June has arrived, and let’s celebrate Pride Month! Pride Month is a time to commemorate the historical struggles and achievements of the LGBTQ+ community. This month, we reemphasize the power of diversity, love, and equality for all, and we shout with all our might, "Equality, Freedom, Life!"
Commitment to Pride
At Mindary, we stand with you for a world where everyone is accepted and loved for who they are. In this month of celebrating diversity and embracing understanding and love, we want to share some suggestions on how you can reflect this understanding in your daily life. These suggestions can help you better understand and accept yourself and those around you.
Equality and Anti-Bias: There's No Such Thing as Gaydar!
Remember that unforgettable episode of The Office? After learning that Oscar was queer, Dwight ordered a "Gaydar" to identify queer people in the office. However, in reality, such a device (of course) does not exist. Sexual orientation is personal and cannot be seen from the outside. Each individual is unique and only they can determine how they feel. Instead of trying to guess someone else's sexual orientation, all we need to do is accept and respect people for who they are. We can always choose to approach with equality and understanding instead of prejudice!
Acceptance for All: Steps towards a More Understanding and Tolerant World
This Pride Month, we wanted to share recommendations from different areas of queer culture. Productions that tell queer experiences and stories can help us develop a deeper understanding and empathy.
Podcasts of the Month
There are great podcasts available to listen to the voices of the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month. Here are some recommendations that you can listen to in English:
LGBTQ&A: “Weekly interviews with the most interesting LGBTQ+ people in the world. Recent guests include Laverne Cox, Janelle Monáe, Pete Buttigieg, Brandi Carlile, Alok Vaid-Menon, and Angela Davis. LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Masters.”
Gender Reveal: “A podcast about nonbinary and transgender folks. Join us as we interview notable trans guests, analyze current events, answer advice questions and get a little bit closer to understanding what the heck gender is.” Fun and educational tool, and if you are new to the podcast, they have a curated selection of episodes sorted by theme called “the starter pack”.
Coming Out Pod: “A weekly podcast hosted by Lauren Flans where queer folks from all walks of life tell the tales of how they came out to friends, family, and the world at large! Because who doesn't love a coming out story?”
Movie of the Month
Nimona is a fantastic graphic novel and animated film with a powerful queer theme. Nimona questions the concepts of heroism and villainy, while also exploring the challenges and beauties faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in their quest for identity and belonging. Both entertaining and thought-provoking, this work inspires everyone's journey of self-discovery and acceptance.
Album of the Month
Speaking of Pride Month, we can't forget Lady Gaga's 2011 album "Born This Way"! This album is of great importance to the LGBTQ+ community, emphasizing that they should be who they are born to be and love themselves. The songs boldly express that queer identities should be celebrated and tell everyone that everyone has the right to express themselves freely. This message has encouraged millions of people and given them the power to accept themselves.
That's why we listen to it over and over again every June without getting bored 🥰
Instagram Accounts
If you want to learn more about this topic, you can follow the Instagram accounts below:
@17mayisdernegi
@istanbulpride
@transprideistanbul
@lgbt_historylgbt
@kaosg
Love, Accept, and Embrace Yourself!
Learning is a great power in our lives and helps us overcome challenges. Learning gives us the chance to focus on the positive instead of the negative and to choose it consciously. So how can we incorporate it into our daily lives? Here are a few suggestions:
Mindfulness: Mindfulness involves the practice of being aware of and accepting our emotions and thoughts. When we have to deal with internal conflicts about our identities, mindfulness provides us with a tool to accept these challenges and find inner peace. The ability to live each moment in the present can help us cope with stress more effectively and develop deeper self-esteem.
Resilience: As we fight against the heteronormative culture and discrimination imposed upon us, we develop our resilience. This allows us to stand up and feel strong when faced with challenges. Resilience represents the spirit of resistance and struggle that the queer community has historically shown.
Self-Love: Self-love involves the practice of accepting and loving ourselves for who we are. Despite the risk of being ostracized or discriminated against for not conforming to societal norms, self-love gives us inner strength and self-confidence. By being compassionate towards ourselves, we feel more empowered to celebrate our own values and identities.
Acceptance: The process of fully accepting our own identities and lives can be filled with different challenges for all of us. Acceptance involves letting go of past pain and difficulties and surrounding ourselves with love. This process is an important step on our journey to find inner peace and wholeness.
Mindfulness, resilience, self-love, and acceptance are important not only for our personal well-being but also for social change and acceptance. These concepts can help us move forward in a strong and healthy way as we create our own stories and transform society.
In Conclusion
At Mindary, we believe that every individual has the right to be themselves. We also recognize Pride Month as an important time to celebrate the power of diversity and see it as an opportunity for a world where everyone is accepted, loved, and respected for who they are.
Every path we choose to celebrate Pride Month is an important step. Raising awareness, being supportive, and acting with love makes the world a better place. This requires a collective effort from all of us.
For an equal and loving world, not tomorrow, but now! Not alone, but together!
Happy Pride Month to all 🏳️🌈 🏳️⚧️
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