This article was published on May 28th, 2020

If you’d told any of us in January that there’d be no pride events this year, wigs, stilettos, crop tops, and all manner of projectiles would’ve landed on you. Here we are. It’s only May, yet it feels like we’ve lived through both 2020 and 2021. Pride parades and events have canceled en masse, with queers at home, in quarantine, or self-isolation. However, our spirit is indomitable.

The gay community has faced a barrage of struggles and changes throughout the years. This pandemic is just one more of the things we have to adapt to and conquer. The resilience that has carried us through all the battles for LGBT rights and equality will take us through this.

Just because Pride parades and events aren’t happening in-person this year doesn’t mean Pride is canceled. You can still stand up and be proud of who you are. Here are some ideas on how to celebrate Pride 2020.

Celebrate Pride 2020 online

There is no shortage of ways to celebrate Pride 2020 online. With most in-person Pride events and activities canceled, organizers are shifting online to bring the community together.

Celebrate by participating in virtual Pride events such as the Global Pride Online slated for Saturday, June 27, 2020.

Attend virtual drag shows. Most drag performers and artists have also gone virtual, hosting incredible online drag shows complete with makeup, dress ups, behind the scene shots, and all the action you’d expect in an in-person show.

While at it, tip and show your support for drag performers and artists. With in-person shows canceled, their livelihoods were decimated and now rely on online shows to put food on their tables.

Celebrate Pride online by framing your social media avatars in rainbow colors, and posting pictures of how you’re celebrating Pride this year.

To make it more fun, check out some of the most emotional coming out stories on Youtube, share your experiences with other people, or even tell some of the proudest stories in your gay life.

Celebrate Pride at home

With most of us still at home respecting social distancing measures, self-isolating, or in quarantine, it only makes sense to find creative ways to celebrate Pride at home. To that end:

Hang rainbow flags on your windows or in your yard. Let it be a reminder of how far we’ve come and how far we have to go.

Dress in your Pride gear. If you’d prepared a Pride outfit, bring it out, dust it, and wear it proudly. You may not march down the avenue with other queers, but you can march down your driveway while taking out the trash. Get creative.

Host a virtual brunch. Get a few of your gay friends together for a virtual brunch where you can catch up, have fun, and share quarantine survival tactics. Make sure each has their rainbow Pride shots or a Stoli Pride cocktails.

Organize a small Pride gathering at home. While discouraged, you can still bring together a couple of friends for a little celebration at home. Just observe all the health safety measures.

Organize a small Pride gathering at home. While discouraged, you can still bring together a couple of friends for a little celebration at home. Just observe all the health safety measures.

Celebrating Pride in the Community

Now more than ever, the sense of community is critical. Stay-at-home guidelines have brought their fair share of issues, including deteriorating mental health and financial hardships.

Just because we can’t assemble doesn’t mean the community is dead. Celebrate Pride and show your support and solidarity to the community by:

Contribute to your local Pride society. These organizations run on donations or income-generating activities that have been affected by the pandemic. You can support their ongoing programs, especially now, since the pandemic effects are harder on the marginalized communities they serve.

Volunteer. Celebrate Pride 2020 by volunteering your time, resources, or expertise to the community. It doesn’t have to be only for the gay community. A lot of people are going through some difficult issues. Look for a way, however small, to help.

Support LGBT friends and businesses. Is your friend struggling to cope with the effects of the pandemic? Look for ways to assist. Even a kind word, an encouraging talk, groceries, would go a long way. At the same time, support LGBT businesses by buying gear and other merch from them.

The pandemic has heavily impacted business owners. Your support will tide them through rough times.

Finally

Pride isn’t a mass gathering; it’s a spirit. The spirit that unites us as a community. It’s who we are – beautiful, strong, resilient. As you celebrate Pride 2020, let that pride shine through in whatever you do.