PRIDE DURING A PANDEMIC: 5 DIGITAL WAYS TO BE OUT AND PROUD ONLINE

Alright, so we can all agree that this is not an ideal situation. The LGTBQ+ community has a long history of breaking down walls, marching together on the streets, and shouting our voices out loud and proud for the world to hear. This year that’s not going to be an option, so...plan B. If we’re going to be forced back in the closet, make a window. Below are a few ways to show your pride and still be loud in a lockdown.

1. Donate: I know funds are probably really tight right now, but while your sitting on the couch watching the new session of Queer Eye, reach down in between the couch cushions, grab that loose change, and donate a couple of bucks to your favorite LGBTQ+ charity. Even $1 can go a long way.
2. Learn Your History: Pop quiz...who is Marsha P. Johnson? If you don’t know, you better learn. From Stonewall to Harvey Milk, there are plenty-oh things you can brush up on. Knowledge is sexy, don’t be a dummy.
3. Social Media: Kind of a no brainer, but jump on your favorite platform, and share your story. No matter what letter you identify with on the LGBTQ+ spectrum, you have a story. Write about it, talk about it, sing about it, dance about it, be about it.
4. Gay it forward: Reach out. Depression comes in many forms, and you don’t know who might be struggling. Mental health matters! I personally recommend reaching out to someone different. If you Identify as a “G” reach out to an “L”, If you are a “B”, go talk with a ‘T’. We are in this together...now I want a BLT.
5. Internalize: Reflect!! Take time to look inward...seriously….DO IT! Now is the time to really do a deep dive inside of yourself. Dust out any negativity cobwebs you have hanging around.

There are plenty of resources and creative ways around this new world. Remember, this is not the first time a virus thought it could take us down, we got this. Below are a list of resources, if you are struggling, reach out. If you think you have no one to celebrate pride with, you can reach out to me. I’ll be on my couch, wearing my pride shirt and watching Love, Victor.

Trans Equality Workshop with Trystan Reese (6/24 @ 3-4:30 p.m.)

It Gets Better: A Digital Pride Experience (6/24-6/26 @ 5-10 p.m.)

The Legacy of Stonewall: A Conversation with Movement Leaders (6/24 @ 6 p.m.)

Savor Pride: Chef Amanda Frietag (6/24 @ 6:30 p.m.)

Santa Maria Pride Drag Show (6/24 @ 8:45 p.m.)

Solidarity in Pride (6/24 @ 9-10 p.m.)

NYC Pride Human Rights Conference (6/25 @ 9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.)

Frameline44 Pride Film Showcase (6/25-6/28)

Youth Pride Extravaganza: The Throwback Kid (6/25 @ 7 p.m.)

Savor Pride: Chefs Sicily Sierra & Mavis-Jay Sanders (6/25 @ 7:30 p.m.)

Cincy Black Pride 3rd Annual Black Alphabet Film Festival (6/25 @ 7:30 p.m.-midnight)

Live From Lincoln Center’s "Falsettos" Sing-A-Long (6/25 @ 8 p.m.)

Santa Maria Pride Youth Lounge (6/25 @ 8:45 p.m.)

Can’t Cancel Pride: A COVID-19 Relief Benefit for the LGBTQ+ Community (6/25 @ 9 p.m.)

Santa Maria Pride Poetry Night with Yosimar Reyes (6/26 @ 8:45 p.m.)

Nashville Pride Live (Friday @ 9 p.m.)

Soul 2 Soul PRIDE Netflix Watch Party: "Jewel's Catch One" (6/26 @ 10 p.m.)

NYC Pride presents The Rally (6/26 @ TBA)

Seattle Pride (6/26-6/28)

Trans March (6/26 @ 3-10 p.m.)

OUT-a-thon Live (6/26 @ 6-9 p.m.)

Cincy Black Pride Vizazi Torch Awards (6/26 @ 7:30-10 p.m.)

Global Pride 2020 (6/26-6/27 @ 8 p.m.-8 p.m.)

Trans Pride Seattle (6/26 @ 9 p.m.-1 a.m.)

