Preparing for Pride Month
For over 50 years, LGBTQ organizations and countless allies worldwide have commemorated the 1969 Stonewall Riots with outdoor Pride marches, parades, live entertainment, educational workshops, and more. But this year, due to the pandemic and the need to maintain social distancing, these important celebrations may look a lot different during Pride Month 2021.
However, just because you can’t march arm-in-arm doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate and carry on the essential work of pushing for change, educating, and supporting LGBTQ communities everywhere. Whether you’re a veteran or a newbie participant, preparing for Pride Month 2021 will surely be unlike any other year that has come before.
Although many Pride Month 2021 events are scheduled to occur in Texas outdoors, there are several other fun and supportive ways to participate if you choose to minimize your in-person contact. The following ways to prepare for Pride Month 2021 will still provide opportunities to form solid relationships, erase misconceptions, and celebrate diversity.
Volunteer
Pride Month 2021, whether outdoors and in-person or entirely online, requires a lot of preparation. Volunteers are an essential part of preparing numerous annual Pride events, most of which couldn’t be held without their support. As a volunteer, you could help set up an online art exhibit by non-gender-specific artists. As another option, online resources to help LGBTQ youth and their allies navigate the stress and uncertainty brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic are always needed.
Share Your Story
To prepare for Pride Month 2021, you could decide to share your story, either by writing a blog post or hosting a live event on social media. Live events allow for immediate communication with viewers, which can create a very personal experience. Or, if you’re not comfortable with a live setting, pre-recorded videos are also possible and still allow for listeners to comment with questions or their own stories.
Sharing your personal story can have a powerful impact on others who may have experienced similar events but feel isolated. Knowing there is someone else who may be experiencing similar emotions — like guilt, shame, or fear — can help ease the trauma and provide assurance that they’re not alone. In addition, solidarity can provide vital support for getting through tough times.
Donate
Donations to organizations that prepare for Pride Month 2021 also support many communities year-round. Several of these organizations provide direct support to designated beneficiaries each year, including preparing for Pride Month 2021. In addition, some community groups also offer Loyalty and Reward Programs that partner with sponsored companies.
These companies sign up to donate a portion of their sales made through the loyalty program to the local Pride community organization. As a result, sponsors generally benefit from increased credibility, sales, and the collection of shoppers’ personal information for their marketing databases.
Educate
If you’re an educational teacher, administrator, or volunteer, you could help support the LGBTQ+ community and prepare for Pride Month 2021 by starting an in-school organization. School-based extracurricular groups can positively affect student performance, address inequality and discrimination, and help to ensure that school curriculum and policies are inclusive.
LGBTQ+ student organizations can nurture safe and affirming school environments and shape the overall school climate. Signing up to start or participate in this kind of school group can help ensure that students have positive educational experiences. Educators can also provide lesson plans to students on diversity, bias, and bullying to educate them. They can also offer suggestions on what to do if they encounter abuse first-hand or as a spectator.
Teach Tolerance
Educating the public through your actions as a citizen is another way to prepare for Pride Month 2021 without joining a march or parade. Research shows that LGBTQ+ youth face bullying at significantly higher rates than their peers. Tragically, consequences, such as increased rates of suicide, can be devastating.
People of all ages may sometimes use homophobic words or expressions. People must speak up to communicate that this speech is unacceptable if it is safe to do so. Teaching tolerance even to strangers is a great way to prepare for the most unusual Pride Month 2021 ever.
Learn more about how you can get involved in helping to prepare for Pride Month 2021.
