Each June, cities, towns, and communities across Canada and around the world come alive with rainbows, parades, and celebrations of love and identity. But Pride is more than a party—it’s a protest, a commemoration, a declaration, and a call to action. In 2025, as we celebrate Pride Month, we do so in a political climate that has grown increasingly hostile toward the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. This year, the stakes are higher. The visibility, safety, and rights of queer and trans people—especially youth—are under attack, making Pride more important than ever.

Pride Is Still Political

Pride began as a riot. In 1969, the Stonewall Uprising was led by Black and brown trans women, drag queens, and queer people resisting police violence and systemic oppression. Pride has always been political, and in 2025, that hasn’t changed. Across North America and beyond, we’re witnessing a resurgence of anti-2SLGBTQIA+ legislation, book bans, and disinformation campaigns targeting queer and trans communities. Drag performers are being criminalized, trans healthcare access is under threat, and hateful rhetoric is being mainstreamed in political discourse.

For many, Pride offers a temporary reprieve—a space to feel seen, celebrated, and safe. But we cannot forget that the heart of Pride is resistance. It is a chance to reclaim space, demand rights, and remind the world that we are here, and we are not going anywhere.

Pride Saves Lives—Especially for Queer Youth

For 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, Pride is more than a celebration; it can be a lifeline. In a time when schools and governments are attempting to erase queer and trans identities from curricula, Pride affirms to young people that their identities are valid, beautiful, and worth celebrating.

Queer youth face disproportionately high rates of bullying, homelessness, mental health struggles, and suicide. But research shows that supportive communities and visible representation make a profound difference. Pride Month offers that visibility. It tells young people: You are not alone. There is a community out here that sees you, values you, and will fight for your right to exist safely and joyfully.

Now More Than Ever: Allies, We Need You

This is a critical moment. Being “not homophobic” or “not transphobic” is not enough. In 2025, silence is complicity. Allies must be active, vocal, and intentional in their support. That means standing up, speaking out, and using your privilege to create safer, more inclusive spaces.

Allyship is not performative—it’s not just waving a rainbow flag in June. It’s a year-round commitment to learning, unlearning, advocating, and showing up. And when laws and systems are being used to hurt queer and trans people, allyship means resisting those systems alongside us.

How Allies Can Show Support—Online and Offline

1. Educate Yourself (and Others):
Learn about the history of Pride, the diversity within the 2SLGBTQIA+ spectrum, and the specific challenges faced by marginalized subgroups such as BIPOC queer people, trans and nonbinary folks, and 2-Spirit individuals. Don’t rely on queer people to teach you—take initiative.

2. Speak Up:
Call out homophobia, transphobia, and biphobia when you see it—whether in the workplace, in your family, on social media, or in politics. Use your voice to push back against hate and misinformation.

3. Amplify Queer Voices:
Share content created by queer people. Follow and support queer artists, writers, activists, and organizations. Give your platform to those who need it.

4. Show Up:
Attend Pride events, rallies, and protests—not as a bystander, but as an active participant. Volunteer for queer-led organizations. Vote with queer rights in mind.

5. Support Queer Youth:
If you’re a teacher, mentor, coach, or parent, create affirming spaces for young people. Respect pronouns. Provide access to queer-positive resources and literature. Be the safe adult that every queer kid deserves.

6. Donate and Fund Queer Organizations:
Especially local, grassroots, and BIPOC-led ones. Many queer organizations are doing essential work with limited resources. Financial support allows them to keep showing up for the most vulnerable in our communities.

Pride 2025: A Moment and a Movement

Pride is not just about glitter and parades. It’s about community, history, justice, and future. It’s about remembering those we’ve lost, celebrating how far we’ve come, and continuing the fight for liberation. In 2025, when progress feels fragile and rights are under attack, Pride is a necessary act of resistance and hope.

To the 2SLGBTQIA+ community: You are powerful, you are loved, and you are not alone.
To allies: We need you now more than ever. Don’t just wear the rainbow—live the values behind it.