Pose-A-Thon with "Pose" Cast (6/26 @ 10 p.m.)

Porch Pride: A Bluegrass Pride Queer-antine Festival (6/27-6/28 @ 4 p.m.)

Colors+ Virtual Pride Run/Walk (6/27 @ 7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.)

Trans Pride Seattle (6/27 @ 2-10 p.m.)

Santa Fe Virtual Pride 2020 (6/27 @ 2-6 p.m.)

Gary Virginia & Donna Sachet's Pride Brunch 2020 (6/27 @ 3-4:30 p.m.)

San Francisco Pride (6/27 @ 4 p.m.-midnight)

Annapolis Pride (6/27 @ 4 p.m.)

Westchester Pride Transgender, Gender Non-Conforming, Non-Binary Event (6/27 @ 5:30-7 p.m.)

Savor Pride: Chef Liz Alpern (6/27 @ 6:30 p.m.)

Pride San Antonio / Pride Bigger Than Texas 2020 (6/27 @ 7-10 p.m.)

Cincy Black Pride: The Front Porch (6/27 @ 8-10 p.m.)

Illuminate the Pink Triangle (6/27 @ 11 p.m.)

LA Pride 50th Anniversary Celebration (6/27 @ 11 p.m.-2 a.m.)

"Let's Go Birding Together" Virtual Bird Walk and Brunch (6/28 @ 11 a.m.)

Jew York Pride 2020 (6/28 @ 11 a.m.-noon)

NYC Pride Special Broadcast (6/28 @ noon-2 p.m.)

Queer Liberation March for Black Lives and Against Police Brutality (6/28 @ 1-7 p.m.)

Trans Pride Seattle (6/28 @ 2-6 p.m.)

San Francisco Pride (6/28 @ 5-10 p.m.)

Chicago Pride 2020: Fun & Fabulous (6/28 @ 5 p.m. & midnight)

Pride Inside: A Jewish Queer Arts Festival (6/28 @ 7-9:30 p.m.)

Youth Pride Extravaganza: Dear HMI (6/29 @ 7 p.m.)

Lambda Literary x Jane Wagner, Lily Tomlin & Hilton Als (6/30 @ 8 p.m.)

ONGOING AND ON-DEMAND

"Big Gay Fiction Podcast" Pride Celebration

"Can You Save Superman?" exhibit Outfest Always On: Changing collection of LGBTQIA films

Smithsonian’s Project Pride

The Trevor Project's Pride Everywhere

PAST EVENTS

OUTstream Film Festival (6/1-6/7)

Buffalo Grove Pride Drive (6/7 @ noon-3 p.m.)

Queens Pride (6/7 @ noon-5 p.m.)

Boston Pride & City of Boston Office of Veterans Affairs LGBTQ Veterans Panel Discussion (6/8 @ 6-7 p.m.)

Pride 2020 Dragfest: A Weekend To Support Our Queens (6/19-6/21 @ 6:30-8 p.m.)

GLAAD Black Queer Town Hall (6/19-6/21 @ 6:30-8 p.m.)

Only Human Virtual Concert with Alex Alexion (6/19 @ 8 p.m.)

Denver Pride Virtual 5K (6/20-6/21)

LGBTQ Digital Pride and Migration 2020: Looking Backward and Moving Forward Together (6/20 @ 1-2:30 p.m.)

Pride Toronto Sober Space (6/20 @ noon-1:30 p.m.)

Westchester Pride Drag Queen Story Hour with Shay D'Pines & Angel Elektra (6/20 @ 11 a.m.)

Denver Virtual Pride Parade (6/21 @ 11:30 a.m.)

Lets Talk About It: A Pride Roundtable Conversation (6/22 @ 1-2 p.m.)

The LGBT Community Center of New York City Garden Party (6/22 @ 6 p.m.)

Savor Pride: Chef Kate Pelayo (6/22 @ 6:30 p.m.)

Santa Maria Pride Live Music with Reese Galido (6/22 @ 8:45 p.m.

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