Happy Pride Month! Now is the perfect time to increase visibility for the LGBTQIA2S+ community, foster inclusive education, and grow your allyship. In this blog, you will find information and resources to advocate for queer people.
“[Pride is] an opportunity for the community to come together, take stock and recognize the advances and setbacks made in the past year. It is also a chance for the community to come together and celebrate in a festive, affirming atmosphere.” -Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Deformation (GLAAD)
About Pride Month
Last month, The Guidance Center was happy to join Long Beach Gives for a special Pride walk celebrating the LGBTQIA2S+ community. The Long Beach Pride Parade is held every year in May. Despite Long Beach celebrating in May, Pride Month is internationally recognized in June.
So, why June? The Stonewall Riots took place in New York in June of 1969– a pivotal event in history for LGBTQIA2S+ rights. The following year, on the anniversary of the uprising, the first pride celebration was held. While discussing ideas over dinner, activists planned a march on Christopher Street to establish solidarity in the queer community and campaign for change. Every year in June, we commemorate this history and celebrate with festivities like concerts, film festivals, parades, and more!
Key Terminology
After sharing more about how Pride Month started, we want to help you understand key terms.
There are so many diverse and expansive expressions of identity — which are constantly evolving. We acknowledge these changes could take adjusting and we are happy to help! The acronym LGBTQIA2S+ is an all-encompassing, progressive term for identities within the queer spectrum. We created a quick resource guide below to strengthen your terminology toolkit.
Queer Mental Health
For queer-identified people, visibility and support are so important to promote acceptance and understanding.
LGBTQIA2S+ youth, unfortunately, are the most at risk of experiencing mental health challenges such as feelings of anxiety, isolation, and even depression. They might experience bullying from peers, rejection from family members, daily threats to their safety, and potential discrimination in the workplace. Often these are barriers that can be difficult to overcome. Take a look at some top statistics below.
With these statistics in mind, we must show up for youth in our lives and become a safe place for them whether as community members, educators, or allies.
Pride at The Guidance Center
The Guidance Center prides itself on employing clinicians who are committed to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. While we have some staff who identify as LGBTQIA2S+ and others as allies, we understand the importance of having youth feel supported and accepted.
Check out some remarks from staff on what Pride Month means to them.
Expressing Pride & Allyship
“Don’t be afraid. Don’t be ashamed. Don’t ever apologize for your sexuality. Just be you.” —Sonya Deville
Acrylic Print of “Super Kiss” by Miami pop artist James “Babes” Copp. Donated by Paul Roche for Sunset Sip: Be Your Own Hero (2020).
Pride Month Playlist
For Pride Month, we are excited to share that we have made a special Spotify playlist! Our playlist celebrates the queer community and the spectrum of diverse identities within. There is a range of artists featured in the playlist from a variety of genres. Check out the playlist below!
Pride Month Events in Long Beach
- Disney Pride in Concert: LGBTQ+ chorale concert at the Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) in Long Beach on Saturday, June 22, 2024. You can purchase tickets on Eventbrite for the event.
- Pride Night at the Aquarium of the Pacific: Admission to the Aquarium of the Pacific for a special Pride Night event on Friday, June 21, 2024. To purchase tickets, visit the aquarium’s website.
- Drag Queen Story Hour: free storytime event with reading by Drag queen Natasha Hundreds at the LGBTQ Center in Long Beach on June 27, 2024. The event is part of the Generation Q social hour and will begin at 5:30 pm. Free pizza and snacks will be provided for all attendees.
Community Resources
Despite potential challenges, we believe that with adequate support LGBTQIA2S+ youth can still thrive and have bright futures. Take a look at the resources list we compiled below and share it with others.
1.) The LGBTQ Center Long Beach
First, we believe that youth need to have a safe space to learn about their identity and feel supported in their journey.
The Center offers weekly social support groups such as Generation Q for ages 9 to 12, Mentoring Youth Through Empowerment (MYTE) for teens aged 13 to 18, and the TAY Cafe for adults aged 18 to 24. These groups connect youth to mental health services, educational opportunities, and gender-affirming care. In addition, there are a variety of events to help create support systems and network with community members. Earlier this month, some of our staff had the pleasure of attending the gender-affirming clothing swap to donate gently used clothes to LGBTQIA2S+ youth in need.
2.) National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network
Now that we know how life-saving it is to have supportive networks, youth may want to find a therapist who can understand their lived experiences.
The National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network is a non-profit dedicated to transforming mental health for queer and trans people of color. They offer a variety of types of therapists and even networking opportunities!
3.) Devotion Fitness Inc
Also, we understand that it can help to have an outlet as a way to channel emotions. This next resource is empowering for teens or older transitional-aged youth.
Devotion Fitness Inc. is a local pop-up fitness collective that is body-inclusive. The organization is geared toward empowering women, LGBTQIA2S+, and Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC). Fitness instructors offer boxing sessions to promote healthy movement and wellness for all. Sessions are free to low cost with materials provided through donations. Make sure to follow Devotion Fitness Inc.’s Instagram account to stay updated on fitness class schedules!
4.) Camp Brave Trails
Next, we want to share opportunities for youth to build leadership skills and life-long friendships.
The non-profit organization Camp Brave Trails offers accredited summer camps, backpacking trips, mental health services, and meet-up groups. Participants will receive mentorship and develop skills that will empower them to create change in their communities. Camp Brave Hills supports youth with what they need most to thrive: their people, their place, and their passion. To learn more about programming costs and services offered, visit www.bravehills.org.
5.) Viet Rainbow of Orange County (VROC)
Lastly, we would like to share a grassroots organization supporting LGBTQIA2S+ Vietnamese Americans and their loved ones.
Viet Rainbow of Orange County (VROC) organizes events for queer youth and empowers them to campaign for change in their community. Every year, the organization also provides scholarships, summer fellowships, and other leadership opportunities for Asian American high school and college-aged students who qualify.
If you would like to explore additional LGBTQ+ resources, you can visit the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) or view community mental health resources on our website.
As we celebrate Pride Month, it is important to recognize that the celebration of LGBTQIA2S+ identities should not be limited to just one month! We as an agency stand in solidarity with the queer community all year round and remain dedicated to educating ourselves daily on how to be better allies. After reading this blog, we hope you have a better understanding of the spectrum of identities and now have access to resources to share with loved ones.