We are officially in June, which means that it’s Pride Month! What a perfect time for the LGBTQ+ community and their allies to come together and recognize efforts made to grant them more freedom.
If you are a woman of color who is also part of this thriving community, then we want you to know that we see and recognize you. We will also stand beside you as we continue to identify the actions taken to make your voices heard.
Members of the LGBTQ+ community are already facing hardships economically and socially as they fight for their rights. Women of color are no exception to this fight as they are often misrepresented and misunderstood within both the LGBTQ+ and black communities.
It’s time to take a stand against these misrepresentations once and for all! We can start that journey by understanding the PRIDEful characteristics that describe these women of color who are part of the LGBTQ+ community.
P is for Proud. As women of color, we already possess a sense of pride within ourselves that radiates as we live daily. That same pride is expressed for those of you who are part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Despite the constant challenges you endure daily, it doesn’t stop you from wanting to fight to achieve life-long happiness and endless freedom. Having both the pride for being an LGBTQ+ member and a member of the black community doubles up to help you fully connect with your identity and make a difference for others experiencing the same issues.
People may label your pride for cockiness or self-centeredness. In reality, it’s simply your love for yourself. There’s nothing wrong with being prideful about how you identify. If anything, it’s inspiring and beautiful to witness.
R is for Radiant. Women of color who are part of the LGBTQ+ community are seemingly misrepresented. It’s rare to see leaders of the movement who have the same skin tone as you. Luckily, you have the opportunity to change that!
When we see more women of color in higher positions, we will have more women of color reaching for the stars. The same concept applies to women of color and the LGBTQ+ community.
Your radiating voice is needed to inspire other women of color to embrace themselves for who they are as a person. It will also help others feel comfortable about being within the community and building a new future that normalizes seeing women of color happy and thriving.
I is for Innovative. As a woman of color, you’ve already endured countless life experiences that equip you with the skills to navigate society. Those skills can be utilized to benefit the LGBTQ+ community’s endless fight for freedom!
How? Well, think about this. Whether you’re an ally or a member of the community, you as a woman of color have most likely learned the following lessons:
Using creative efforts to make sure that your voice is heard on a specific issue.
Mastered certain skills (networking, professionalism, etc.) to build your way to the top of the totem pole in any profession.
Building tough skin as people within society place stereotypical labels on you, like being a “mad black woman.”
If any of these look familiar to you, then it’s because you’ve learned these exact lessons to get yourself to a specific position. Those same skills can be utilized to uplift women of color in the LGBTQ+ community to continue their fight alongside others with the same goal.
D is for Dedication. Although women of color are considered the most disrespected group of people globally, we also happen to be the most determined. That skill alone displays our strength to fight for what’s right.
As a woman of color within the LGBTQ+ community, you always have to remain dedicated to your cause. Even a moment of letting your guard down will give the naysayers more power to downplay your efforts.
Yes, there will be people who will spread lies. Yes, you will encounter people who don’t understand and probably never will due to their deeply rooted beliefs. Despite this, your dedication should always keep you reminded of the light at the end of the tunnel.
E is for Effervescent. If there’s one skill that women of color bring to any occasion, it’s their lively personalities. This diversified trait is one skill that can benefit the LGBTQ+ community, especially in 2021.
Diversity is needed in different areas, especially when educating and informing others about the efforts and history that the LGBTQ+ community has made. Through doing so, some benefits can include:
Communicating the purpose of the LGBTQ+ movement to those who are unfamiliar or confused about the movement.
Promoting a positive message to people about the movement to gain more supporters and invite more people into the community.
Reaching various audience groups and informing them on the purpose of the community.
For Pride Month, it’s time to celebrate the efforts currently being made to fight dehumanizing efforts to silence members of the LGBTQ+ community. It’s also the perfect time for women of color to make efforts to lead the movement and make the message clear.
Women of color within the LGBTQ+ community have voices that need to be heard. Now is the perfect time to begin those efforts by using your PRIDEful skills to push for change.
These PRIDEful skills are also perfect for allies of the community who are wishing to help keep the movement alive. We hope you can tap into them today and continue to support this community as they prove society’s stereotypes wrong.
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