Pride month still matters
Over the weekend, I watched the first episode of Queer as Folk 2022 (I LOVED the original Queer as Folk USA), and by the end of the episode, I was basically in tears.
At the same time, this show shows why celebrating Pride and Pride Month is still so important. If you have not watched the show, I would highly recommend it. Please don’t watch it with anyone under 16; it is full-on.
If you need more reasons to why celebrating Pride is essential:
In 2016 there was a shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando.
In 2022 there was a shooting at a gay bar in Oslo.
The banning of drag shows in many states in America.
The banning of LGBTQ+ books in libraries in many states in America.
Bigotry towards trans people worldwide.
There are still places in the world where being LGBTQ+ is still illegal, leading to jail and execution.
Pride Month
June is Pride Month, so it is even more timely that I share some of my thoughts and feelings on this area.
I was very “lucky”; both of my parents readily accepted that I’m gay, and when I walk down the streets, it is not “obvious” that I like men. So I have personally never experienced hate crime, but I know several people who have recently.
When I was fifteen, I went to my first pride parade in Oslo in 2006, and I could not have had a better introduction. I remember my sister, and I was greeted by the CEO of LGBT Norway, Rolf, given a t-shirt and asked to walk with them.
That experience is not the same for everyone, and I was bullied for a long time until I came out at 15. When I came out, no one could use it against me anymore.
I feel it is essential to acknowledge that we have come so far, although we have far to go. So much has changed over the last 100 years in Norway, my home country, the UK, the United States and other places worldwide.
Spiritually, all of this is clearly a part of our journey as a species moving through the earthly realm; at the same time, that does not mean that we cannot work towards positive progress for all.
The way forward
All of us, myself included, need to practice more openness, curiosity, and non-judgement and generally expose ourselves to people who are not like us so that we can learn from each other and build a sense of community amongst all people.
So, if you have anyone in your life who is from a minority group and struggling with it. Give them some extra support to grow the inner strength they will need to thrive in today’s society. And let us work together towards a society where you don’t need extra inner strength to thrive because you come from a minority.