Do We Still Need LGBTQ Pride in June? H*LL YES!

Pride. June is the month when LGBTQ Pride events are happening all over the country — likely in your city, too. Did you ever wonder whether we still need Pride parades anymore? I don’t wonder, because I know we need them.

Whenever I see someone gawk at two women holding hands on the street, or see another case of a young man being bullied for being effeminate, I know we still need LGBT Pride parades, and educational seminars and research on the great parts of being gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer.

Research presented at the YTH Live conference de-bunked so many of the myths we still hear on the street today. Jose Bauermeister’s research on sexting among YMSM (young men who have sex with men) showed no association between sexting and depression or self-esteem. Jason Mitchell’s research on young gay couples is seriously myth busting about how much young men care about their partners and express it through safer sex. And a team in Los Angeles used the venue of ballroom dancing to reach young African-American and Latino LGBTQ men with information and advice about HIV via live performance and social media blitzes.

Yes, we need Pride in June. AND it’s our job to be sure LGBTQ Pride happens across the nation all year.

tags: depression, gay, GLBTQ, lesbian, LGBT, Pride, queer, safer sex, sexting.