The Philadelphia Pride Flag incorporates “queer communities of color that have often been overlooked in the mainstream LGBTQ+ movement. The addition of the black and brown stripes symbolizes communities of color and their contribution to the movement.” (Source: HRC)
I am proud of who I am every single day of the year. But during Pride Month, the visibility we demand, not request, becomes even more urgent. Every march, festival, and flag-waving in the wind is a reminder that we are here, we are a community, and we are not going anywhere.
We are living through difficult times. Hate and setbacks aren’t just felt, they’re being legislated. From attacks on trans people to anti-immigrant laws trying to push us out of our spaces, some want us to go back into hiding, to be silent, to live in fear. But we won’t. We refuse. We are here. And we are not going anywhere.
At the National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund, we raise our voices for those who can’t. This Pride Month, we march not just for ourselves but also for our Black, Latinx, immigrant, and undocumented communities. When one of us is under attack, all of us are.
In my case, I march for the little girl I once was, the one who used to hide, quite literally, in the closet to play with Barbies and makeup in Manizales, Colombia. For the young person who joined the military not knowing that her most significant act of courage wouldn’t be in combat, but in living her truth as a transgender woman in a world that doesn’t always accept us.
I march for the woman who began her medical transition at 52 and who, from that moment on, chose never to hide again. I march for every trans person who dreams of living freely but is too afraid to step outside. I will be there for those who can’t show up right now. And I will not leave.
My story is not unique. It’s the story of thousands who survive, fight, and love daily in a politically divided country that still holds hope. That hope lives in our resistance, in our joy, and in our unity.
In difficult times, I invite our LGBTQ+ community to remember that your presence matters and that you are not alone: a wide and supportive network shares your experiences and wants to see you thrive. Whether it's the National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund or a safe space in your community, it’s a place where you can be authentic. Be proud of who you are, because you are unique, valuable, and worthy of celebration.
And let it be clear: policies may change and attempt to erase us from laws and textbooks, but no one can erase us from history or keep us invisible.
With pride and without permission, we are here to stay.
Andrea Montañez is a field organizer at the National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund.
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