Today is the first day of Pride Month. Pride is not simply a celebration of what has already been won. It is a living act of resistance in the face of what is still being denied. While rainbow flags may be raised in storefronts, many of our communities face growing threats. Across North America, we are witnessing a historic rise in anti-trans legislation, bans on gender-affirming care, drag restrictions, and policies designed to erase queer and trans lives from public view. Pride began as a protest, and in this moment, it must become one again.

One of the godmother’s of Pride, Marsha P. Johnson once said:

“History isn’t something you look back at and say it was inevitable, it happens because people make decisions that are sometimes very impulsive and of the moment, but those moments are cumulative realities.”

The rights and visibility we have today did not arrive on their own. They are the result of bold, costly choices made by those who refused to wait for permission to be free- often the most intersectionally marginalized among us! If we want that freedom to endure and expand, we must be willing to make those choices again.

If you are 2SLGBTQIA+, I hope this month strengthens your resolve and honours your story. If you are an ally, this is your invitation- not to passive support, but to active solidarity. Pride calls each of us to stand where it is dangerous, to speak when it is costly, and to choose justice when silence would be easier. The fight is not over. Neither are we.

Happy Pride!