June 1, 2026

Pride Month Begins

By Joe

Happy Pride Month!

Today marks the beginning of June, a month that means many different things to many different people. For LGBTQ+ people, Pride Month is a time to celebrate who we are, to remember those who came before us, and to recognize how far we have come. It is also a reminder that the journey toward equality, dignity, and acceptance is not yet complete.

For me, Pride Month has never been about believing I am better than anyone else. It is about rejecting the shame that so many of us were taught to carry. It is about recognizing that we all deserve to live authentically and that there is nothing shameful about being who we are.

Pride Month is often about letting go of fear—the fear of rejection, the fear of judgment, the fear of being told that we are somehow less than who we truly are.

Pride Month is also a time to remember those who fought for the freedoms many of us enjoy today. It is a time to honor those who lived openly when doing so carried tremendous risks, and those who never had the opportunity to live openly at all.

As June begins, I hope this month will be one of joy, reflection, community, and love. Whether you attend a Pride event, fly a rainbow flag, spend time with friends, or simply take a moment to appreciate how far you’ve come on your own journey, I hope you find reasons to celebrate.

Happy Pride Month, everyone. 🏳️‍🌈

Love one another.

About Joe

Unknown's avatar
I began my life in the South and for five years lived as a closeted teacher, but am now making a new life for myself as an oral historian in New England. I think my life will work out the way it was always meant to be. That doesn't mean there won't be ups and downs; that's all part of life. It means I just have to be patient. I feel like October 7, 2015 is my new birthday. It's a beginning filled with great hope. It's a second chance to live my life…not anyone else's. My profile picture is "David and Me," 2001 painting by artist Steve Walker. It happens to be one of my favorite modern gay art pieces. View all posts by Joe
This entry was posted on Monday, June 1st, 2026 at 6:00 am and posted in Miscellaneous. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

Thank you for commenting. I always want to know what you have to say. However, I have a few rules: 1. Always be kind and considerate to others. 2. Do not degrade other people's way of thinking. 3. I have the right to refuse or remove any comment I deem inappropriate. 4. If you comment on a post that was published over 14 days ago, it will not post immediately. Those comments are set for moderation. If it doesn't break the above rules, it will post.