10 Ways to Stay Proud Now That Pride Month Is Over
While Pride Month maybe over, that doesn’t mean you have to stop being proud of who you are. Here at PRIDE, we believe you should be protesting, celebrating, and advocating for LGBTQ rights every day of the year. So here are 10 ways to keep your queer spirit and morale high, now that Pride Month is over!
1. Donate your time to an LGBTQ cause you believe in
There are plenty of causes that support LGBTQ people. Find your passion. Is it to help LGBTQ homeless youth? Spread knowledge about PrEP? Work in a rehab center that helps queer men with meth addiction? Find which sector of the LGBTQ community you want to help, and then do it!
2. Join an LGBTQ group or team
The best thing I’ve done for myself since moving to NYC is joining a gay water polo league. The number of friends I've met through the team is astounding. My only regret is not having joined the team sooner! I highly recommend you find a gay musical group or sports team that you can join.
3. Dance your heart out like you did at Pride
Dancing can be a form of activism. Celebrating can be a form of activism. Self-care as an LGBTQ person is a form of activism. Go ahead and continue dancing your little heart out like you did at Pride.
4. Continue to compliment and support your LGBTQ brothers and sisters
Walking down the street, I loved how every single gay person was smiling and supporting one another. We weren’t afraid to talk to strangers. We were going out of our way to compliment each other on our makeup, outfit, dancing skills, and positive attitude. Let’s keep up this level of support towards our queer brothers and sisters!
5. Remain visible
At Pride, we showed off our rainbow outfits, donned ourselves in transgender flags, and wore over-the-top shirts with ridiculous gay puns on them. We were hella visible—aggressively so! We should continue to dress proudly and visibly the 11 other months of the year too.
6. Embrace that inner slut
I understand the need to not always discuss sex when it comes to LGBTQ activism, but sex is a huge part of our sexuality. We should be able to embrace being more sexually open all year round. We shouldn’t just slut it up at Pride!
7. Vote for people who support us
Vote. Vote. Vote! With everything that’s going on—especially the violent separation of children from their families—we need to vote people into office who are not only LGBTQ-friendly, but also, to put it bluntly, not monsters.
8. Continue to treat others with compassion
The number of times I heard people shout “Happy Pride” to me on the bus or street was far too many to count. There was this level of compassion we all showed to one another during Pride. Something I would love to see every other day of the year. I hate how the gay community loves to put each other down and create further divides between us. Instead of being bitchy and judgmental, let's be compassionate.
9. Continue to push yourself
At Pride, you may have pushed yourself to do things that are typically out of your comfort zone. Maybe you came out to your family or you wore a colorful outfit that you’d usually be too scared to wear in public. Whatever new things you pushed yourself to do at Pride, keep doing!
10. Remember you’re part of a huge queer community
When times get tough, just remember how many people were there marching with you, congratulating you, and standing besides you. Especially in smaller, more conservative towns, it can feel like you’re the only gay, transgender, or bisexual person for miles. But no matter where you are in the world, remember you are never alone!
