Youth's Lives Every Day
Since 1970, LGBTQ+ people and our allies have observed Pride Month each June in the United States to honor the infamous June 1969 Stonewall riots by celebrating the LGBTQ+ community, and acknowledging the progress we have yet to make. As we approach our 55th Pride Month, so much has changed for both our country and our community. Today, many people – both within the LGBTQ+ community and outside of it – are asking themselves, “Why do we celebrate Pride Month?”
To weigh in on why Pride Month still matters for uplifting LGBTQ+ voices and continuing our community’s fight for equality, we asked our friends to share their thoughts.
“I grew up being taught to be ashamed of who I was. It has taken so much work (and therapy!) to turn that shame into pride. Pride Month reminds me to keep on working to undo that shame and to live out and proud so that others may find hope to do the same. Also, I love rainbows. I wish there were rainbows in every window of every business every day.”
– Daniel K. Isaac
“We need Pride month because it’s a celebration of being recognized and loved for who we are, something the LGBTQ+ community is still fighting to fully achieve. Pride Month reminds us of the work we and those before us have done, the resilience our community has, the advocacy work that continues every day, and the shared hope for a more inclusive and loving future.”
– Demi Lovato
“Growing up, Pride month offered me some of my happiest memories whether that was watching the San Diego pride parade with my best friends or seeing someone like me on a poster in the makeup aisle. Now as an adult in 2025, I could really use that same glimmer of joy, and I think a lot of the community could too.”
– Dylan Mulvaney
“In a world where the right to exist as a queer person is constantly being threatened, pride month serves as a reminder that queer people deserve to celebrate their identities. It is a revolutionary act to be loudly queer when you’ve been socialized to be shamed into silence. BE LOUD, BE PROUD — Happy Pride!!!”
– Kelly Marie Tran
“We are our past leaders’ wildest dreams. Pride is not only a celebration of each and every one of our expressions of selfhood and identity, but it’s a persistent act of resistance and perseverance. Now more than ever, we must protect our community, uplift every voice within it and fight for a world where every queer and trans person can live in safety, dignity, joy, and liberation.”
– Quintessa Swindell
“Pride Month is so important because many members of the LGBTQ+ community, especially young people, are fighting just to feel safe and seen. Pride Month is a chance to celebrate the community and their resilience, and remind everyone that love and identity should never be up for debate. I’m so proud to support The Trevor Project and everything they do to protect and uplift the community.”
– Tate McRae
