Happy Pride Month!

June is here! Summer is imminent, and Pride Month begins. 🏳️‍🌈

As assaults continue on the human rights of various marginalized communities, it is more than OK that we take some time to celebrate Pride. We can celebrate each other, and we need to remember history: how Pride month began, and what we have built over the past 50 years. Let us never forget Stonewall and what it cost those who came before us.

Since I’ve been alive, some great things have happened – from women being able open a credit card account without a man in 1974 to achieving marriage equality in 2015. That is huge progress in a relatively short amount of time. The assault once directed at gay and lesbian people has now been focused on the transgender community. We can continue to achieve progress as we have in the past, even though these feel like dark times.

How can you support the LGBTQ+ community? Support a queer-owned business! That includes Renu. Massage will benefit you and will give very needed support to a local small business that is both woman-owned and LGBT-owned. Times are extra challenging for small businesses, so supporting us in June and in general is huge.

Do you know what the flag represents? In 2018, Daniel Quasar reimagined the Pride flag by adding the colors of the transgender flag and also include other marginalized LGBTQ communities of color, community members lost to HIV/AIDS, and those currently living with AIDS.

The chevron pointing right indicates a need for forward movement and progress: may this remind us that progress is not a given; we must protect what we have fought for and continue to move in the direction of inclusion and equality, not taking for granted that these rights won’t be threatened.

Let’s all take some time to enjoy what has been achieved this Pride month. The news is daunting and depressing, so let’s celebrate our victories this month and energize ourselves for when more action is needed.