How To Support the LGBTQIA+ Community Year-Round

Pride month comes and goes every year, but that doesn’t mean that our support should end. Here are a few ways that you can continue to offer sustained support to members of the LGBTQIA+ community...

1. Listen and learn from youth.

The experiences and needs of youth in the LGBTQIA+ community are incredibly diverse. Taking the time to listen and learn from them will help you gain a deeper understanding of what you can do to help them and the future of their community.

2. Share your learnings with others.

Look for opportunities to share what you've learned with your friends and family. This not only helps spread awareness, but it takes the burden off members of the community who often bear the brunt of the discrimination that can often be associated with these conversations.

3. Speak up.

Speaking up when you hear something discriminatory is something that can be done on an everyday basis. Slurs, stereotypes, and homophobic jokes are still a big part of our culture, and the only way to change this is by making it clear to the people around you that hateful speech will not be tolerated.

4. Donate to an organization fighting for equality.

There are dozens of organizations that are making a huge impact in this space, and even a one-time donation would drastically help their efforts. Here are few you can look into: 

National LGBTQ Task Force

SAGE USA (Service & Advocacy for LGBT Elders)

National Center for Transgender Equality

‍Out Youth

The Trevor Project

5. Fight for supportive legislation.

Work with your local representatives to change legislation that does oppresses our LGBTQIA+ community. Activities like voting, equality marches, and educating others around you are all small acts that make a big difference.

The LGBTQIA+ community needs our support every single day, not just for the month of June.  With July around the corner, let’s continue to be conscious of our decisions and how they can impact other people.