Five Ways to Celebrate Pride This Year
Large parades might be cancelled, but there are still so many ways to celebrate love in all forms.
We recently caught up with CJ , the13-year-old activist and friend of Primary, who made history in 2018 when he was named the youngest grand marshal of any Pride parade. In light of COVID-19 this year, many parades and large gatherings that are usually touchstones of Pride celebrations have been cancelled. But CJ has plenty of ideas for how to show your pride now and always. Here are a few...
Have a dance party with a Pride playlist.
"Just because the fun events are gone, doesn’t mean our pride should be gone. But I'm not going to lie, I'm going to miss all the fun events!" says CJ. For a backyard dance party, he suggests:
Read books about LGBTQ+ history, activism, and allyship.
Stock your home library with a diverse set of titles that spark conversation with your child about gender, sexuality, and why we celebrate Pride. CJ's favorites include:
- Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag, by Rob Sanders
- I Am Jazz, by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings
- My Princess Boy, by Cheryl Kilodavis
- Sparkle Boy, by Leslea Newman
"And of course," says CJ, "my mom's book Raising My Rainbow is great for grown-ups!"
Coordinate a neighborhood drive-by parade.
Drive-by parades have become all the rage for those celebrating birthdays in quarantine. This year, in lieu of in-person events, CJ is planning one with friends for Pride! "We're going to decorate our cars and wear rainbow and cheer and celebrate."
Wear your pride.
"My family wear lots of rainbow," explains CJ. "And, we just totally get into Pride. We like to wear lots of gear, especially from small LGBTQ+ friendly businesses like Primary. We're also going to make custom Pride bracelets."
Speak up, always.
Don't let the conversation stop after Pride month passes. "We should always live with pride. We should be there for each other and stick up for each other and celebrate each other. Always let people know that you are supportive and accepting of other people no matter what. Hate is stupid."
Thank you so much, CJ! How are you planning to celebrate Pride this year? Share with us on Facebook and Instagram!
Now through the end of June, for every order that includes an item from our Rainbow Shop, Primary will donate $5 to GLSEN, up to $25,000 total, in support of safe, inclusive school environments for LGBTQ students, K-12.
