The calendar pages are turning, and the familiar markers of June are beginning to emerge: rainbow flags unfurling in storefronts, corporations subtly shifting their logos, and the general hum of “Pride Month” starting to permeate the airwaves. For many, this signals a time of vibrant celebration, a joyous outpouring of identity and community. But as the countdown to June begins, a stark, unsettling reality grips me: Pride is coming—but I’m not in the mood to celebrate just yet.
This isn’t a dismissal of Pride’s profound importance; it’s a visceral reaction to the current atmosphere. This year, “Pride” feels less like an unburdened celebration and more like a grim reality: a war zone with glitter.
The Dissonance of Celebration: A War Zone with Glitter
The stark dissonance between the celebratory façade of Pride Month and the brutal reality of ongoing attacks on LGBTQ+ rights is becoming unbearable. It feels like we’re being asked to dance cheerfully on a battleground where our very existence, our fundamental rights, and our inherent dignity are under relentless assault.
- Relentless Legislative Attacks: Across the nation, particularly in states like my own Texas, we are witnessing an unprecedented, organized, and deeply malicious surge in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. These aren’t minor policy disputes; they are direct attacks on our right to exist, to receive life-saving healthcare, to live authentically, and to simply be safe. Anti-trans legislation, in particular, aims to erase trans individuals from public life, deny medical care to both minors and adults, and criminalize gender-affirming care. My own story, forged in the fires of being outed and subjected to “pray the gay away” conversion attempts, makes this threat deeply personal and profoundly terrifying. We are fighting for our basic humanity, even as corporations roll out rainbow-colored merchandise.
- Dehumanizing Rhetoric as a Weapon: Beyond legislation, the rhetoric used by politicians and media figures has grown increasingly dehumanizing and violent. We are accused of “grooming” children, labeled as threats to “traditional values,” and subjected to a constant barrage of misinformation designed to incite fear and hatred. This isn’t just words; this language directly fuels discrimination and, tragically, physical violence against our community. When public discourse so readily dehumanizes us, celebrating feels like ignoring the very real danger.
- The Weight of Witnessing: For those of us within the community, especially those who carry the scars of past trauma, witnessing this relentless assault is exhausting. It’s a constant drain on our emotional reserves, forcing us into a perpetual state of hypervigilance. The joyous calls to “celebrate!” can feel tone-deaf when your community is simultaneously under siege.
The Shallow Glow of Rainbow Capitalism: When ‘Love is Love’ Isn’t Enough
In this charged atmosphere, the proliferation of corporate rainbow branding during June feels less like genuine allyship and more like a cynical marketing strategy. This “rainbow capitalism” is a painful reminder that for many corporations, LGBTQ+ inclusion is a seasonal campaign, a lucrative demographic to target, rather than a year-round commitment to justice and human rights.
- Performative Allyship: Companies rush to change their logos to rainbows on June 1st, issue carefully worded “love is love” statements, and launch Pride-themed products. Yet, when July 1st hits, those rainbows often disappear, and their actions for the rest of the year often fail to align with their Pride-month proclamations. Are they actively lobbying against anti-LGBTQ+ legislation? Are their healthcare plans inclusive of trans employees? Do they have openly queer individuals in leadership positions? Are they donating to organizations fighting for our rights, or only to those that provide good “optics”? Too often, the answer is a resounding silence.
- The Inadequacy of Slogans: Slogans like “Love is Love” are beautiful, simple, and important. They are banners of acceptance. But in a legislative landscape that seeks to deny our very existence, “love is love” feels woefully insufficient. We need robust legal protections, systemic change, and unwavering political will—not just pretty phrases. Love, while powerful, cannot single-handedly dismantle discriminatory laws or stop a hate crime.
- Exploiting Identity for Profit: The rush to market Pride-themed products, often with minimal or unclear contributions to LGBTQ+ organizations, feels exploitative. It commodifies our struggle, turning our identity into a sales opportunity, rather than truly investing in our liberation. It’s a subtle, yet deeply frustrating, form of commercialization that often benefits corporations more than the community itself.
The True Meaning of Pride: A Radical Act of Existence
My reluctance to fully celebrate this year stems from a deep understanding of what Pride truly is. Pride began as a riot at Stonewall, a desperate act of defiance against police brutality and systemic oppression. It was a protest, a demand for basic dignity, a refusal to be silenced. And it remains, at its core, a radical act of self-affirmation and collective resistance.
- Visibility as Resistance: Even when it feels hard, simply existing openly, lovingly, and unapologetically is a profound act of resistance. Every queer person living authentically, every proud relationship, every moment of shared joy, undermines the hateful narrative that seeks to erase us.
- Community as Sanctuary: Pride is a vital reminder of the power of our chosen family, our community, our shared spaces of love and acceptance. These are the life rafts that sustain us through the storms, providing the strength to keep fighting.
- The Fight Continues: My focus right now is less on the glitter and more on the grind. It’s about raising awareness, advocating for rights, supporting organizations on the front lines, and refusing to let the relentless attacks break our spirit.
So, as June approaches, I will still acknowledge Pride. I will remember its origins. I will celebrate the resilience of my community. I will cherish my chosen family and the profound love Matthew brings into my life. These are my anchors. But the full-throated, unburdened celebration feels, for now, deferred. My heart is too aware of the battle being waged outside the parade routes. We are in a war zone with glitter, and until the tides truly turn, my focus remains on the fight for true, systemic liberation—a future where Pride can finally be just a celebration, because our rights are simply, unequivocally, normal.
What does Pride mean to you this year? How do you balance celebration with the ongoing fight for rights? Share your thoughts below – let’s engage in this crucial dialogue about the true meaning of allyship and the path to genuine liberation.