Love thy neighbor.No exceptions.
Love thy neighbor.
Pride Month is celebrated each June to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan, marking a critical turning point in the Gay Liberation Movement. In response to a brutal police raid of the Stonewall Inn on June 28, 1969, LGBTQ activists organized a series of uprisings in resistance to their oppression and the criminalization of their identities. Pride Month is a way to celebrate so many of the hard-fought victories for queer liberation and remember all those of the LGBTQ community who have suffered at the hands of exclusion from adequate health care, hate crimes, and discrimination.
Even as Donald Trump and his authoritarian allies work hard to reverse the many civil rights and cultural victories of the LGBTQ community, we, as social justice Christians, refuse to let hate have the last word.
This year, Faithful America is launching the Faithful Pride Campaign to show our queer siblings that they are loved, seen, and cared for. Throughout June, Faithful America members nationwide will gather, participate in, and lead a series of events -- aimed at loving our LGBTQ neighbors. No exceptions.
During Pride Month, Faithful America members will prepare , partner, and participate in a series of tactics designed to highlight the sacred worth and value of the LGBTQ community. We will let our love speak louder than hate by preparing to safely intervene in potentially harmful situations, gathering together, and participating in Pride marches, protests, and celebrations. We will bring more light and love into our local LGBTQ communities when they are needed now more than ever. Please find more information about each tactic of the Faithful Pride Campaign below:
Faithful America will host bystander intervention training to prepare Faithful America members to intervene safely in situations of harassment or violence. Especially with Donald Trump's active normalizing of hatred and division, being ready to disrupt threatening or potentially violent situations during Pride Month demonstrations is essential. We can prevent the harm and trauma caused by harassment and violence while keeping ourselves and our neighbors safe.
Our expert, Veronica Laizure, civil rights attorney and Executive Director of CAIR Oklahoma, and Faithful America's Executive Director, the Rev. Dr. Shannon Fleck, will teach various strategies and tactics for successfully intervening in harmful situations online and in person. There are two opportunities for this important training. Please register for one using the links below.
With local Pride protests, marches, and demonstrations happening throughout June -- and beyond, Faithful America members are gearing up to put their faith into action with the new Faithful Pride rally sign pack. As social-justice Christians building a more just and loving world, we must represent our faith perspective in spaces where people defend the oppressed and resist Christian nationalism. Please click the link below to access the Faithful Pride rally sign pack.
To access the rest of the Faithful America protest and rally sign pack, please download the files HERE.
Interested in connecting with other social-justice Christians to attend a Pride march or protest together? You can create a meetup event using Faithful America's new Mobilize platform. You can register to connect with other Faithful America members and attend a Pride event together by clicking HERE.
If you need help organizing a group to attend a Pride event, please use our Faithful Pride Group Rally Toolkit. This resource will help you identify other Faithful America members in your area to show your community that LGTBQ people are loved by God and social-justice Christians.
If you are looking for additional resources to supplement your participation in the Faithful Pride Campaign, please see the list below: