This year's Pride is all about showing up for the community, both in celebration and support.
Hand down, Pride is the best time of year.
Not only is it a time of celebration, but it's also a moment for the community to come together and revel in our strength and resilience. Unfortunately, despite survey after survey showing that Americans support LGBTQ+ equality, Republican-dominated states have been hellbent on pushing anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, particularly anti-transgender bills.
Although we are only halfway through 2023, the Human Rights Commission estimates that as of May, there have already been a staggering 540 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced by state legislatures across the country, with more than 220 bills specifically targeting trans and nonbinary people.
A 2022 Gallup poll estimates that 7.1% of the U.S. adult population is lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender - double the percentage since Gallup first measured in 2012.
These anti-LGBTQ bills could potentially affect an estimated 20 million people. Millions more may identify as asexual, non-binary, pansexual, or other expansive identities. It's difficult to know how large our community is, but we are growing. Our rights and humanity are not up for debate; we deserve full legal and lived equality.
So, this year, it's more important than ever that we show up for one another in whatever ways we can - whether through mutual aid, on the streets, through collective care, or during Pride.
I spoke with 10 brilliant, passionate, thoughtful and creative members of the LGBTQ+ community about this year's Pride month. Here's what they had to say.
Read: 14 Pride Purchases That Support the LGBTQ+ Community
Pronouns: they/them
Identifies as: transmasc non-binary
![Photo of Cal Cates]()
What do you love most about the LGBTQ+ community?
Cal Cates: The "community!" The way that we sort of form a group that recognizes its own and supports and uplifts each other. Certainly, there are exceptions to this, but it's a community that makes me proud to be a member. Beautiful, beautiful beings!
How do you plan to celebrate Pride this year?
CC: Honestly, at the age of 47, I have to admit that I have not spent much time engaging in Pride month activities, but this year, imma get my Pride on! I am going to share photos on Instagram of my big, gay, trans life and joy. I'm going to hit the D.C. Pride parade with rainbow stripes pasted on my post-top surgery torso! Who knows what else?… but I am going to SHOW UP! In my work as a non-profit executive director, I'm also looking forward to supporting my organization in showing up to this conversation in a non-rainbow-washing way. We will be exploring the importance of PLAY in June in the online community we host. I'm looking forward to exploring joy this month, which can be so much about what we're fighting against and resisting. What can we open to, my friends?!
In terms of the LGBTQ+ community… what are you most hopeful about right now?
CC: It's clear to me that we will not be silenced. We are strong. We are gorgeous, and we are coming into our power …. or maybe that's just me … but I don't think so. I think we're a force, and we WILL be reckoned with. In my work in healthcare, I get to be a voice, and I get to be heard and to educate and share and learn with my fellow providers about how this is all of our work.
It's clear to me that we will not be silenced. We are strong. We are gorgeous, and we are coming into our power.
What are you most fearful about right now?
CC: The human tendency to give in to fear and scarcity in pursuit of what we mistake for comfort. It's soooo seductive. When we give in to that, we're all in danger. So the trends in healthcare are very scary and, I fear, are an odd mirror for folks' unexplored stuff about sex, gender, intimacy and all the rest of the nuanced amazingness that makes us human.
What's one thing you want straight allies to know?
CC: Liberation is for all of us. When our straight allies notice that they are also less than free, we will have moved this needle in a meaningful way. It's not allyship that we need. It's solidarity!
Pronouns: she/her
Identifies as: queer femme
What do you love most about the LGBTQ+ community?
Lindsay Wynn: Queer people love really hard. Not just their romantic partners, but also their friends, kids and colleagues. I think the expansiveness and the openness in which they see, feel and love others is sacred. In its highest form, queer love has no boundaries and no judgment. It helps people celebrate their own identities in a world where that is not always the case.
Queer people love really hard. I think the expansiveness and the openness in which they see, feel and love others is sacred.
How do you plan to celebrate Pride this year?
LW: I admittedly love the parade. I go to San Diego's Pride parade, where I am originally from. This feels so affirming and joyful as I (like many) did not have a great relationship with my own queer identity and my hometown adolescent experience. Being back there surrounded by people that are full of joy, celebrating and supporting each other feels really beautiful.
What are you most hopeful about right now?
LW: I am always hopeful people will come around, that love will prevail, that being anywhere on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum will feel easy, and that queer folks won't have to live in fear. The incremental change is happening, which makes me hopeful, and it's wonderful to see younger generations coming out sooner, as well as larger groups of people identifying with their queerness. These pieces will undoubtedly be agents of change.
What are you most fearful about right now?
LW: At the same time, it is still very dangerous to be gay in many places in the United States, hate crimes are still happening, and it feels as if the far right is getting bolder and more dangerous.
What's one thing you want straight allies to know?
LW: Your allyship does not need to be performative. Being an ally is most important in the day-to-day small moments, the affirmations, and the acceptance and celebrations of us. It's not a rainbow shirt during pride; it's sticking up for us, fighting with us, not against us, for the right to love who we want to love without living in fear, judgment and persecution.
Ryan Sultan, MD, Board-Certified Mental Health Physician and Director of Integrative Psych and Research Professor at Columbia University
Pronouns: he/him/his
Identifies as: queer
![Ryan Sultan photo]()
What do you love most about the LGBTQ+ community?
Ryan Sultan: What I love most about the LGBTQ+ community is the resilience, diversity and sense of belonging that it fosters.
