Why Pride Month makes me ache (and summer plans to look forward to)
Celebrating Pride is different for everyone, and for me it's both joyful and a terrible reminder about the real world. I wish it really was all rainbows and brunch, but it's not
It’s June now, so you know what that means: PRIDE MONTH. This month always hits me differently than many people, so that’s the main thing I’m going to talk about this week. There’s more to chat about too, especially with school being out and upcoming travels and the world going to Helena Handbasket, but we’ll focus on Pride mostly. I hope everyone has an opportunity this month to enjoy the sunshine and exercise their allyship.
For a lot of people, June is this weird month where it’s half obligations of real life and half vacation mode. It’s the same for us, especially since school’s already been out for a week and we’ve already had our first trip of the summer (that’s why I didn’t send a newsletter last week). In case you haven’t made plans for your summer, I’ve got lots of ideas below for you to pick from and hopefully you can plan something before it’s too late.
Also, my “what’s new on the blogs” is farther down in my newsletter today because I think it’s more important today to talk about Pride Month. So don’t miss that section, but ready about Pride first, please. :)
Don’t forget: NO KINGS DAY PROTESTS on JUNE 14 - well organized national day of action against the current regime.
PRIDE Month and Why I Dread It
I am beyond thankful for the rights I have today and that I get to have a family. I am never ashamed to talk about our lives and never hide our uniqueness, in the real world or online… but that doesn’t mean that I’m always brave about it. It’s actually really difficult for me to publish things on social media about Pride, especially in Pride Month, because as much as I wish I was resilient, the trolls and hate speech really has an effect on me. June is when the hateful and often ill-educated people feel the most empowered (and have the most time on their hands) to troll LGBTQ+ content. June is when people seek us out to preach at us, to tell us that we’re ruining our kids, or just to shout at us about how disappointing we are as humans.
Look, I know that people have false courage afforded them by being hidden behind a computer or phone screen, but it still hurts and I’ll be the first to say that I always struggle with letting it just breeze over me. In person people aren’t brave enough to let their bigotry show (unless they have backup at a Pride event or something) but online they certainly do. It’s more than people talking about taking the rainbow back as their god’s promise, but it’s about raging hate speech and unfounded comments on the type of people we and the rest of the LGBTQ+ community is.
Today, the first Pride post I saw on Facebook was from our local tourism board and the first comment on it was a horrible one that included a graphic about the LGBTQ community being groomers and needing to protect kids. The vitriol continued with commentary about being disgusting, God judging the gays, and even awful commentary from city officials personal accounts. It took hours and hours before the tourism board realized what had been going on and they’ve since removed all the hate speech and closed commenting. On the good side of that, St Augustine is having a Pride Parade on June 21st! (and we'll be gone for it, of course)
What Allyship Looks like in PRIDE Month and Beyond
People often ask what being an LGBTQ+ ally should look like or what they can do. You know, it’s going to be different for everyone, but the biggest things that people can do are very simple, and yes, they can be very uncomfortable. You know, sometimes you just have to grow a pair and confront the vile people in your world, and that’s the biggest thing and ally can do within their own circles. Stand up and call people out on their prejudices, hate speech and inappropriate jokes and commentary. I know that not everyone will confront their family or friends the way I do, but that’s what has to happen to break through to those who are perpetuating hate and propaganda against the LGBTQ+ community.
Allyship also can look like thoughtfully supporting your local LGBTQ+ owned or safe-place businesses. It can be resharing ACCURATE and positive articles online about our community. It can be attending Pride events as a peaceful buffer to the outside world or allowing LGBTQ+ people to openly share their stories and lived experiences without needing to share your own. It can be just allowing somebody that you know is different to exist peacefully and feel safe around you. Each of these things is easy, intentional and means a lot to those in your life that society aims to hurt or snuff out.
Is Pride Still Important Today?
OMG yes, and in the USA it’s more important now than it’s been in years. While we’re watching local, state and federal government make statements and take action against all kinds of minorities and at risk groups, Pride and supporting those who need to stand strong to protect themselves and their families is extra important. We’ve seen women’s right to choose stripped away federally and in several states. We’re seeing horrifying immigration and lawless deportation practices happening. The LGBTQ+ community is one of the groups that the government has openly said are a target.
