spoiler alert, has always been an integral part of Pride).
Sagittarius: corporations at Pride
Which bad Pride merch are you based on your zodiac sign?
Find out who gets the dubious honor of being Chipotle’s “¿Homo estás?” tweet.
Pride began as a protest, not a corporate-sponsored event. As someone with strong opinions and an even stronger moral compass, you’re inclined to honor that radical legacy. But you’re also open-minded enough to see the pros of powerful companies supporting the LGBTQ+ community (and ideally putting their money where their mouth is). That said, performative allyship? In 2026? Girl, bye!
Capricorn: cops at Pride
Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images
No, New York Times, Pride organizers didn’t “misstep” by banning uniformed cops
An open letter to the anonymous columnist who wants to see cops at Pride.
You know how to work the system, Capricorn. You’re also ruled by Saturn, aka Daddy Time — you take LGBTQ+ history seriously. And you understand the pitfalls of cooperating with institutions that perpetuate harm against our community. You’d be the first to admit that welcoming cops at Pride is a questionable choice, and that choosing to ban them actually makes a lot of sense.
Aquarius: assimilationist vs. radical queers
Is Hollywood Killing Radical Queer Film?
Today, the scholar who first championed the New Queer Cinema movement fears for the future of queer filmmaking.
An outsider by nature, you tend to buck conventions and do things your way. But you’re very aware that not everyone has the desire (or frankly, imagination) to design a life outside of social norms. Some gays want the full white picket fence fantasy. Some gays want to be feral polyamorous freaks until the end of their days. And you know what? That’s okay.
Pisces: allies at Pride
Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images
No more Pride discourse, please
Kink at Pride? Straight boyfriends at Pride? We are so tired.
It’s a tale as old as time: Your bisexual bestie has a straight boyfriend, and she’s wondering if he can catch the invite to Pride. The empath in you doesn’t want anyone to feel left out. You could be open to it — as long as the context makes sense, and he’s cognizant of how much space he’s taking up. Whatever happens, you’re down to talk it through, tears and all.
