Pride, it’s something we celebrate year-round, but in particular in June for Pride month as we celebrate the 1969 Stonewall Uprising on New York’s Christopher Street. While this year’s celebrations look a bit different due to COVID-19 restrictions and canceled public gatherings, we all know that nothing will stop Pride from continuing! So don’t put away that killer outfit you’ve been planning for the last year, the glitter or the Pride flags because we’ve pulled together 10 alternative ways to celebrate the LBGTQ community.
But first, a reminder of why we celebrate Pride:
The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous demonstrations by members of the LGBTQ community in response to a police raid that began in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighbourhood of Manhattan. Patrons of the Stonewall, other Village lesbian and gay bars, and neighbourhood street people fought back when the police became violent (according to Wikipedia). History.com shares that the Stonewall Riots were followed by several days of demonstrations in New York and served as the impetus for the formation of the Gay Liberation Front as well as other gay, lesbian and bisexual civil rights organizations. The next year, in 1970, New York’s first official gay pride march set off from Stonewall and up 6th Avenue. June was later designated LGBTQ Pride Month to commemorate the uprising, and 50 years later we continue to remember this moment in time with celebrations throughout the month of June.
While we, unfortunately, won’t be celebrating this year by walking those same streets in NYC, or any other city across the country, not even a pandemic can stop us from commemorating those who came before us to blaze the trail for gay rights. Here are 10 ways to celebrate this year.
1. Check If Your Local Pride Celebration Turned Virtual
While the physical parades and gatherings of thousands have been cancelled this year, many city Pride organisations are taking the celebrations online. From virtual 5ks and Pride Proms to a 24-hour global extravaganza. Check out this list of what’s happening city-by-city.
2. Donate to LGBTQ Organizations
Activism is the epitome of celebrating as it not only allows you to get involved with an organisation that you care about or are interested in what they’re doing for the community, but it’s also an easy way to support all year round. HelloGiggles shared a list of 10 black LGBTQ organizations to consider, while ShondaLand shared 24 LGBTQ organizations you could and should support right now. Remember, it’s not about the amount you’re able to donate, but that you’re donating, so share what you can afford and be proud of that amount no matter how big or small.
3. Create a Mini Parade with Your Friends
Social distancing is all about being 6 ft. apart, so consider taking the celebration outside, where there’s more room for distance, and host a parade through your neighbourhood. Make signs, wear your planned Pride outfit and take to the streets to proclaim your support! Just because it’s not the large parade you thought you’d be partaking in, doesn’t make it any less important. And you might just be surprised at how many people join you along the way!
4. Throw a Virtual Dance Party
Pride is often synonymous with an environment, entertainment, and music that gets your body moving, and the great thing is you can do it in the comfort of your own home. It can be as simple as inviting your friends, creating a Zoom meeting, building your Pride playlist of Spotify, or tapping into one of the playlists already on there like this Pride Party 2020 option featuring over 4 hours of LGBTQ anthems and triumphant pop classics, old and new, and dancing the night away.
5. Develop a Pride Book Club
You can kick this off in June and keep it going well after the month ends by reading some of the best and breakthrough books in the LGBTQ genre. No surprise that Oprah’s website, Oprah.com has curated a list of 51 books from their favourite queer authors who share the LGBTQ books that changed their lives. We see a lot of page-turners in here, so cuddle up in a comfy spot, grab and drink and start reading, then host a virtual happy hour or morning coffee book club with your friends to discuss and dissect each book.
6. Host a Global Pride Viewing Party
On Saturday, June 27, Global Pride will host a 24-hour live-streaming event featuring musical and artistic performances, speeches from activists and campaigners, and addresses by public figures. Simply sign up for the event here, and then invite your friends (we suggest a small group that you’ve been socially distancing with the last few months) to participate in the festivities with. You can always just join this event solo too and reveal in the hundreds of others who joined from near and far, too.
7. Share Your Favourite Pride Memories
Take the celebration to your social media to share photos of Pride’s past, your favourite Pride memories, or how your community is still celebrating Pride today. Organizations like the Trevor Project launched a #PrideEverywhere campaign, which encourages people to add #PrideEverywhere to posts sharing stories of what Pride looks like in their world.
8. Attend a Virtual Drag Show
From lip-syncing to live singing and dancing, drag is often a part of Pride festivities as it’s not only a form of self-expression but a way to perform as well. While we’re all missing our Sunday drag brunches at our favorite spots like the legendary Lips, we can still rejoice and join in on some spectacular drag celebrations! As an official event of NYC Pride, you can join 100 of the greatest drag performers for a 3-day digital drag festival to celebrate Pride and raise funds for local drag performers from June 19 – 21.
9. Snuggle Up for a Movie Night
You’ll laugh, cry, and learn by doing the ultimate socially distanced thing and celebrate with a binge-worthy LGBTQ movie marathon. We all know the classics like Moonlight and Rocky Horror Picture Show, but there’s also a wealth of other LGBTQ flicks out there you don’t want to miss. Hollywood Reporter recently shared a list of some under-the-radar titles you have to check out, and Buzzfeed put together a list of 30 incredible Queer movies to watch this month.
10. Shop for a Good Cause
You read that right, we give you permission to shop til you drop! Many LGBTIQ organizations are teaming up with brands to create Pride gear with all or some of its sales of those particular products going directly to the organizations. Check out this roundup of cute items from Cosmopolitan (excuse us while we go buy everything!).
No matter how we’re able to celebrate Pride, in a public parade through our beloved cities or at home, it will always remain focused on the promotion of the self-affirmation, dignity, equality, and increased visibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people as a social group. Pride is 50 years strong and ready to celebrate for another 50 and beyond!
Astroglide Community Service