On March 13, Twitter account lilacisms tweeted, “we’re like 2 weeks out from academics writing ‘queering the quarantine: towards radical forms of queer isolation.’” They weren’t too far off with this tweet. For the first time in 50 years, hundreds of Pride parades and events have been cancelled or postponed due to the global pandemic. While LGBTQ+ people will not be able to congregate publicly to celebrate because of public health concerns, Pride Month is not called off. Here are digital events to attend, LGBTQ+ businesses to support and queer media to listen to or watch to honor Pride 2020.
Pride Online
1. “2020 CAPSULE: A Unique Year in Pride, Documented” by GAY TIMES
GAY TIMES, an LGBTQ+ magazine and media outlet established in 1984, has followed and reported on the queer community for 40 years. The company is creating a 2020 multimedia capsule documenting the experiences of the community this summer through a collection of photos, videos, playlists, poetry, short films, letters and social media. After the three-month campaign, GAY TIMES will donate the “2020CAPSULE” to Queer Britain, the first national LGBTQ+ museum in the U.K. Follow GAY TIMES on Instagram to see the campaign content over the coming months and stay tuned for ways to contribute!
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBS7cLqH2nl/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
2. Global Pride 2020
Mark your calendars — Global Pride will take place on Saturday, June 27, 2020. Pride organizations around the globe are teaming up to organize a 24-hour livestream (on a platform to be announced) that can be watched anywhere on any device with an internet connection. The broadcast will feature addresses by public figures, musical performances, art exhibits and speeches from activists from around the world. Sign up for Global Pride on Facebook for updates with more information.
3. “Out Now Live”
Them, a magazine that covers culture, news and current events in the LGBTQ+ community, is hosting its “Out Now Live” livestream via YouTube on Monday, June 22 at 8 p.m. ET featuring musical performances, as well as stories and speeches from notable queer people and allies. The profits from the event will be donated to the Ali Forney Center, a New York-based organization that aids LGBTQ+ homeless youth.
4. “Pride At Home” by Attitude Magazine
Attitude, the best-selling gay magazine in the U.K. and Europe, is hosting “Pride at Home” across all their social media and digital and print platforms beginning Saturday, June 20. The festival will include live performances, DJs, a video series of speeches and anthems, and you can find daily content on the history of Pride on the Attitude website.
5. “Pride Everywhere” by The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project has a “Pride Everywhere” campaign to remind the community that “Pride isn’t going anywhere, because Pride is everywhere.” Check out their website to donate to LGBTQ+ youth, find more fundraising opportunities and to create a #PrideEverywhere photo.
LGBTQ+ Businesses to Support
1. Fluide makeup
Fluide makeup is a mission-driven beauty company whose products are inclusive to all gender expressions and skin tones. From liquid lipsticks to sparkly eyeliners, their makeup is vegan and cruelty free, as well as paraben, phthalate and formaldehyde free. Lip and nail shades are named after queer safe spaces around the world and the company donates products to LGBTQ+ organizations.
2. Bianca Designs
Bianca Designs is an independent shop run by queer Latinx designer Bianca Negron that sells pins, patches and other accessories. Every month, the company donates the profits from their “Love Knows No Gender” product line to a different LGBTQ+ foundation such as the Trans Women of Color Collective, the Human Rights Campaign and many more. The small store is located in Queens, New York, but ships to anywhere in the United States and internationally to participating countries. More information can be found on her website.
3. Stuzo clothing
Stuzo is a gender-free clothing company celebrating the non-conforming. Owned and operated by women of color, Stoney Michelli and Uzo Ejikeme, the company focuses on the POC queer community. As described by Michelli and Ejikeme, their clothing is “gender free as we prefer to call them because clothes don’t have any organs last time we checked.” Enjoy a 20% off discount on all queer items during Pride Month.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B7t7RW3n50a/
4. Revel and Riot
Revel and Riot is an LGBTQ+-run nonprofit organization that makes products that raise awareness, visibility and spark conversation about equality, pride and justice. Each shirt has a story listed in its description. Revel and Riot also provides resources on queer issues, and support through other foundations on their website. The company donates part of their proceeds to other LGBTQ+ organizations every year. The online shop has many sales for Pride Month.
5. Automic Gold
Automic Gold is a queer-owned, self-funded jewelry company that sells genuine gold sustainable fine jewelry produced in New York City. The millennial company does not photoshop their models, who are non-cis, non-white and size-inclusive. The company does not offer discounts during Pride Month because they will not overcharge in the first place; they keep their prices fair for high quality products.
Some Queer Media
1. “The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson”
Marsha P. Johnson, an African American transgender woman from New Jersey, was a queer rights activist who was on the frontlines during the Stonewall uprising. Johnson went missing for six days before police found her body in 1992. Her cause of death was declared suicide, but later changed to undetermined when the case was reopened. In this Netflix documentary, Victoria Cruz investigates Johnson’s mysterious death.
2. Queer Eye
A Netflix original series, “Queer Eye” is a reboot of the 2003 TV show following the Fab Five, a group of gay men, as they give a fashion and lifestyle makeover to a new Hero each episode. The show features diverse Heroes with different backgrounds and beliefs than the Fab Five, instigating conversations about important topics such as racism, religion and sexuality. Warning: tear-inducing, bring tissues.
3. “History is Gay” podcast
“History is Gay” highlights the stories of queer people throughout history, breaking the heteronormative and cis-centric tendencies of the lessons of the education system. The podcast teaches that LGBTQ+ identities are not new or a trend; rather, queer people have always existed. “History is Gay” is available on Spotify, Google Play and Apple Podcasts.
4. Gay on Instagram
Learn more about queer history and culture on Instagram! Follow @lgbt_history, @h_e_r_s_t_o_r_y and @queerbible for digital archives, illustrations of activists and heroes and current pop culture.
5. Pride Playlists
Dance to some anthems this Pride month while supporting LGBTQ+/ally artists! LGBT pride. is a 512-song playlist to check out on Spotify.
