Every June, cities around the world burst into colour. Rainbow flags wave from lampposts, glitter rains down from floats, and streets pulse with the rhythm of dance music and chants for equality. Pride Month is both a joyful celebration and a powerful protest — a moment to honour how far we’ve come, and to spotlight how far we still have to go. But every year, as the corporate logos change their colours and the parades grow ever larger, the same question resurfaces: Do we still need Pride?

The answer is a resounding yes.

TL|DR

We still need Pride because someone, somewhere, right now, still believes they’re better off being dead than being LGBTQ+.

The Roots of Pride: A Protest First

Pride has its roots not in celebration, but in resistance. The first Pride was not a parade but a riot. In June 1969, patrons of the Stonewall Inn — a gay bar in New York City — fought back against a police raid, sparking days of protest that would galvanise the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. Led by trans women of colour like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, the events at Stonewall sent a clear message: queer people were done being silent and done being afraid.

That legacy of protest is embedded in the DNA of Pride. It reminds us that visibility was once — and still is — a radical act. That love can be revolutionary. That being out and proud is, for many, still dangerous.

Celebration as Resistance

Over the decades, Pride has evolved into something both fiercer and more joyful. It’s a space where LGBTQ+ people can be visible, exuberant, and unapologetic in their identities. It’s a celebration of survival, of community, of self-acceptance. It’s also, for many, the first time they feel seen.

In a world that still often marginalises queer people, celebration itself becomes a form of resistance. When you grow up hearing your identity is something to be hidden, or worse, something to be ashamed of, a parade that says you are loved exactly as you are can be life-changing. The joy of Pride is not trivial; it is transformative.

But celebration cannot exist without acknowledging the struggle that continues alongside it.

The Ongoing Need for Protest

Globally, LGBTQ+ rights remain under threat. According to the Human Dignity Trust, same-sex sexual activity is still criminalised in over 60 countries — with punishments ranging from imprisonment to death. In countries like Uganda, new legislation imposes life sentences simply for being gay. Trans people in particular face systemic violence, exclusion, and erasure.

Even in nations that pride themselves on progress, such as the UK or the US, anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment is on the rise. Hate crimes are increasing. Drag bans, anti-trans laws, and attempts to roll back protections for queer youth are part of a growing backlash. The public discourse often frames LGBTQ+ identities — especially trans identities — as dangerous, divisive, or up for debate.

This climate makes the protest aspect of Pride more essential than ever. It reminds us that rights can be reversed. That equality on paper does not mean equality in experience. That visibility must be matched with action.

Pride is political

Pride is inherently political. When queer people gather to demand rights, recognition, and respect, they are challenging power structures. They are asserting their right to exist on their own terms — in families, workplaces, classrooms, healthcare systems, and public life.

Critics often claim that Pride has become “too political”. But LGBTQ+ existence is political because the world still makes it so. Hate the game, not the player. From healthcare policies that deny gender-affirming care, to school curriculums that erase queer history, to employment discrimination and housing insecurity — being LGBTQ+ affects how one navigates every aspect of life.

Pride is a space to make these issues visible. To centre the voices of the most marginalised within the community — especially Black and brown queer people, trans people, disabled LGBTQ+ people, and queer youth. When we say, “Pride is for everyone,” it must also mean we fight for everyone.

Corporate Pride and the danger of pinkwashing

In recent years, Pride has attracted significant corporate attention. From rainbow merchandise to sponsorships of Pride events, businesses have increasingly aligned themselves with the LGBTQ+ community. On the surface, this visibility seems like progress — and in some cases, it is. Representation matters.

But this commodification of Pride often raises uncomfortable questions. When companies market to queer people during June but donate to anti-LGBTQ+ politicians the rest of the year, it becomes performative — a phenomenon known as ‘pinkwashing’. When LGBTQ+ workers face discrimination within these same organisations, rainbow logos ring hollow.

For all those allies or those companies that have changed their logos or launched a ‘Pride’ product range, can you focus a little less on “love is love” and more on “queer and trans people are in danger”?

Pride cannot be reduced to a marketing strategy. It must remain grounded in accountability and action. Allies — whether individuals or institutions — must move beyond gestures and commit to real, sustained support.

Why We Still March

We still need Pride because too many LGBTQ+ people live in fear, not freedom.

We still need Pride because visibility is not the same as equality.

We still need Pride because young queer people need to see a future where they are safe, valued, and loved.

We still need Pride because the fight isn’t over.

Pride is not just about parades. It’s about remembering the shoulders we stand on — those who rioted, who died, who lived bravely so we could live more. It’s about the joy of chosen family, the safety of the community, and the strength in solidarity. It’s about claiming space in a world that still tries to erase or diminish us.

As long as LGBTQ+ people face violence, discrimination, and exclusion — in laws, in institutions, in everyday life — we will need Pride. As long as queer joy is revolutionary, we will need Pride. As long as there is injustice, we will march.

So yes, we still need Pride — as a celebration of love and resilience, and as a protest that refuses to be silenced. One without the other is incomplete. Together, they are powerful. Together, they keep us moving forward.

Happy Pride. 🏳️‍🌈✊