Share
The days in June are longer, summer is arriving, and graduations are happening everywhere. Sitting at the heart of it all is one of the most vibrant and historically significant celebrations of the year.
Exploring ways to support Pride Month involves far more than attending a parade. Individuals and businesses both have the opportunity to act as genuine allies throughout the month and beyond.
Pride Month traces its origins to the Stonewall Riots of 1969, marking more than five decades of advocacy, visibility, and community building. At Advertise Purple, diversity and inclusion remain central to how we operate every day.
Here are six ways to participate with intention and make a meaningful difference this Pride Month.
Ways to Support Pride Month That Go Beyond the Celebrations
Showing up for the LGBTQ+ community in June means more than changing a profile picture or adding a rainbow to a logo. As an affiliate marketing agency that has prioritized inclusive hiring, we know how much the everyday actions of a business communicate about its values. The ideas below are accessible, actionable, and impactful regardless of the size of your organization.
- Get Educated
Education is a powerful starting point. Taking time to learn about the history and meaning of Pride, the Stonewall Riots, and the broader LGBTQ+ rights movement builds the foundation for authentic allyship. Learning can happen through many channels, including books, documentaries, and community discussions.
Some helpful organizations and resources to explore include:
- The Trevor Project
- Service and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE)
- GLAAD
- Straight for Equality
- National Center for Transgender Equality
Sharing these resources with your team is a simple and meaningful way to extend the learning beyond yourself.
- Promote an Inclusive Work Environment
This one resonates with us at Advertise Purple. Since our inception, we have prioritized creating and nurturing an open and inclusive workplace. Celebrating team diversity, acknowledging important cultural moments, and maintaining inclusive hiring policies are all practices we hold ourselves to year-round.
Implementing workplace policies that actively prevent discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals is an important step. Making LGBTQ+ resources available to employees also helps build a workplace culture where people feel seen and respected. Inclusive workplaces emerge through deliberate choices made consistently across every level of an organization.
- Connect With LGBTQ+ Elders
Reaching out to SAGE to connect with older members of the LGBTQ+ community is one of the most rewarding and underutilized forms of allyship available. These are the people who lived through the movement’s early days, and their stories carry extraordinary weight.
Volunteering in this context does not require a specific skill set. Listening actively, giving space for stories to be told, and asking thoughtful questions about what the community needs going forward is enough of a contribution. Hearing from these pioneers offers perspective on both where the movement has been and where it is headed.
- Volunteer Your Time at LGBTQ+ Community Centers
LGBTQ+ community centers serve as vital gathering places and safe spaces for LGBTQ+ people. Lending time and skills to these organizations is a tangible and direct way to contribute. To find centers in your area, a quick online search will surface local options worth connecting with.
Volunteering does not have to mean committing to a recurring schedule. Even a single day of involvement, done with genuine presence and care, makes a difference to the people those organizations serve.
- Share Your Story
Personal storytelling is one of the most powerful tools for building understanding and solidarity. Sharing your own experiences or identity on your own terms, only when you feel comfortable doing so, creates space for others to feel seen and accepted.
This does not have to happen on a public platform. Telling the people in your immediate circle what your identity or allyship means to you is equally meaningful.
- Celebrate LGBTQ+ Art and Culture
The LGBTQ+ community has shaped a rich and influential artistic legacy. Creators such as Frida Kahlo and Andy Warhol helped pave the way for generations of queer artists whose work continues to influence global culture. Celebrating LGBTQ+ creativity stands as a joyful and meaningful act of solidarity.
Visit an LGBTQ+ art gallery, see a film or show created by or about someone in the community, or spend time with music by LGBTQ+ artists. Putting your attention and your spending toward these creative voices is a meaningful act of celebration and solidarity.
Pride Is Worth Celebrating All Year Long
Pride Month creates a moment of collective visibility and celebration. Diversity, inclusion, and allyship are the kind of values that shape a company’s culture. It attracts talented people and builds the kind of brand trust that lasts.
Advertise Purple is proud to stand alongside the LGBTQ+ community, in June and always.
Get in touch and let’s work together on something worthwhile.
