Happy pride month to all of my LGBTQIA friends and family! . Every year I see numerous posts about why Pride is necessary or why there isn’t a “straight pride” month, so I figured I’d make a weak attempt to explain it a bit. . First and foremost, Pride isn’t political activism. It’s not a demonstration of wokeness or some “liberal media agenda”. it’s a celebration of the long battle of overcoming adversity and the ability of LGBTQIA folks to live as their authentic selves. . To my LGBTQIA friends, it’s a time to be unapologetically proud of who they are. It’s a time to reflect on their personal journey, and to celebrate the hurdles overcome and the progress made (by both them and the broader queer community) to become who you they are today. . To my friends and family who don’t understand the need for people to “come out” or the need to celebrate pride, to those thinking “keep it to yourself”, this is a time to reach out to an LGBTQIA person and hear their story. I guarantee they’ve been impacted at one time or another by homophobia, a struggle for acceptance, or even self-acceptance, and can offer insights into how far society has yet to go to achieve true equality. . And for those who ask “why don’t we have straight pride?”, we don’t have straight pride because straight couples don’t have to worry about being attacked if they show signs of affection for their partners. They don’t have to worry about losing their family or friends by telling people they are straight. They don’t have to worry about losing a job or not being hired because they’re straight. They don’t have archaic laws preventing them from getting married, donating blood, or discriminating against them in numerous other ways. . Before thinking that true equality means not talking about sexuality or having pride month, understand the LGBTQ community would also love to get to a place in the world where pride month isn’t needed. But that time isn’t now. . So for now, either celebrate or reach out and learn with an open heart. And as always, remember that diversity is a strength, and we are all more alike than we are different 🏳️‍🌈