F**k the haters: June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month!

North Carolina Republicans can make laws and change rules but one thing they can’t change is the celebrations we’re about to see all over the state now that June is just around the corner – and that’s because June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month! 

Pride is about loving who you love, embracing who you are and being who you were meant to be. While Republican extremists like Lt. Governor Mark Robinson continue to attack North Carolina’s LGBTQ+ community, we can reject their harmful rhetoric by celebrating pride. 

This joyful month is a chance to celebrate how far we have come and recognize the courage of countless LGBTQ+ advocates who have moved us closer to liberation. It’s also a great time to reflect on the journey ahead and acknowledge how far we still have to go.

Far-right politicians like Mark Robinson have built their platforms on singling out and “othering” the LGBTQ+ community, but extremists like him won’t win in the long run. Robinson and his Republican friends love to try to shame LGBTQ+ North Carolinians, to push them into the dark, to make them feel small – but they are the small ones. They are the ones who should feel shame. In the end, love, joy, freedom and compassion will always win over the hate and cruelty of people like Robinson.

Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t be who you want to be or that you can’t love who you want to love. Sometimes, the greatest act of resistance is to be who you are and to continue to love in a world that’s increasingly pushing us toward hate.

If you’re looking for something fun to do in June, we highly recommend you check out a Pride celebration near you! Here is a list of upcoming events:

• 5/31-6/2- Wilson Pride
• 6/1- Chapel Hill Pride
• 6/1-6/2- Pittsboro Pride
• 6/8- Apex Pride
• 6/8- Hendersonville Pride
• 6/8- Orgullo Latinx Pride (Carrboro)
• 6/8- New Bern Pride
• 6/8- Sandhills Pride (Pinehurst)
• 6/15- Fuquay Varina Pride
• 6/22- Out! Raleigh
• 6/22- Winston Salem Pride
• 6/22- Salisbury Pride
• 6/28- Carrboro Pride Dance Party
• 6/29- Fayetteville Pride

Even though June is officially Pride Month, Pride is celebrated all year long, so make sure you keep a look out for other events in the coming months. You don’t want to miss out on the celebrations!