Pride month is celebrated every June. It demonstrates that the LGBTQ community is proud of who they are, and they should not have to be ashamed or feel stigmatized for their sexual preferences. There are celebrations, parades, parties, and fun events in which everyone can come and show their pride, by helping them support themselves or a friend.
Pride month is just as important as mental health month because it is important to know that just because you aren’t heterosexual does not mean anything is wrong with you. The same with mental health, just because you have a disorder or a mental health condition, doesn’t matter. Your mental health and your sexual orientation does not define you. It is a PIECE of you, a piece of the larger puzzle that creates a human being.
Support for the LGBTQ community has really made strides in the past decade. I remember when legal marriage passed in the state of California, I was super happy. I am all for human beings having the freedom to pick who they want to be with, based on love and attraction and not simply based on their sex. It is never okay to make someone feel as if they are not good enough, as if they are not ‘normal’ and to stigmatize someone. We are all human beings, and there are more important aspects to consider. Are you kind? Are you dedicated? Are you trustworthy and loyal? Our society has become consumed with judging everyone based on shallow principles that do not speak to a person’s character.
Having PRIDE for who you are is so important. Embrace yourself & don’t let others drag you down or make you believe you are less than you are. In honor of June, GO PRIDE MONTH!
The Jewels' Angels Foundation, Inc. 