4 Ways to Support the LGBTQ+ Community
Posted on June 06 2021
June is Pride Month!
Happy Pride Month, J-bees! (We’re trying out new names for J-beauty lovers. Let us know what you think or if you have any ideas!) Though we should continue to strive for equality and work towards justice for the LGBTQIA+ community year round, June is a month for those in the community to shine their lights, and for others to give support.
There are many ways to show support for the queer community outside of donating to charities (but you should do that too, if you can)! Below are some ways to directly support queer organizations, creators, and the community.
Purchase from queer people
One definite way to support the community is to buy directly from queer creators. By doing this, you don’t risk another third party doing anything shifty — when you buy from queer creators, you know your purchase is directly supporting that creator. Here are a couple that you can buy from this June and year-round!
1. WILDFANG @wearewildfang
Wildfang rethinks gender norms and how they appear in fashion. They’re committed to inclusion and sustainability, and they’ve given back over $500k to organizations like Planned Parenthood, RAICES, and more.
2. Viviana Matsuda @mud.witch
Vivian Matsuda is a San Francisco based artist who specializes in pottery. Their work is full of beautiful pieces with gradients, freckles, earth tones, and vibrant colors.
3. Automic Gold @automicgold
Automic Gold is a jewelry business with the aim to create gender-free jewelry. Founded by a genderqueer creator, Automic Gold’s jewelry truly is for anyone of any gender.
Buy products that pledge to donate to LGBTQIA+ organizations or charities
During Pride Month, many companies pledge to donate a portion (if not all) of the profits made from a certain collection or product to queer organizations or charities. Here are a few that are donating this year!
1. Youth to the People @youthtothepeople
This year, Youth to the People is running the #DreamWithPride campaign with their Pride Dream Mask. They are committed to donating 100% of the profits from this mask to LGBTQIA+ organizations. You can grab one for $48 knowing that the profits will help support queer people in need.
2. Conscious Step @consciousstep
Conscious Step is constantly creating socks that donate to different causes; this June, they’re donating a portion of the profits from Socks that Save LGBTQ Lives to the The Trevor Project, an organization dedicated to crisis intervention and suicide prevention for queer youth. Be sure to follow them on Instagram or subscribe to their newsletter for other causes they donate to!
Read queer stories by queer people
Gaining perspective is important to learn more about a community. Today, though there can always be improvement, there are so many books written by queer authors that are out. Here are some that you can read:
1. Bestiary by K-Ming Chang @kmingchang
Bestiary is a story of immigration and its effect on 3 different generations of women that features a sapphic romance in its midst.
2. On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong @ocean_vuong
This novel is a letter written from a son to a mother who can’t read. It tells the story of family and first loves.
3. They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera @adamsilvera
A story about two boys and how their lives converge on their last day alive. (Spoiler: the story stays true to the title).
Educate yourself
One of the best ways to support the queer community is to learn: learn the history behind the movement for LGBTQIA+ rights, how it all began, the struggles the community faces and why, and how we can move forward in the direction of true equality and justice.
Celebrating Pride All Year Long!
These are just a few ways to support the LGBTQIA+ community. Above all, let’s continue to listen to queer voices and uplift them for the years to come, not just in June. Happy Pride, everyone! Stay safe and healthy this Pride Month!
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Elizabeth Yen
Lizzie is based in the San Francisco Bay Area after living in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan for almost a year. Having spent time in Los Angeles, the Philippines, Japan, and the Bay Area, Lizzie continues to search for ways to become more socially aware on a global scale. You can find her either spending time at the local cat shelter or playing with makeup at home.
