Editor’s Column: For Many Prides to Come

This time of year, we take a little bit of time for Pride reflection following the big blow-out in June. And while we do that, it’s easy to fall into the nostalgia of reflection and start to feel sorry for ourselves. We look at other Prides in the past when there was more funding for the queer community, when the world didn’t seem like a scary place, and we fall into a desire to escape the now and disappear into the past. 

Don’t get me wrong—Memories and reflection are super important to the queer community. We need to remember where we come from, the legacy of Pride, Stonewall, our Black trans sisters who paved the way, and our queer family lost to HIV and AIDS. And personal reflection is super important for self-development and for celebrating life. We never know how long we have on this planet, and memories are more precious than wealth. 

But despite all that, there’s a side of reflection that can fall into the self-pity category. For example, it’s easy for me to sit there and think about how much better OFM had it pre-COVID, when we had a big team, a massive Pride issue, a ton of sales, a better economy. It’s easy to even look back at last year when Trump wasn’t in his second term and it felt like there was hope of pushing the country in a more progressive direction. 

While our present-day fears and nostalgia might be completely valid, it’s also very important to recognize that right now, this year, the first year of Trump’s second term, is going to go down in history as perhaps another Stonewall-like era for the queer community. We are actively making history and showing that Pride has always been a protest and a party, and we aren’t backing down. What we do this year will be important, and it will be remembered. 

And we also need to look forward. Too often, I see doom-and-gloom rhetoric about this being the end of the line. While fears from the queer community are extremely valid, it’s also important to remember that we’re fighting, and partying, during Pride to make sure that we have a legacy of queer joy before us, and that those who come after us do as well. 

So this year, while you reflect on Prides past, don’t forget to find the joy, and the fight, in this year’s Pride, and make sure to enjoy the moment and also look forward to all the amazing queer years to come. I refuse to think even for a second that this is the beginning of the end for Pride celebrations in the U.S. It’s something that will ultimately make us strong enough to keep facing the challenges, and celebrating the joy.