Pride is so important right now because being visible and making sure that society hears our stories and sees us as a part of their world helps to ensure that we won’t be eliminated or blotted out. You’ll notice if our voices go quiet. You’ll see it if the world around you doesn’t have the presence or influences of the LGBTQ+ people who live around you. Pride is about more than parades and parties, but it’s about being visible and ensuring that young people who think they’re not worth it can see positive examples of what’s possible in their lives and to see that there are multitudes of good people who care and support them.
What’s new on the blogs
And now for all that’s new on the blogs. I have really enjoyed writing over the last two weeks, and I’m excited to conquer more topics this upcoming week. I’m almost at a point on my newish sites where I’ll cross the 100+ post threshold, and I’ll be over 600 articles on our primary site too. So much work through the years and I love it!
2TravelDads.com - Despite being in Florida, Orlando is FULL of wonderful LGBTQ owned and inclusive business and tourist activities. Our favorite things to do in Orlando is up and it’s got great suggestions for a fun visit that inclusive and not all theme park oriented. Also on the blog is the scoop on visiting MOMA in NYC. Oliver and I had a great time seeing famous artworks and talking about what makes good or culturally important art, and now you can read all about it!
MyAlaskaTrip.com - I was trying to think about what some good cost saving tips for travel in Alaska are and ultimately it comes down to the accommodations you book, so I actually wrote up two different budget-friendly hotels we’ve enjoyed up in Fairbanks, both in the BW brand - the Pioneer Park Hotel and Chena River Lodge. Also, two of the most memorable things from our winter trip to Fairbanks had to make it onto the website: the Alaska Railroad Aurora Route and the World Ice Art Championships. So much fun and beautiful stuff to cover!
MyAlohaTrip.com - We always love National Parks and beaches, and that was my focus to write about over the last two weeks re: Hawaii. If you’re heading to Hawaii Volcanoes NP, which just had the MOST EPIC eruption at Kilauea on May 25th, I published pieces on two of the coolest hikes in the park: Kilauea Iki (crater floor hike) and the Keanakako’i Overlook (eruption viewing). On Maui we’ve got a new article with all the details of doing the Haleakala Sunrise (reservations and stuff). On Kauai we’ve got information about Poipu on the South Shore and a review of the Sheraton Coconut Beach Resort in Kapaa. And then lastly, I had to write about what it’s like to fly Mokulele Airlines to Molokai. I had some questions come through about it so I thought it best to just lay it out.
TheKeysExplored.com - OMG, I feel like I’ve done so much work on our Florida Keys site in the last two weeks and I love it! Here’s everything that’s fresh and new over there:
Crane Point Hammock on Marathon - trails and fish pedicures
The Bayside Inn Key Largo - budget stay with a dive shop
Let this be an example of really thriving doing something you love: I’ve published 19 new articles in the last 12 days and it feels so good. I really love getting to write about what I love and what I think will help others in their travels. I have moments where I feel like I should have a 9-5 job so the income is more consistent and I can contribute more financially, but then I remember how much I love this job and that it contributes both financially and in such bigger ways for our family. And it makes me happy too. :)
Summer Travel Plans for Us (and you if you like)
We had a great trip to Houston, Texas last week that was a blast. At Christmas I had gotten our family baseball tickets for the Mariners v Astros game and theater tickets for In the Heights and used miles for the rest of the travel, so it was gift that I had been looking forward to… and then when we got there and I said “Merry Christmas” the kids had no clue what I was talking about because they had forgotten.
But here are our upcoming summer travel plans, and I think it’s going to be a fun summer:
Chicago - this one is just me and it’s a work trip, but I’m excited to see friends and enjoy some cool Chicago stuff
Seattle and the Olympic Peninsula to see family (and I have a high school reunion)
Oahu and Kauai for hiking, some cool cultural experiences and some work stuff
Southeast Alaska - I am SO EXCITED for this trip as we’ll be visiting Ketchikan, Juneau and Haines. It’s going to be beautiful and so much fun!
Maine to really work on some stuff for our Maine site that has taken the back burner.
If we got to add a road trip to our summer plans, we’d either be enjoying the West Coast Mountain National Parks or we’d be doing a family road trip around Maine. Both are so much fun and are full of beautiful sights. Maybe next summer…
That’s all for today! I hope everyone has a chance to engage in supportive Pride activities, to go someplace new this summer, and that we all can stay healthy and safe. Happy traveling!
Thank you so much Rob! I so enjoy reading your posts. Happy Pride Month 🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
Love you guys! Counting the days until we see you🥰