It’s June 1st. Did the brands already switch their logos to rainbows? Is someone on Facebook already complaining about LGBTQ visibility? Has the discourse started on Twitter? Did the TikTok youths abolish the gender binary already? Yas, queen, hunty, slay the house down, mama, boots.
It’s Pride Month.
Welcome to “This is America,” a newsletter centered on race, identity and how they shape our lives. I’m Josh Rivera, Travel editor with USA TODAY and issue editor of Gannett’s first Pride tabloid – out on newsstands today.
This is USA TODAY’s first Pride tabloid, and I’m very grateful to have coordinated and edited the content for it. It includes a nice mix of stories highlighting the current issues we face as a community and ways we can come together to move forward.
But first: race and justice news we’re reading this week
What we celebrate during Pride
I’m always hesitant to answer the perennial June questions: Why do we have Pride? Why does the LGBTQ+ community need a parade? Will Amy Adams ever get an Academy Award?
One of the best things about being a journalist is that I have a license to ask smarter and more qualified people to answer these questions. But when it comes to life outside the newsroom, I have to muster up the courage and attempt answers that will surely leave many unsatisfied. And that’s because those who are not open to learning will not learn, no matter how persuasive or accurate my answers are.
A recent Gallup poll found that 7.1% of Americans identify themselves as anything other than heterosexual, an upward trend from years prior. And with that comes backlash.
The pendulum always swings the other way, as my partner says.
From executive actions by governors to new laws from state legislatures, Republicans are pushing a record number of anti-trans bills. Books featuring sexual or racial identities are being banned across the nation. Schools are not safe places for LGBTQ youth. Companies hide behind rainbow flags while donating to politicians who vote against LGBTQ issues. And at least 14 transgender people have been killed this year already.
So we celebrate because we still can. We march because we still can. Because a community whose rights are in constant threat of being taken away has to be in everyone’s face reminding everyone that we are human—and to leave us alone, honestly.
Wow, Josh, that was sad. Anything more upbeat?
Believe it or not, I’ve heard that question a lot recently! Advertisers love a good queer joy story, but the reality is that this year we need to keep our eyes on the prize – yes, prize, because apparently, that’s what LGBTQ/POC/women/immigrant rights are in America!
But yes, there’s joy too.
From that Gallup poll mentioned above, the group with the highest percentage of members identifying as … well, you know … is Gen Z at 20.8% – the youths feel more comfortable than ever to express themselves, and if that’s not something to celebrate, I don’t know what is.
Nearly 12% of TV series regular characters on scripted primetime broadcast shows today are LGBTQ, GLAAD found—we can do better, but that’s great progress!
At least 184 out LGBTQ candidates won elected office throughout 2021, the Victory Fund found. And Pete Buttigieg.
If you’ve read this far down, you’re either gay (bless you) or a really good ally (bless you too) so I leave you with the words of queer icon and living legend, Leslie Jordan, when talking about the 2021 Meghan Markle interview with Oprah Winfrey that I like to think was a prophetic message to the LGBTQ community in 2022:
“[Expletive] is getting real, she needs to speak her truth.”
If you are a queer youth struggling, please reach out to our friends at the Trevor Project. You can text START to 678-678, call 1-866-488-7386 or chat with them online.
And if you are comfortable, and feel safe enough to do it: speak your truth, now more than ever.
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This is America is a weekly take on current events from a rotating panel of USA TODAY Network journalists with diverse backgrounds and viewpoints. If you’re seeing this newsletter online or someone forwarded it to you, you can subscribe here. If you have feedback for us, we’d love for you to drop it here.