Some people know Pride month as a demonstration of solidarity among members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies. Some people know it as the yearly commemoration of the historic Stonewall riots in 1969 and the first-ever Pride march. Other people know it as a time to engage in political action or to call for social change, like the fight for Black trans lives.
The beautiful thing is, Pride month is all of those things. But some people forget to also include the voices of younger members of the LGBTQ+ community in the mix of Pride month celebrations and activism. And at a time when our resilience is not just about being vocal and being seen, but about survival for so many of our siblings in the community, it’s more important than ever to hear from up and coming leaders who choose to take on the torch and continue in the fight for equity.
So we put out a call to some amazing and vibrant youth from various Texas LGBTQ+ communities to ask them what they thought Pride month was all about. Their answers brought us to tears of hope and joy. We hope they do the same for you after watching the video compilation of their messages below.
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Name: Spencer
Age: 12 years old
Community: Dallas
Pronouns: she/her/hers
“Pride month to me means freedom, because even with all the hatred and people who despise us, it’s drowned out by all the love and support in the LGBTQ community. And I know that my community will keep fighting the oppression so we can look forward to a better future.”
Name: Charlie
Age: 14 years old
Community: Missouri City
Pronouns: they/them/theirs
“It’s important to have allies in the LGBTQ community because it shows us that we’re not alone in our fight for equality.”
Name: Casey
Age: 14 years old
Community: Houston
Pronouns: she/her/hers
“[Pride month] means I get to express who I am…. I celebrate Pride by having fun and being myself.”
Name: Bruce
Age: 9 years old
Community: Palestine
Pronouns: he/him/his
“I like to spend Pride month with my family and teaching others how to be kind to people like me being trans and to people like my mom for being gay. And to let them know we are people, too.”
Help these young people achieve their vision for a more inclusive Texas. Visit Texas Trans Kids to access resources for trans and nonbinary youth, and visit our Students’ Rights page for Know Your Rights information to share with a student or LGBTQ youth in your life.
