LGBTQ teens share what Pride Month means to them in powerful campaign
What does Pride mean to you?
That simple question with countless answers is the basis of a new social campaign called #PrideIs. The campaign, which launched in June for LGBTQ Pride Month, encourages young queer people to celebrate their identity and community filling in the blank: #PrideIs _______. The Hetrick-Martin Institute, which is the oldest LGBTQ youth organization in the United States, created the initiative.
Though the institute focuses on queer youth advocacy, education, and empowerment year-round, their newest campaign hopes to show how that work supports LGBTQ young people in practice.
"Pride is more than a noun. Pride is more than a month. Pride is a state of mind."
Through #PrideIs, the group wants to encourage LGBTQ youth to define Pride for themselves, and share their perspectives with their social networks.
"Pride is more than a noun. Pride is more than a month," the Hetrick-Martin Institute wrote in a statement. "Pride is a state of mind. Pride is a verb you enact with intention. Pride is how we stand up for ourselves. Pride is empowering the future. Pride is supporting LGBTQ youth."
But it's not just youth who are using the tag to assert their identity. Out celebrities and allies like Zachary Quinto, Whoopi Goldberg, Carson Kressley, and Betty Who have all shared what Pride means to them in support of #PrideIs. The celebrity responses appear on massive billboards in New York City's Times Square throughout June to promote the campaign.
LGBTQ people of all ages are also encouraged to use the hashtag to share their views of community, identity, and self-love.
Below is a selection of illustrated signs from the campaign provided by the Hetrick-Martin Institute. The signs, created by queer youth age 13 to 24, share what LGBTQ Pride means to the youngest members of the community.
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Topics Activism LGBTQ Social Good
Katie Dupere was a Social Good reporter at Mashable from May 2015 to July 2017, covering activism, identities and social impact. Prior to her work with Mashable, Katie penned pieces about queerness, body positivity, sex and relationships for Gurl. She also previously contributed LGBTQ news coverage to PinkNews.
