Compassionate Support For The Aspiring Professional

LICENSED PROFESSIONAL CLINICAL COUNSELOR
ADJUNCT PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY, GSEP PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY

LOS ANGELES (BEVERLY HILLS, DTLA, MALIBU)

Pride Month is for Everyone

June is Pride Month, and while it was established to support and celebrate LGBT folks, it is truly a month that everyone should acknowledge and embrace. Pride month is bigger than a parade or a party, it is a national recognition of LGBT life; in honor and celebration of the diverse ways in which people love, live, and express their gender. 

Everyone should celebrate pride month, whether straight, gay, non-binary, or cis gender. Honoring pride month can range from expressing yourself as an ally, speaking out on social media about your support of LGBT people, or joining in a celebration. It can be as simple as sending a card to a friend or writing a letter to your local paper in support of the movement, or as complex as requesting legislation that represents LGBT people in your region. There is no wrong way to do it, as long as you are honoring LGBT folks.

If you have children, educate them about LGBT rights and the importance of celebrating diversity. As a family you can paint rainbow rocks and supportive messages for LGBT people and leave them on trails and in parks where everyone can enjoy them. Parents can take their kids to community support events, parades, and read books together about families with two moms or two dads, or transgender folks. The more our kids can learn about and embrace LGBT life, the better equipped the next generation will be to carry on the legacy of pride. As generations pass, the stigma evaporates, and that is good for everyone. 

When we embrace all people and choose to teach a philosophy of love and acceptance to future generations, we all win; our politics change, the way we educate in our school systems shift, and as a culture we evolve into something greater than our individual selves.  Embracing pride month takes us a step closer to a more peaceful society.  We will observe a reduction in violent crime and a greater understanding and acceptance of the many ways people live and love. 

Honoring LGBT people during pride month (and beyond) means more than it seems on the surface. It represents rising up against bigotry and defending what is right; it stands for liberation from oppression and allowing for our best selves to emerge. During the month of June, take time to celebrate LGBT pride. Regardless of your sexual preference or gender identity, pride should be embraced and enjoyed; it is about freedom and love, and that is always worth celebrating. 

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