How do you plan to celebrate Pride this year?
RS: This Pride, I plan on enjoying the festivities in New York City, where I live, and I'm also keen on attending international celebrations to experience how Pride is expressed globally.
What are you most hopeful about right now?
RS: Reflecting on my time as a leader in the queer resource center in college, I am hopeful about the tremendous positive growth I have seen within our community over the past two decades. The progress has been immense, and I am hopeful that it will continue to flourish.
What are you most fearful about right now?
RS: In the current climate, my fear is the rising divisiveness in the United States, which threatens to regress the advancements in queer rights and representation that we have worked so hard to achieve.
What's one thing you want straight allies to know?
RS: I want straight allies to understand that we, the members of the LGBTQ+ community, are not abstract concepts or political talking points. We are people - your friends, family and co-workers. I urge you to remember this when you engage in conversations about us, especially in the face of politicians or radical views that try to dehumanize or marginalize us.
I want straight allies to understand that we, the members of the LGBTQ+ community, are not abstract concepts or political talking points. We are people - your friends, family and co-workers.
Lana Lipe, licensed clinical social worker and owner of Honu Therapy Services
Pronouns: she/they
Identifies as: queer
![Lana Lipe photo]()
How do you plan to celebrate Pride this year?
Lana Lipe: I plan to celebrate Pride with some of my chosen family this year. We are planning to do a board game night, a movie night, go hiking and just spend time enjoying being together. The past few years have been hard, and we want to spend time appreciating our connections and making new memories together.
What are you most hopeful about right now?
LL: One of the sources of joy and hopefulness that I'm appreciating is that more and more people are coming out and living authentically. I'm noticing that the visibility of LGBTQIA2S+ people and their stories has expanded across platforms. This increased visibility helps challenge stereotypes, promotes support, increases representation and provides role models for queer youth. It makes me hopeful that the future will be brighter.
The visibility of LGBTQIA2S+ people and their stories has expanded across platforms. This increased visibility helps challenge stereotypes, promotes support, increases representation and provides role models for queer youth. It makes me hopeful that the future will be brighter.
What are you most fearful about right now?
LL: It's pretty hard nowadays to get online without hearing stories about increasing physical violence, harassment and discrimination against queer folks. It's also hard to be afraid when more of our rights are being stripped away daily. I know many other people are feeling this way, and I spend a lot of time worrying about the toll that all of this is taking on our physical and mental health.
What's one thing you want straight allies to know?
LL: Your silence speaks volumes! It's so critical that you speak up against homophobic, transphobic and discriminatory remarks or behaviors when you encounter them. This should happen even when you think there aren't any queer people around. When you don't challenge homophobia and transphobia, it not only perpetuates stereotypes and prejudice but also harms relationships and social connections. Instead, use your privilege and influence to challenge prejudice and promote a more inclusive and accepting environment. This includes addressing stereotypes and misconceptions about LGBTQ+ individuals.
Pronouns: she/they
Identifies as: transgender
What do you love most about the LGBTQ+ community?
Clayre Sessoms: What I love most about the LGBTQ+ community is our resilience and our ability to come together in the face of adversity. Even in a challenging year with shifting public opinions and unsettling legislation, our community continues to make strides. We keep coming out, living our truths, and fostering community care and collective healing. It's truly an honor to witness these transformations and to be a part of this strong, diverse community.
Even in a challenging year with shifting public opinions and unsettling legislation, our community continues to make strides. We keep coming out, living our truths, and fostering community care and collective healing.
How do you plan to celebrate Pride this year?
CS: This year, I am planning to celebrate Pride by participating in a local trans march and perhaps watching the parade. Afterward, I look forward to quietly celebrating with my loved ones in a peaceful and serene environment.
What are you most hopeful about right now?
CS: Right now, I am most hopeful about the strength in numbers within our community. As we continue to unite, our voices become louder, our message becomes clearer, and our ability to speak truth to power grows stronger.
What are you most fearful about right now?
CS: However, I am also fearful of the rising wave of hatred that seems to be trying to crush our spirits daily. I find it disheartening to see media outlets amplify these voices of hate rather than focusing on stories of love, acceptance and progress.
What's one thing you want straight allies to know?
CS: I want straight allies to understand the importance of their role in challenging and changing these narratives. Your voices are essential in the fight for equality and acceptance, and we are grateful for your continued support.
Here are some resources that have been invaluable to Sessoms and the people she works with:
National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE): This is an advocacy group devoted to advancing the equality of transgender people. They provide various resources, including information on legal rights, healthcare and more.
GLAAD's Transgender Resources: GLAAD is a well-known advocacy group that provides a list of legal, medical, and social resources for transgender people.
The Trevor Project: This organization provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ+ youth, including transgender and nonbinary individuals.
Trans Lifeline: This grassroots hotline and microgrants non-profit organization offers direct emotional and financial support to trans people in crisis.
Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF): TLDEF is committed to ending discrimination based on gender identity and expression, providing legal resources, and advocating for more inclusive policies and societal attitudes.
Trans Youth Equality Foundation: This organization provides education, advocacy, and support for transgender children, youth, and their families.
Transgender Health Services Network: This organization offers a comprehensive directory of healthcare providers committed to providing quality care to transgender individuals.
Demi Wylde, sex writer, and podcast host
Pronouns: he/him/they
Identifies as: male/gay/queer
![Demi Wylde photo]()
Image: Daniel Huecias @faltercronkite
