It’s Pride Month, and Setser Group is here to celebrate with our LGBTQIA+ friends, families, and colleagues. We also want to inform, elevate, and activate! So let’s get to it.

First, let’s understand what LGBTQIA+ is. That’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (and/or questioning), intersex, asexual (and/or allies), + others. Why does the list grow? Times and attitudes change, and more people feel safe coming out and living life as who they are. And we think that is great!

Pride recognizes the ongoing pursuit of equal justice for the LGBTQIA+ community. During the month of June, we celebrate the accomplishments of LGBTQIA+ individuals and honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York City, the event that sparked the Pride movement. For many, Pride month is a celebration of survival as members often experience threats, harassment, and violence because of who they are. Join us in letting the LGBTQIA+ community know they are loved and cherished.

The road to equality is long and winding for the LGBTQIA+ community. The Supreme Court extended equal rights to the community by recognizing same-sex marriage in 2015. Still, in 2022, state legislatures have been on the attack with “don’t say gay” bills and removing library and school books that mention or were written by LGBTQIA+ people. We need your help to counter the destructive environment of manufactured hate and ensure the LGBTQIA+ community has the equality, dignity, and respect they deserve. 

In line with our two most recent newsletters, End Gun Violence Now and A Second Look at the Second Amendment, we ask for an ongoing commitment until justice and equality are realized. Rainbow capitalism runs dry at the end of the month. However, the LGBTQIA+ community needs your help after June 30 each year. The fight for equality is far from over. 

Ways to Support the LGBTQIA+ Community 

How can you create a safe and supportive learning environment for LGBTQIA+ (and all) students and show your pride this month? We have curated four resources for you. 

LGBTQIA2S+ Safe Educator Badge

Gender Inclusive Schools’ “LGBTQIA2S+ Safe Educator Badge” sends the message to your school community that you are a trusted educator & ally. Be sure to check out the other resources on GIS’s website. 

PBS's Pride Month Documentaries 

Most streaming platforms have sections for LGBTQIA+ content. Check out PBS’s selection to watch and learn.

The Little Book of Pride

Discover the history, the key people involved, and the best Pride events worldwide. The book includes inspirational quotes, Pride facts, and a fun Pride survival guide.

Refuge Restrooms 

This app shows all the single-stall or gender-neutral bathrooms in your area. Users can add their restrooms to the list of safe spaces and help cultivate a safer environment for LGBTQIA+ people. 

Leadership matters. And higher education and k-12 school districts have demonstrated their support of LGBTQIA+ communities, often in direct defiance of state legislation.

Let’s look at West Texas for example.

Texas Tech University - Texas Tech scores a perfect 5/5 on the Campus Pride Index. The Office of LGBTQIA+ Education & Engagement serves the university and community through facilitation and leadership of programming and advocacy efforts to strengthen the LGBTQIA+ community. The Office also serves as a resource for the community in their practice of allyship. See Texas Tech’s full Campus Pride Report Card.

The Equality California Institute publishes a Safe and Supportive School Report Card for California k-12 schools. The state has many highlights, including Oceanside Unified School District in San Diego. The staff at OUSD has completed cultural competency training. Training includes at all grade levels discussion of intersectionality or dual/multiple marginalities. The district is one of the very few that has processes around name/gender change and access to school facilities for transgender and gender-nonconforming students. The district also has an association for LGBTQ-identifying teachers and staff. For Pride Month, the district is raising the Pride flag over the district office to honor the LGBTQIA+ community, and OUSD’s new logo will reflect the Pride flag across all of their social media platforms @OsideUSD. See Dr. Julie A. Vitale, OUSD’s superintendent, discuss the district’s Pride Month plans and her life as an openly gay district leader. 

Glassdoor recently released its LGBTQ+ Employee Experience Report, and tech companies dominate the top spots, except for a few, like lululemon, a yoga and athletic leisure company. To kick off Pride Month, lululemon is partnering with The Trevor Project and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to support suicide prevention efforts among LGBTQIA+. lululemon has the company goal to elevate human potential by helping people feel their best, which includes removing barriers to equity so that everyone has a sense of belonging. The company will invest $3 million in The Trevor Project and NAMI. lululemon also created Proud and Present, a campaign centered around encouraging reflection on the Stonewall Uprising.

Want to share Setser Group on social media?

Join Setser Group in celebrating Pride Month. Learn what steps you can take to support the LGBTQIA+ cause here: https://www.setsergroup.com/connect

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