Guest blog - Lauren 'The Spiritual Celebrant'
- Jun 23
- 2 min read
Celebrating Pride as a Gentler Soul:
For lots of LGBTQ+ people, Pride Month can be overwhelming. We're living in an uncomfortable moment, when anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric is creeping into our daily lives, where we may have started to think a little bit more about our safety in certain situations, and when the burden of thinking about these things is heavy and may be taking its toll on our mental and physical well-being.
And so, Pride is perhaps more important now than ever.
But there are many ways to recognise, celebrate, and participate in Pride - and I would argue that the real roots of Pride are its status as a protest, its place as a space for learning about the breadth of histories and cultures within our communities, and its legacy as a time for connecting and holding space for each other - for me, these are the facets of Pride that are really important to tap into.
Lots of contemporary Pride events centre late nights, high energy and alcohol - and while this is great for lots of people, it isn't the kind of celebration that resonates with others - especially when it feels like we have real work to do.
There are lots of gentler and more intentional ways to celebrate Pride, to connect with community, to uplift our fellow LGBTQ+ siblings, and to explore our history - and I have popped a little list of suggestions below:
Listen to an LGBTQ+ History talk - you can browse Eventbrite for upcoming talks in your area, and online events
Join a Pride Month walking tour - if you’re heading to Manchester, visitmanchester.com has a downloadable, self-guided walking tour of Queer landmarks that you can do in your own time
Write to your MP to raise concerns about the latest EHRC guidance and the real risks and safety concerns that it raises for trans and gender-nonconforming folk
Attend a Pride vigil, or host your own vigil, to commemorate our Queer siblings
Donate what you can to LGBTQ+ charities that you feel are doing great work, and supporting the community in beautiful ways
Join a CPD course which enhances your knowledge of LGBTQ+ issues and how to advocate for our rights - LGBT Foundation and Mermaids are two amazing organisations that have excellent resources and are running some great sessions
Check out ‘Queer Meditations’ on Insighttimer.com - this playlist includes mindfulness and visualisation practices with language that is designed and adapted for Trans, Non-binary and Queer folk
Snuggle up and watch your favourite Queer films and TV shows
As always, celebrate and engage with Pride in a way that feels comfortable, authentic and meaningful for you - there is absolutely no shame in taking a step back from busier, louder and more heavily-attended events, if you don't feel like they are serving your soul.
Happy Pride, lovelies - keep shining 🖤
Lauren Dowell
The Spiritual Celebrant
(she/her)
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