By Petrous Levounis, Photo: from article, Washington Blade, July 5, 2023
Over the years, I have seen Pride month evolve from tolerance, to acceptance, to a celebration of the accomplishments of the LGBTQ+ people and our place in history. What an empowering and joyous affirmation of our community! This year is no different, and yet I cannot help but have mixed feelings in light of what I view as a palpable regression into the hate, bigotry, and ignorance of the past. This regression in our national discourse has been a driving force in a recent crop of discriminatory laws that are being passed across the country.
Discrimination is harmful to the health and mental health of our nation and people of all communities, whether they are members of the LGBTQ+ community and our allies, or not. As we continue to march down the long and winding road to true equality and understanding, let’s remember that despite our differences, we are all human beings deserving of respect, love, and belonging.
Connection and understanding between groups does not come easily these days. As we strive to connect with and educate those who do not necessarily share our views, we are mindful that concepts we take for granted, such as sharing one’s preferred pronouns, may be confusing and even scary for some. Just making the effort to learn someone’s pronouns or list your own, even if you may think they are obvious, can make a transgender, non-binary, or intersex person feel validated and be a big boost to their mental health. As a cisgender person, the least I can do is use my pronouns (he, him, his) in solidarity with friends and colleagues who may use their pronouns as a declaration and affirmation of their identity to the world.
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