The US Pride Month celebrations recently closed out with the end of June. Pride month is a time to celebrate all that the LGBTQ community has accomplished, as well as to sometimes express discontent for how far the movements still need to go around the world.
Many countries around the world still outlaw homosexuality and gender non-conformity. Resistance and protests for equal rights are ongoing, no matter how subtle, which makes every bit of Pride worth celebrating and fighting for.
Here are five of the top moments from 2018 Pride!
Big Apple Wedding Bells
During the NYC Pride Parade, a paramedic named Tayreen Bonilla got engaged to EMT Trudy Bermudez.
Between having the right to say, “yes” and seeing how happy they are with each other, the moment was enough to make anyone cry happy tears and appreciate how much things have changed over the years.
LGB Royal-T
The news came out that the first gay royal wedding was going to happen!
Queen Elizabeth’s cousin, Lord Ivar Mountbatten, is set to wed his partner, James, making it the first gay royal wedding. It’s meant to be a small gathering of close friends and family.
An interesting part is — Ivar’s daughters thought it would be cool if his ex-wife walked him down the aisle and gave him away… and that’s what’s going to happen!
The Hydrated Angel
Andrew Edgerton goes by “Hydrated Angel” on social media and is known for his fabulous makeup tutorials.
For Pride, he wanted to do a colorful eye makeup tutorial that his fans and followers could use. However, while he was filming, his dad cuts in and everyone can hear him say, “That looks so freaking awesome!” followed by a couple of swear words to emphasize how much he liked it.
It’s the little things that go a long way, and for a lot of LGBTQ individuals, having your parents show that much support is something that unfortunately isn’t as common as it should be.
Grandma Was Not Having Wrinkles
Twitter user @lexie_galaxie made a tweet that she woke up ready to go to DC Pride. Lexie was going to bring a bi pride flag when her grandmother told her that it needed to be pressed out!
You can see a picture of Lexie’s grandma ironing the bi flag on her Twitter feed. Again, little gestures go a long way.
Respectful Apologies
Religion and LGBTQ rights have long had a complex relationship. However, this past Pride, The Church of Freedom in Christ Ministries not only marched in a Pride Parade, but they also held signs apologizing for the way they had once treated members in the LGBTQ community.
Signs read: “We’re here to apologize for the ways that we have harmed the LGBT community” and “Jesus didn’t turn people away, neither do we.”
This is a huge step in the right direction, and hopefully, it doesn’t end with 2018.
Until Next Year
2018 Pride was packed with fun, tear-jerkers and plenty of celebrations. Remember to live every day with pride and know that your community and colors are beautiful and worth celebrating.