June is here, and the joy of Pride is in the air…as well as so many other feelings. If you have been experiencing conflicted emotions this Pride Month due to the current political climate, please know that you are not alone. It can feel distressing and confusing to experience such intense joy and happiness while so much hurt and harm is happening and being felt. We want to let you know that your feelings are valid, AND you are allowed to experience joy and happiness amidst turmoil. In fact, it should be sought out and prioritized because of that. If you're wondering how to navigate the mixed emotions that are emerging this month, here are some suggestions we're putting into practice.
Journal Your Emotions
The first step in navigating the complexities of emotions is to understand your own emotions. Taking some time to intentionally journal your feelings gives you a place to express them without judgment from others (and we encourage you not to judge yourself or your feelings either). By writing out your emotions, you can gain some clarity on what exactly is causing you to question or feel guilty about them. When it comes to the journaling process, the point is not to resolve anything; it is just to make space for all the emotions and recognize what they are connected to. By understanding the emotions associated with internal or external forces, you can better reconcile any inner conflict.
Balance Activities
A great way to resolve inner conflict with conflicting emotions is by balancing your activities. This means that you give attention and time to both the activities and things that bring you joy and happiness during this time, as well as activities that align with your activism and keep you engaged in fighting injustice. This balance doesn’t have to be a one-to-one trade-off, and we wouldn’t recommend that as it is untenable for so many reasons. A great way to approach it is by committing to at least one actionable item per week that aligns with staying in the fight, and then making time for all the things that bring you happiness and joy throughout the rest of your time. This could mean planning to attend a protest or rally on one day and attending the various Pride events you have been looking forward to on other days. This can definitely be trickier as more enjoyable things arise, and you don’t want to sacrifice your joy, but the peace it can bring to your mind can make it all worthwhile.
Educate Yourself on History
We’ve all heard the old saying that history repeats itself. We have all also probably come to realize that we were not taught a lot of the true history of the LGBTQIA2S+ community and the world at large as we would have hoped for. Taking time this month to educate yourself is an exceptional way to celebrate Pride and fight back. This is also a great option if there are things that might prevent you from taking to the streets to fight back or celebrate Pride. By intentionally learning about history that has been largely ignored and not taught, you are making an effort to keep those historical legacies alive and recognize patterns in history that can inform the development of new plans and actions taken to fight for liberation and justice. This month’s Book of the Month is a great starting point — The Faggots & Their Friends Between Revolutions — as it offers a queer critique of capitalism, assimilation, and patriarchy. Some other great recommendations are A Queer History of the United States for Young People, The Queer and Transgender Resilience Workbook, and Exile and Pride: Disability, Queerness, and Liberation.
We know that we are living in unprecedented and challenging times. And, we recognize the importance of joy, pleasure, and happiness during these times as well. Although we wish we had a perfect answer to handle the conflicts that arise from these times, we hope these recommendations provide a glimmer of hope and joy that you can revel in throughout Pride Month and beyond.
We love you, we see you, and we stand with you. Today and every day!