PRIDE reminders

Happy PRIDE month.

Here are your annual reminders:

* Supporting LGBTQIA+ people and communities is important year-round.

* Remember the reason for PRIDE is due to the very real barriers, discrimination, and oppression that LGBTQIA+ folx still experience. This is doubly true to POC members of the community, trans and non-binary members of the community, and disabled members of the community. It is an important reminder that it is okay to celebrate and have pride in who you are, especially given the growing backlash to things such as marriage equality and trans affirming health-care.

* Don’t fall for the rainbow-washing. What is rainbow washing you ask? It is the phenomenon of companies jumping on the rainbow merchandise bandwagon to cash in on this month, without ever doing anything meaningful to support LGBTQIA+ people in general or their workers in particular. Buy from LGBTQIA+ people directly, or from organizations and companies that actively work to support LGBTQIA+ people and communities.

* The original PRIDE was an up-rising against the oppression and harassment of the community and it was led by black and brown trans women and sex workers. These voices and experiences should not be white washed out of PRIDE, they are the heart of what PRIDE means.

* LGBTQIA+ folx have always existed, in every corner of the world, this includes trans and non-binary folx

* We all carry internalized homophobia, biphobia & transphobia; we need to do the work so we don’t actively do harm

Donate to organizations that support LGBTQIA+ causes: 

* Human Rights Campaign 

* National Center for Transgender Equality 

* Transgender Law Center 

* LGBTQ Freedom Fund 

* Trevor Project 

* Somos Familia Valle 

Other donation ideas: 

* Give directly through requests for mutual aid 

* Give to Go Fund Me accounts of trans folks saving for surgery 

Support paying LGBTQIA+ folx for their time and expertise.