Happy Pride Month Mustangs! This Pride Month is an important one as this year has seen hundreds of anti-LGBTQ and anti-trans laws being passed. Often, Pride Month is seen simply as a month for corporations (who during the rest of the year also donate to anti-LGBTQ organizations) to put a rainbow on merchandise and profit off of queer people. However, Pride Month started with the Stonewall Riots, fighting for equality and putting an end to police brutality that was specifically targeting LGBTQ safe spaces like Stonewall.
Pride is Protest
Although pride parades and other celebrations are a fun aspect to Pride Month, it is important to recognize the history behind the month and continue to fight for queer and trans rights. Honoring the trailblazers who created the community and fought for the rights we have today is essential to fully recognizing and celebrating queer existence. There are also hundreds of countries around the world that have made being gay illegal, and being trans life-threatening socially and legally.
We must fight for equal rights for everyone, everywhere. Recent movements against queer and trans rights including access to healthcare, ability to use public restrooms, and drag have been labeled as issues to target and disenfranchise trans people. These anti-trans and other anti-LGBTQ legislation needs to be protested and fought against for the sake of our rights.
Trans Rights Are Human Rights
Like many queer rights movements, the trans rights movement has grown and fought against the discriminatory laws made specifically targeting trans people and youth across the country. Throughout the year and especially during Pride Month, trans rights need to be protected and fought for by people of all backgrounds, not just trans activists.
Allies are crucial to representation and passing protective laws for trans people and to ensure equality for all no matter gender identity or expression. Especially with the most recent anti-trans legislation across the U.S., advocating for trans rights this pride month. Educating the general public on trans issues and debunk transphobic arguments to take away basic rights and access to healthcare for trans people.
Rainbow Marketing
As mentioned earlier, many large corporations during Pride Month will create new merchandise and put a rainbow on practically everything related to their brand, including their logo. While this may be seen as a good thing, it is often used to simply make money off of their queer and trans customers, without actually contributing towards LGBTQ organizations that help advocate for and defend queer and trans rights.
Instead, supporting local small businesses that support the LGBTQ community or are owned by queer people. Supporting queer people directly and advocating for queer rights are the best things an ally can do this pride month.
Safety and Pride
Given the terrifying rate of anti-LGBTQ laws, hate crimes, and threats towards queer people this year by very influential lawmakers and leaders online has caused danger and safety issues for many LGBTQ people. As healthcare becomes less accessible, bathrooms and public spaces become death sentences for trans people, and queer couples fear going out together in public, being out and loud this Pride Month seems very scary and dangerous for queer and trans people.
It is vital to protect and help queer and trans people, especially youth, stay safe this Pride Month. With that Mustangs, make sure to support your LGBTQ friends and small businesses not only during this month, but all year; and to all of our LGBTQ Mustangs, know that you are supported and valid, stay safe.
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