June Is Pride Month, Support The LGBTQIA+ Community

June is pride month. This is not to be confused with October, LGBTQIA+ history month. LGBTQIA stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, and asexual; the plus stands for any sexualities not included in the acronym. Queer was originally a slur but has since been reclaimed and is used openly by most in the community. In honor of pride month, here are some things you can do to support the community and be a better ally.

–Normalize asking for people’s pronouns when you meet them. This is so that you avoid misgendering anyone. Misgendering someone is dehumanizing. If you do accidentally misgender someone, apologize quickly, use the right pronouns, and move on. If you do not know how to use someone else’s pronouns, ask them. Always use their preferred pronouns

–Do your own research. As a good ally, you should not be afraid to look some things up for yourself.

–Listen. Do not try and connect by bringing up a gay celebrity or family member. It sends a bad message and sounds like lazy conversation-making. Their sexuality is not their whole identity.

-“You don’t look gay/trans/enby” Sexuality and gender identity cannot be determined by appearances. That is generalizing and creating harmful stereotypes.

-Don’t ask invasive questions. Their personal life is just as personal as yours.

-Beliefs are not an excuse for homophobia

These are just a few tips to be a better ally. Go and support queer and transgender artists and creators.