For those in the LGBTQIA+ community, Pride Month is a singularly special time to celebrate and be proud of who you are (even though, of course, you should be proud all year). And there are tons of fantastic ways to celebrate with members of the queer community. Unfortunately, not everyone is able to attend Pride-related events and festivities this month for many different reasons. These can include working a summer job or internship that doesn’t allow you to take the time off, not being able to afford to travel to Pride events, not having a community that supports you attending Pride events, or maybe you aren’t out publicly and don not yet feel comfortable celebrating Pride in public.Â
Regardless of the reason one might not be able to celebrate Pride in person, there are still plenty of great ways to get in on the fun and create your own Pride festivities from the comfort and security of your own home. Whether you want to celebrate solo in your dorm room or virtually with a group of your besties from all over the country, there are a bunch of great ways you can still celebrate Pride. Here are seven fun and meaningful options to give you some ideas.
Watch The Pride Parade From Home
If you aren’t able to attend any Pride parades in person, don’t worry, because luckily for you, there is the option to watch some of the big ones from home. ABC News Live is having a major streaming event called “Pride Across America” where you can watch three of the largest pride marches in the country from the comfort of your own home. You can also watch videos of different marches on YouTube and clips recapping the event on social media.Â
Host A Queer Movie Watch PartyÂ
Another way to enjoy Pride at home is by watching an LGBTQIA+ movie — or lots of them! This can mean that the plot centers around LGBTQIA+ characters and their stories, or seek out films that feature queer actors or directors. You can also incorporate a virtual element to this by hosting a watch party with friends using services like Group Watch on Disney+ or Watch Party on Hulu.Â
Have An LGBTQIA+ Themed Book ClubÂ
If you consider yourself a bookworm, then this is right up your alley. This is great if you’re a part of a book club — and if not, you can always use this as your opportunity to start one. For this month, choose a book that’s written by an LGBTQIA+ author or depicts a story revolving around LGBTQIA+ characters.
Throw A Pride Month Game NightÂ
Get a group of friends together and put together a Pride-themed game night. It’s a fun idea to celebrate Pride month, learn about LGBTQIA+ history, and gather with your friends (even if it’s just virtually). You can go online and look up already created games or create trivia questions of your own and try to stump the other players. Some examples of games you can try are bingo, Jeopardy, or (cue the Gen Z elementaryschool nostalgia) Kahoot!Â
Get Creative With Arts & CraftsÂ
Art is one of the best ways to express yourself creatively, relax, and have fun. Don’t worry, you don’t need to be Picasso; it’s the effort that counts. You can have everyone buy the same kit with supplies or use whatever materials you have at your disposal. There are also Pride-themed coloring books and coloring sheets you can use if coloring is more your speed.Â
Create A Pride Playlist
While you’re drawing, playing games, or watching a parade virtually, you can put on a Pride playlist to set all the right vibes. There are playlists already out there on Spotify created by other users that you can try out (if you want to be surprised and see what others like) or you can create a playlist of your own with your favorite songs by LGBTQIA+ artists or that you believe represent the spirit of Pride.Â
Do KaraokeÂ
Speaking of music, if you like to sing, consider a karaoke night. Take turns with your friends and belt out the lyrics to your favorite Pride-themed song. And if you are apart from your friends, that doesn’t mean you can’t all sing along. You could start a video chat group call on a platform like Zoom, Google Meet, or Facetime, and then screen-share a song with the lyrics from YouTube. If you want to turn it into a competition, you can have each person close their eyes and try to sing without looking at the words and see how much they remember.