It’s June, and we are excited to wish you a Happy Pride Month! We are grateful to live in a time when so many things are possible for all of us. Our LGBTQ+ community is cause for celebration, and Pride Month is just one way to get on board the rainbow love train! This global holiday celebrates diversity, self-identity, inclusivity, visibility, and equality. It also goes beyond that to help ensure that governments, businesses, and other groups are living up to these values.
How Can You Get on Board for Pride Month 2022?
There are a number of ways to enjoy and further the vital purpose of Pride Month. One of the most helpful is to become a Pride ally. Whether you’re already active in the community or just now learning more about it, it’s important to take a real interest and take real action to show your solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. Here are some fun and fulfilling ways to be an ally:
- Know the History: In 1969, the Stonewall Riots in Manhattan gave birth to the modern Pride movement. From there, the last Sunday in June was celebrated as “Gay Pride Day.” This grew to become a full month as many cities planned events to celebrate month-long; these festivities now attract millions around the world. Spend a little time getting to know the steps that got us here.
- Enjoy an Event: For an experience you’ll never forget, attend a Pride Parade or another festive event celebrating pride, with all its pomp and pageantry.
- Soak Up the Culture: Immerse yourself in the rich and varied LGBTQ+ culture by watching movies, reading books, listening to music, going to galleries, taking in themed podcasts, or exploring any number of inspiring and meaningful cultural art forms that celebrate and honor the community.
- Decorate Your Domain: You can never have too much rainbow. Use this month to amp up your happy place and create a colorful cascade of your favorite things. Rainbow cocktails, cupcakes, clothing, and more—it all adds up to a statement of love and support. You can dye your hair, paint your nails, or don colorful jewelry. You can hang rainbow-themed art or banners. You can set out rainbow themed dishes. And don’t forget to fly the iconic rainbow flag. It is a warm welcome sign to all.
- Donate to LGBTQ+ Organizations: Whether you donate your time, talents, or money, every bit you give will make a difference. Charities like the Human Rights Campaign Foundation are working every day to support the LGBTQ+ community. Or check out the Charity Navigator to find one closest to your heart.
Bring LGBTQ+ Pride to Your Workplace
Whether virtual or IRL, Pride Month at the office is an opportunity to work towards eradicating discrimination and promoting diversity in the workplace. This kind of change helps the entire company. Diverse companies are 70% more likely to capture new markets—and 35% more likely to experience greater financial returns. With a new generation of consumers more tuned in to moral issues, you can’t afford not to be on board. Here are some ways to celebrate with your coworkers:
- Decorate Your Space: Just like at home, nothing says support like a rainbow flag or beautiful pride-inspired art. Have fun with office supplies and other practical but pretty staples. You’ll stand in solidarity and also brighten your co-workers’ days.
- Give an Inclusion Workshop: What we don’t know can hurt us. The more you educate your coworkers, the more they can understand people that have different ways of seeing the world. With a professionally-led inclusion workshop, your company can learn how to promote equality with hands-on training exercises that equip them to incorporate learnings into their work, like knowing acceptable terms, managing pronouns, and respecting and celebrating everyone’s differences.
- Bring in a Speaker: LGBTQ+ speakers can be powerful voices that help your coworkers understand the struggles and stories of the community. Having them in person is especially important, as they physically embody the importance of inclusivity and show their relatability.
- Fundraise: Organize a fundraiser that gives back to the community. Whether you sell rainbow cookies, auction off pride-themed art, or sell raffle tickets for a night on the town, the donations can help the movement and you can all enjoy some time together. You can also organize time and talent by assisting with youth groups or volunteering to help at pride events.
- Examine Discrimination and Diversity Policies: It’s smart to continually evaluate your company’s discrimination and diversity policies to make sure they’re in line with current values. We all know that implicit bias makes it difficult to ensure that practices are serving everyone well, so especially look for instances where they might be present.
Celebrating Pride Every Month
At the Advanced Center for Plastic Surgery, we celebrate the LGBTQ+ community every day, and in every transformational surgery or treatment we perform. We’re thrilled to make June especially meaningful, and are currently offering amazing monthly specials. Enjoy Pride Month and spread the rainbow of love!
