After Pride Month ends on June 30 every year, businesses bid farewell to their temporary rainbow logos and limited-time pride products.
Allyship, however, isn’t something that ends alongside June. Legislation and other decisions that impact the LGBTQ+ community are made around the calendar year. By standing with the community regardless of the month, you can ensure their voices are heard in all the places that matter and their rights are fought for.
Here are a few ways you can continue to support the LGBTQ+ community:
Support LGBTQ+ owned businesses
Instead of shopping at fast fashion stores that see pride apparel as a month-long trend, support businesses owned by members of the LGBTQ+ community whenever you can.
Supporting LGBTQ+ businesses can forever help the lives of those behind them. Queer individuals have disproportionately higher chances of experiencing homelessness and suicide. By supporting queer businesses, you can help elevate their owners who may be struggling. It’s also the definition of putting your money where your mouth is and going beyond slacktivism.
Educate yourself on LGBTQ+ history
Only four states in the U.S. require schools to teach LGBTQ+ history. Additionally, Scotland is the only country globally to mandate LGBTQ+ history courses in all government-funded schools. That mandate only began in 2020.
Whether it’s in a classroom or not, take some time to educate yourself about the history of queer people and their fight for rights. Learning the history behind events like the Stonewall riots and Obergefell v. Hodges makes allies more understanding of the work of LGBTQ+ individuals. It’s also a reminder that the work for equality isn’t complete and that allies can help continue that fight.
Elevate QTBIPOC voices
In 2019, there were at least 27 deaths of transgender or gender non-conforming women in the U.S., with the majority of those women being Black. Black transgender people also have a 26% unemployment rate. That rate is double the rate of overall transgender homelessness, according to the National LGBTQ Task Force.
Being an ally means standing with those most at risk of harm. Amplify the voices of QTBIPOC people. Share their stories, donate to GoFundMe pages, and recognize the intersectionalities between sexual orientation, identity, race, ethnicity, and gender.
Share resources and donate
Retweet, repost, and share resources that help LGBTQ+ people. Organizations like GLAAD and The Trevor Project share an abundance of helpful articles, hotlines, and stories about and for the LGBTQ+ community. The act of sharing a resource takes seconds but can mean the world to an individual struggling with their identity or needing someone to talk to.
You can also directly support the work of such organizations through donating. In the case of The Trevor Project, a donation helps train crisis counselors and provides free crisis services to LGBTQ+ youth who need it.
Read also:
My Queerness Does Not Absolve Me Of White Privilege
Finding A Community From Within The Closet
Have We Gone Too Far With The Idea Of Feminism?
