Pride Month isn't just a celebration; it's a call to action, an affirmation of identity, and a remembrance of those who have fought—and continue to fight—for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. Recent years have seen both progress and alarming setbacks, with calls to reverse hard-won rights and ongoing violence against LGBTQ+ individuals highlighting the urgent need to celebrate Pride and be vigilant allies.
At LitJoy, we know Pride isn’t just a one-month affair marked by rainbow logos and parades; it’s a year-round pledge to foster inclusivity, visibility, and acceptance through meaningful actions. We asked our team what big and small steps we can take this month—and every month—to celebrate Pride and honor love, diversity, and inclusion. Here’s what they said:
Seek Out Community Activities
Find your local community’s event calendar and see what’s going on in your area to celebrate Pride! A quick Google search may pull up anything from Pride Parades and Festivals to Pride Pub Crawls, Drag Bingo, and Pride-specific exhibits at local museums. We even suggest checking out Facebook events to see what you can find. How about a drag brunch or the Queers and Beers Book Club at a local brewery?
Don’t forget to check your local library for Pride events, such as story times, book clubs, and educational workshops. These events are fantastic resources for learning and celebrating together as a community.
If you can’t find a local calendar, get creative and reach out to local businesses to see what they’re doing to celebrate. If you still are hitting roadblocks, forge the way and start your own event!!
Support Local Queer Artists and Businesses
Get to know your community more by actively seeking out and supporting queer-owned businesses and local queer artists. Plan your next dinner date at a queer-owned restaurant. Buy your friends (or yourself) gifts made by queer artists. If you don’t know queer artists in your area, head to a Pride-specific pop-up market or head to the vendor’s row at any of the pride festivals in your area.
Be mindful of where you spend your money and support businesses that genuinely champion LGBTQ+ rights. Every purchase can make a difference in building a more inclusive economy while also bolstering the work and livelihood of queer folks.
Get Cultured: Celebrate Pride Through the Arts
Art is a universal language that brings people together, and representation is vital to enriching our understanding of different lives and cultures from our own. This Pride Month, and beyond, we encourage you to diversify your reading to include queer authors and listen to music featuring queer singers and songwriters. Diversifying the art you consume creates empathy and compassion among and within all the different communities that surround us.
We invite you to explore our curated Spotify playlist, “pov: you’re reading a queer romance,” featuring talented queer artists from various genres. Or make your own! Some of our favorites include Kehlani, Hayley Kiyoko, Troye Sivan, and Rina Sawayama. Discover new favorites and celebrate the diversity of queer voices in the music industry.
As a book company, you know we love book recommendations, so stay tuned to our IG stories in June where we’ll be featuring books written by queer authors that highlight diverse experiences and perspectives (ps. they won’t all be romance, we promise).
Love movies? Organize a movie night to watch films that explore the LGBTQ+ experience. Some of our favorites include Moonlight (2016), Tangerine (2015), But I'm a Cheerleader (1999), Fire Island (2022), and Nimona (2023). Alternatively, find a local community center or theater showing LGBTQ+ movies for a communal viewing experience.
Engage in Acts of Kindness
Take a moment to write a heartfelt letter to your favorite queer authors (and/or artists) to express your appreciation for their work and let them know how their stories have impacted you. This small gesture can mean a lot to authors who strive to bring more representation to the literary world.
If reaching out to strangers isn’t your thing, you can bring this idea a bit closer to home and celebrate the queer people in your life with messages of love and celebration!. If you have LGBTQ+ friends, family, or coworkers, send them a card or buy a small gift (from a queer business) to recognize their contributions to your world.
Volunteer for local Pride events. Look for organizations needing extra bodies. Whether you're helping to organize or staffing a booth, your contributions support the LGBTQ+ community and make these celebrations possible.
Donate to LGBTQ+ organizations that resonate with you and your personal mission. If you have the means to help support the LGBTQ+ community financially, we encourage you to find an organization whose mission aligns with yours. LitJoy has been working with the LA LGBT Center to help them build a library that will serve as a hub of knowledge and connection. Learn more about LitJoy’s involvement here.
Get the Whole Family Involved
Bring Pride into your home with colorful decorations. From rainbow flags to themed décor, these items can brighten your space and show your support. Decorating your home is a fun and visible way to celebrate Pride and to get the whole family involved in letting the neighborhood know we love everyone, no matter how they identify.
Decorating is also an easy way to have conversations with the littles in your home. One of our team members introduced the conversation of Pride with her little while doing crafts. They took cut up tissue paper and glued them to a clear sheet to make their own “stained glass” rainbow.
While creating art, they discussed different types of love within their family and community. They also discussed the importance of being authentic, relating real life to how all the colors of the rainbow are necessary to create a beautiful world.
While littles may not understand the full meaning of Pride yet, decorating is a great activity to help incorporate the message, as is introducing family-friendly Pride books into your reading routine. These stories can educate and inspire children and adults alike, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of the LGBTQ+ community. Some of our favorites are ‘Twas the Night Before Pride by Joanna McClintick, My Shadow is Purple by Scott Stuart, Bodies are Cool by Tyler Feder, and one for the teens is She, He, They, Me: For the Sisters, Misters, and Binary Resisters by Dr. Robyn Ryle.
Grab Your Pride Merch and Express Yourself
Take the opportunity to stock up on Pride merch and be unapologetically you! Wear glitter, rainbows, Pride-inspired manicures, our colorful Pride pins that support the LA LGBT Center, or anything else that shows off who you are and what you stand for. Be bold and go all out! And then keep wearing your new Pride merchandise all year long.
Honor & Celebrate Pride Year Round
By participating in these activities, we show support for the LGBTQ+ community and help create a more inclusive and accepting world. Let's make every day a celebration of love, diversity, and Pride. Share your Pride celebrations with us below, or head to our IG to share and inspire others!
