Take Pride In Owning Your Pleasure

Pride—which used to be termed Gay Pride but has become more expansive over time--​was kicked off by the Stonewall Riots in New York City, which happened at the end of June in 1969. Police raided the Stonewall Inn, a queer bar, which was a common occurrence then; homosexuality was still illegal in many states and it could be dangerous for LGBTQ folks to gather. There was already a movement that focused on civil rights for these communities, but though it had made gains, it was not an "in your face" struggle like many other civil rights and anti-war campaigns of the time. But at Stonewall, patrons fought back. And on the anniversary of the riot, the newly out-and-proud queer community organized marches in a number of US cities—which in turn spread the word that LGBTQ identities were nothing to be ashamed of, highlighted queer culture and social issues, and inspired more people to come out of the closet. Many cities today spend the entire month of June (or whenever they celebrate Pride) attending cultural events and learning more about LGBT history.​

You sure can! As long as you're not a hater, Pride is for you too, because everyone should be able to enjoy their consensual sexuality with pride, plus everyone in the queer communities needs allies! You can show your support to your queer friends, family, neighbors and co-workers--and march down the street side by side, or get a spot on the sidewalk and enjoy the parade. 

Yes, it can be challenging to keep hold of this acronym, which basically seeks to acknowledge those with other-than-heteronormative lives or identities. Here's an even longer and more inclusive one (and it will probably get even longer!): LGBTTQQIA. That stands for: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Transsexual, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Assexual, ... and sometimes you see it with an additional FFA—that stands for Friends, Family, Allies, ... and if you see the acronym including 2S, that stands for Two-Spirit, one indigenous term for a person who embodies femaleness as well as maleness.

Are you wondering why there are so many letters? The short answer is, this acronym seeks to be inclusive of a lot of sexual and gender diversity! These are all ways of identifying, or living in the world, that have historically been considered outside the norm--hence the need for pride, and for solidarity.

Because LGBTTQQIA is so hard to pronounce <lol>! But seriously... each letter in the acronym is distinct from the others, but those who ID as queer sometimes feel the desire to identify with an overarching community, or don't feel that they fit exactly into one of the above-mentioned categories. Using one term that could be considered inclusive of that diverse grouping also helps make these communities more visible—and increase their solidarity with one another. This is especially important now, as the "culture wars" heat up again. 

Learn more about it, show up for it, and stand against attempts to bully it and its members, whether that bullying happens in school, on the street, or in the statehouse. Vote! And donate when you can.  This Pride season Good Vibes has chosen a national GiVe partner that creates safe space for all who need support and respect via hotline and chatrooms: the LGBT National Help Center. Their website at https://lgbthotline.org/ also helps folks find local-to-them resources. 

Donate here: https://www.goodvibes.com/content/c/GiVe-Donations-Sponsorship