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This year, the typically joyful and celebratory exclamation, "Happy Pride!" is shouted with a somber, apprehensive tone. A month that began as a commemoration of the Stonewall riots has always been a month of celebration of queer and trans love, self-expression, and identity. However, this Pride month reminds us --LGTBQ+ people and allies-- that the first was a riot: a fight for queer and trans liberation.
Every day, trans and queer lives are threatened by proposed legislation which attacks access to gender-affirming health care, eliminates LGBTQ+ history and people from literature and curriculum, and strives to silence queer and trans expression and voice. The history of the LGBTQ+ movement, including Stonewall, continues to be whitewashed and misrepresented in the mainstream media. The past few years mark an epidemic of violence against queer and trans people. In 2023 alone, over 500 anti-trans bills have been proposed in the United States; twenty-seven of those proposed bills are federal. These bills target not just trans folks' access to health care but also gender affirmation through pronouns, birth certificates, and driver's licenses; participation in athletics; expression through drag; and representation through storylines, history, and literature in schools. The following are statistics from the Trans Legislation Tracker regarding these bills: "2023 marks the fourth consecutive record-breaking year for anti-trans legislation in the U.S. In just one month, the U.S. doubled the number of anti-trans bills being considered across the country from the previous year. (para. 6)" Hate speech, violent threats, and derogatory language are rampant in comment sections, news articles, and in daily interactions. Homophobic, racist, and transphobic politicians, school board members, and legislators spread messages defying the basic human rights of queer and trans people. In a cis-heteronormative society, LGTBQ+ people and content creators fight to simply survive and exist as their true, authentic, nuanced, beautiful selves. Many use their platforms to protest, share resources, and be a light for their community: (often) uncompensated labor to amplify their voice. The LGBTQ+ community experiences threats, hate, and violence 365 days per year. Pride month is a necessary call to action and protest as well as a celebration. Queer, and especially trans, folks have the right to define their personal celebration and/or observance of Pride. On the other hand, allies to the community must step up --although we must engage in year-round committed action-- in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. For systemic hate and legislation to end, folks within and outside the community must take measurable action and SPEAK UP! Change, specifically systemic change, does not occur through sharing Instagram posts, wearing rainbow, or contributing to corporate rainbow washing. Change does not occur by "playing it safe" or standing to the side in a terrorizing wave of aggression against the LGBTQ+ community. Change occurs through hard work, perseverance, protesting, education, difficult conversations (yes, with family and friends too!), self-reflection and criticism, and mistakes. Straight, cisgender, white people must use their privilege and voice to speak in rooms where queer and trans voices are excluded and silenced. As trans content creator and actor James Rose states, "Cis-het folks started this, so y'all have to end it." So, what can cishet allies do to demonstrate support and solidarity this month (and every month)?First, ruminate in your current knowledge of LGBTQ+ history and figures and understanding of your biases.
Be wary, however, that this introspective process is lifelong; it is not just one step that you can check off to feel better. Push past the boundaries of pre- and post-Stonewall approach to LGBTQ+ history; research the evolution of language, international pioneers for equal rights, the HIV epidemic, and LGBTQ+ representation in Indigenous cultures. For example, trans and genderqueer people were long celebrated and respected in Native tribes across Turtle Island; beyond the universal "two-spirit" label, numerous tribal languages include more specific terms describing transgender and nonbinary people. As Schuyler Bailar --a popular transgender activist, speaker, athlete, and content creator-- stated in a recent Instagram video, "Transgender people are not new; transphobia is." Furthermore, acknowledge the role of Black and Latinx trans women leading Stonewall riots and creating safe communities through ballroom (I highly recommend Pose on Hulu!), drag, art mediums, and activist groups (e.g. STAR: Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries). Silva Rivera, Marsha P. Johnson, Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, and Andrea Jenkins to name a few. While you are on a roll, conduct internal research. Unravel any discomfort you may feel towards queer or trans people and question why you hold this bias. Then, take small steps to dismantle homophobia, transphobia, and cisheteronormativity in your social circles and work place (if you feel safe to do so). Some examples include:
Outside of these spaces, here are several other measurable actions to dismantle anti-LGBTQ+ hate on a systemic level:
. . .I will end this post with a message from Madison Werner, a trans, queer advocate and educator:
"If you don't think we need pride, wake up. . .Queer people, and queer allies, anywhere are responsible for queer people everywhere." In a world so full of hate and antagonism, we must capitalize on our anger and lead with love. Additional ResourcesThe Library of Congress: "About Stonewall"
Human Rights Campaign: "Fatal Violence Against the Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Community in 2023" Trans Legislation Tracker Indian Health Service: "Two Spirit" Schuyler Bailar: Instagram video ("Three Things You Should Know About Trans People") NBC News: "16 queer Black trailblazers who made history" LGBTQIA Health Education Stanford University: "Fighting Homophobia and Transphobia" Anti-Defamation League: Frequently Asked Questions Did you enjoy this post?Consider subscribing to one (or all!) of the following LGBTQ+ creators' Patreon pages!
. . .Dr. Shay-Akil McLean (they/he): a Black, trans organizer, educator, and writer posting commentary on biology, race/racism, technology, and society
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AuthorMeghan Hesterman (she/her) is an aspiring educator, storyteller, and traveler. Through regular posts and commentary, she candidly reflects on her evolution as an educator and young adult. Categories
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