With all the ridiculous pushback on Pride month, suggesting that instead we should have Veterans Month, something that already exists because May is National Military Appreciation Month. Or how about those who believe we should rebrand June as Fidelity Month or Nuclear Family Month? Seriously? What the f&*k is wrong with people? Like the nuclear family needs support because goodness knows…all that violence against them or to individuals who have a strong belief in fidelity. I wonder how many people understand the real purpose of Pride Month. I tried to find articles that would eloquently help those ignorant folk understand, and unfortunately, I didn’t come across anything that stood out, but I did find a few nuggets to share, perhaps not as eloquently or as convincingly as I might like, but I will share some of those words of wisdom. Sadly, even if I am able to list compelling reasons with those who oppose Pride Month, the ones who have suggested these alternatives will never be moved by my words. However, that will not stop me from sharing a few things.

Probably the biggest reason to celebrate and continue to declare June as Pride Month is for the sense of self-acceptance that is generated. Health professionals insist this is an actual life-and-death situation for some. With the high incidence of suicide in LGBTQ+ youth, supporting this acceptance and celebrating diversity is crucial.
Pride Month is quite simply a beacon of hope for us and a reminder that we are not alone. It’s a time when the world joins us in affirming our identities and celebrating our existence, value, and vitality.
Pride Month is a reminder of how essential it is to create safe, inclusive spaces for all.
This month is a time to celebrate our progress, which unfortunately of late has not been so great, which makes it that much more needed because it also acknowledges our ongoing struggles and work yet needed.
This is the time to amplify our voices that have been increasingly marginalized of late. It is time to recommit to the fight for equality. The fact is that support for marriage equality is down six points since 2022. It used to be at 71%, and now it is only 65%. While 62% (still a majority) view gay/lesbian relations as moral, that is the lowest percentage since 2016. And finally, the morality of people changing their gender has dropped eight points since 2021. This all means that we’ve taken huge steps back in our progress.

The bottom line is that we need Pride Month even more today than three or four years ago, because we are losing ground. So…to all my fellow LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters, let’s celebrate together and keep pushing. We owe it to the youth who are struggling and to ourselves. Don’t forget to check out the free books for Pride that Jae put together: https://jae-fiction.com/50-free-sapphic-books/ Affinity has several on offer, including some of mine! They are only available on the Affinity Website: https://affinityebooks.com/sales-copy/ And…if you want to support this Sapphic author during Pride, I’d love for you to check out my books…just click on the links below.