June is Pride month. 🏳️‍🌈 ICYMI – last week, the US Supreme Court ruled that the 1964 Civil Rights Act – which prohibits employment and workplace discrimination based on race, religion, nationality, and sex – also protects gay, lesbian and transgender workers. The majority (6-3) opinion was written by Justice Neil M. Gorsuch.

Typically, Columbia hosts a Pride event in June, but thanks to the coronavirus, the third annual Outfest with SC Pride was added to our long list of cancelled events. But there is a chance to celebrate in October. The state’s largest Pride event, Famously Hot South Carolina Pride, currently has events scheduled for Oct. 16-17.

Although events may be limited this year, another great way to celebrate this month, whether you identify as LGBTQ+ or not, is to educate ourselves and become allies.

Pride Month provides those who identify as LGBTQ+ and their allies the opportunity to protest peacefully + raise awareness about the issues this community is facing. It also, in part, commemorates the Stonewall Uprising that happened in 1969.

If you’re looking to educate yourself about LGBTQ+ issues, learning about Stonewall is a good place to start. But there’s a lot more to take in about LGBTQ+ history, discrimination, rights, and the evolution of the cultural acceptance and understanding of LGBTQ+ people.

We reached out to the Harriet Hancock LGBT Center, a local nonprofit and resource, and asked how to best be an ally in Columbia. ⬇️

Quoteworthy

“Allyship is one of those needs whose effects bleed over into other facets of life for an LGBTQIA+ individual. Being an ally does not have a strict list of personal responsibilities nor is the experience the same for everyone.”

Actions for being an ally

○ Think about what you’ve been taught about the LGBTQIA+ community and how that affects reactions + interactions with people and content

○ Consider if what you’ve been taught is based on unconscious biases, education or personal experiences with the LGBTQIA+

○ Realize that the first step toward allyship is understanding your personal thoughts and attitudes

○ Work toward understanding and accepting others

(Source: Harriet Hancock LGBT Center)

Resources in our community

○ Click here for support and services from the Harriet Hancock LGBT Center.

○ Click here for a list of LGBTQ health care resources at Palmetto Health-USC Medical Group.

○ Click here to learn about or donate to SC Pride.

○ Click here to learn about or here to get involved with South Carolina Black Pride.

○ Click here for a list of resources from South Carolina Equality, including legal advice, faith communities, mental health resources and more.