As a member of the queer community, it pains me to see how far we’ve strayed from the original intent of our Pride celebrations. What started as a movement rooted in resistance, visibility, and equality has now often become a shiny, corporate-sponsored spectacle—one where the glitter sometimes overshadows the grim reality of what’s happening in our world.

Today, anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric is spreading like wildfire across social media platforms, fueled by algorithms that prioritize engagement over safety. Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) has become a notable example, with reports of increased hate speech under his leadership, as documented by major outlets like The Washington Post and CNN. This demonstrates how unchecked leadership decisions can exacerbate harm to marginalized communities. According to The Advocate, platforms like Facebook and Instagram have embraced dehumanizing LGBTQ+ slurs, allowing hate speech to fester (The Advocate, Meta Embraces Dehumanizing LGBTQ Slurs). Harmful policies, as highlighted by PopSugar, have disproportionately affected queer youth, exposing them to an increasingly hostile digital landscape (PopSugar, Meta Policies Harm Queer Youth). These aren’t just online issues—they ripple out into our real-world lives, emboldening those who wish to see us silenced.

And if that weren’t enough, legislative attacks on our community have reached a fever pitch. Public figures like J.K. Rowling have amplified anti-trans rhetoric, creating a ripple effect that emboldens discriminatory policies and attitudes, as noted in analyses by The Guardian and BBC. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has documented an alarming number of bills introduced across the U.S. targeting LGBTQ+ individuals, especially trans youth. From bans on gender-affirming care to efforts to erase LGBTQ+ history from classrooms, these legislative moves are a blatant attempt to undo decades of progress. High-profile politicians and media personalities have fueled these efforts, often using their platforms to promote fear-mongering narratives, as highlighted in reports by NPR and The New York Times. (ACLU, Legislative Attacks on LGBTQ Rights 2024). In Idaho, Republicans are openly calling for the reversal of marriage equality, signaling that the rights we’ve fought so hard for are far from secure (Them, Idaho Republicans Want to Reverse Marriage Equality).

As millennials and Gen Zers, we owe our freedoms to the generations before us who fought tirelessly—and often in the face of unimaginable violence and oppression. These brave individuals were marginalized, arrested, and even killed simply for existing. They faced conversion camps and police brutality so that we could have the rights we enjoy today: gay marriage, non-binary inclusivity, diverse pronouns, and the ability to celebrate our identities openly. Yet, here we are, with many of us more concerned about which big-name artist is headlining our Pride festivals than the fact that our rights are being eroded right under our noses.

We’ve grown complacent, lulled into a false sense of security by rainbow logos and Pride-themed merchandise. This complacency is dangerous, especially when celebrities and officials with large followings perpetuate anti-LGBTQ+ ideologies unchecked, reinforcing systems of inequality and oppression. But when corporations like Amazon quietly remove equity programs designed to support marginalized communities, it’s clear that performative allyship is not enough (Yahoo News, Amazon Removes Equity Programs). The support we once thought we had is slipping away, and it’s time we faced this reality.

Now more than ever, we need to take responsibility for our community’s future. That means educating ourselves about our history and the struggles that brought us to this point. It means standing up against book bans that seek to erase our stories and advocating for the rights of trans students whose identities are under attack. It means holding corporations accountable when they fail to uphold protections for our community. And above all, it means recognizing that our fight is far from over.

The generations before us carried the torch of resistance, often at great personal cost. It’s now up to us to ensure their sacrifices were not in vain. We need to take a stand against platforms and public figures that actively promote anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric by boycotting their services and calling them out publicly. Holding them accountable sends a powerful message that hatred and discrimination have no place in our society. We need to stop being passive observers and start being active participants in the fight for our rights and freedoms. If we don’t, we risk losing everything the queer community has fought so hard to achieve. Let’s reclaim the true spirit of Pride and remind ourselves—and the world—that our battle for equality is not over. To make a difference, consider supporting organizations like the Human Rights Campaign (www.hrc.org), GLAAD (www.glaad.org), and the Trevor Project (www.thetrevorproject.org), which are at the forefront of advocating for LGBTQ+ rights. These organizations provide resources, education, and platforms for action. Additionally, visiting the American Civil Liberties Union’s website (www.aclu.org) can offer tools to track legislation and find ways to take a stand locally and nationally. Together, we can transform awareness into action and protect our hard-won freedoms.

As an organization, we have created a safe alternative space that celebrates our Queer Community. Our annual Be Proud! Festival is a free community event that celebrates and highlights our local queer community here in Long Beach. We invite you to participate, donate and be part of the movement to bring Pride back to it’s original roots, and focus on community instead of money.

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