June is Pride Month, and we want to provide a friendly reminder that Pride is more than just posting rainbow bagels on your Instagram. Whether you’re kickstarting your journey to becoming a better ally for the LGBTQ+ community or you’re looking for resources to seek support, we’ve highlighted a few of our favorite podcasts, brands that support marginalized groups, and more in this guide. It’s easy to find ways your support this month — and every month:
Fill your feed
Them. (@them)
Them. is a digital storytelling platform owned by Condé Nast that is at the forefront of reporting news, movements, and trends from LGBTQ+ perspectives. Last year during Out Now Live, them.’s virtual Pride program on YouTube, they brought together icons like Sir Elton John, Indya Moore, and Tituss Burgess for a day of musical performances, original poem readings, speeches, and more. This year, Them. will combine the virtual broadcast with an in-person party in NYC and an expansion of their #OurPrideNow social media campaign.
@lgbt_history
Real-life couple Leighton Brown and Matthew Riemer created this social handle as a way to self-educate themselves about queer history. This account, which now has 692K followers, offers snippets of well-researched facts and uses an archive of images they’ve collected from photographers and activists to be able to react to current LGBTQ+ news.
NBC Out (@nbcout)
NBC Out is the LGBTQ+ section of NBC News, which showcases stories, essays, videos, and other original content that are of interest to the community. You’ll get breaking news and daily headlines from the esteemed and respected news source. We love how their Instagram grid is super straightforward, allowing you to easily find the most pressing, interesting topics of the day at a quick glance.
Listen to podcasts
Shifting Her Experience
Created by Tiana DeNicola and Sophie Dunne, this digital platform and podcast explores LGBTQ+ issues and topics like gender stereotypes, feminism, and sexuality. “We found that people weren’t having conversations that were non-traditional. So, we wanted to facilitate those conversations on our podcast and advocate for marginalized communities. We open up discussions on topics that society often finds as taboo,” says DeNicola. “We are primarily a women’s empowerment podcast, but because we are a gay couple, we naturally talk about LGBTQ+ issues. We also are huge advocates of self development and self improvement — we recently published a self reflective journal called Reflect,” adds Dunne.
They release two new episodes on their podcast every month, with June featuring Pride-themed topics: “One of the episodes will be representations that we love, and we’ll highlight our favorite characters from movies, TV, etc. that are positive representations. Our second episode for Pride Month will be titled, ‘There’s No One Way to Look Gay,’” adds Dunne.
Food 4 Thot
This roundtable-style podcast features four friends who are queer writers: Tommy Pico, Frank Tirado, Dennis Norris II, and Joe Osmundson. They discuss everything from race and identity to sex and relationship. In 2019, it was named one of Time’s “50 Best Podcasts to Listen to Right Now.” Though it looks to be on a hiatus, there are plenty of thought-provoking, engaging, funny, and honest conversations to listen in on.
Rose and Rose: Parental Guidance
This podcast from BBC Studios discusses the lives of married couple Rose and Rosie’s adventures to starting a family as a queer couple. They document their experience before welcoming their baby into the world, from how they chose their donor sperm to how they plan on educating their child about anti-racism.
Read about experiences
Real Life by Brandon Taylor
This coming-of-age story is about what it’s like to be Black, queer, and living in Alabama. Named one of the Best Books of the Year by The New York Times, The Washington Post, and NPR, it follows the journey of protagonist Wallace whose life becomes unraveled after an encounter with a straight, white classmate.
You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat
Written by a Muslim author, this story follows the life of a Palestinian American woman at the intersection of her cultural and sexual identities. When she confronts her mother about being queer, she replies, “you exist too much” — which echos the main character’s guilt and shame. As you read through this page-turner, you’ll travel back and forth through the U.S. and the Middle East as the main narrator comes to terms with herself.
Everybody (Else) Is Perfect by Gabrielle Korn
Gabrielle Korn, the author and former editor-in-chief of Nylon, serves up a collection of essays that explore feminism, the unachievable beauty standards created by social media, and the emotional cost of being a queer person working in the media industry that has traditionally disregarded people like her. It’s raw, candid, and provides other marginalized people support on how to navigate the women’s magazine industry.
Shop brands that support the community
TOMS
One of the ways shoe brand TOMS supports the LGBTQ+ community throughout the year is by providing grants to grassroots organizations like Brave Trails, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to LGBTQ+ youth leadership (kind of like summer camp). A third of profits from The Unity Collection (which includes sunglasses, slip ons, and masks with a rainbow flair) go towards their grassroots efforts.
BH Cosmetics Give Back Trevor Project 12 Color Shadow Palette
Launching on June 9th, for every purchase of their new 12-pan eyeshadow palette (it includes all the rainbow colors for a fun Pride parade look!), BH Cosmetics will donate $10 to The Trevor Project, a national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for LGBTQ+ youth.
Fossil
The limited edition Pride Collection feature their Minimalist 40mm watch and 10 straps to choose from, including Pride and Transgender flag colors. One hundred percent of the proceeds will also go to The Trevor Project.
Bombas
LGBTQ+ youth are 120% more likely to experience homelessness, according to studies. That’s why when you purchase from Bombas’ Pride Collection, another item will be donated to organizations like Casa Ruby, an LGBTQ+ safe space in D.C. run by transgender women of color that provides food, shelter, and therapeutic support, plus transitional living programs for LGBTQ+ youth.
Zenni
This online retailer, which features affordable eyewear, has a new Pride Collection of rainbow-colored frames where proceeds will go to the It Gets Better Project. The nonprofit organization aims to empower and connect LGBTQ+ youth around the globe.
Teva
The footwear brand launched their new Pride Collection, a lineup of all-gender sandals (we’re particularly eyeing the flatforms) featuring splashes of rainbow colors to express yourself in style. Simultaneously, the brand is donating $35,000 to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, a grassroots force committed to fighting for equal rights and ending discrimination against LGBTQ+ people.
Where to donate
GLSEN
Formerly known as the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network, this organization champions for LGBTQ+ students to be able to thrive in a harassment-free school environment. Some of their recent campaigns have included “No Name-Calling Week” to end name-calling and bullying in schools as well as “Day of Silence” to encourage allies to go through the school day without speaking as an act of protest for the damaging effects of LGBTQ+ discrimination in schools.
Family Equality Council
This nonprofit organization aims to create equality for queer families and safer world to raise their kids. Their website provides family support (e.g. virtual events, recommendations for LGBTQ+ books for children, family meetups, etc.), highlights stories of LGBTQ+ families, and resources to reach out to your elected officials to help fight for LGBTQ+ equality.
Trans Women of Color Collective
This organization, sponsored by The Washington Peace Center, is devoted to uplifting the voices of trans and gender non-conforming people of color — a community that lacks resources, supports, and opportunities otherwise.
Where to rally
IGLTA
Check out The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association for Gay Pride events happening around the world, which features a mix of in-person and virtual celebrations. It’s your one-stop resource for finding a Pride Month event near you.
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