The pride flag flying at NIH.
June is Pride Month, a celebration of LGBTQIA+ folks that dates back to the 1969 Stonewall Uprising. Exactly one year after the Stonewall Uprising, the first documented Pride march was held in commemoration of this major turning point in the fight for civil rights for LGBTQIA+ people. Pride is a time to celebrate our family, friends and colleagues in the LGBTQIA+ community and the strides that have been made towards equity and justice for all. For me, Pride is a time to appreciate how far we have come as a society while also acknowledging how far we’ve yet to go in the fight for equity and freedom for all.
Pride is also a time for me to reflect on allyship. As an ally, I believe in listening with humility and offering support whenever possible, following the lead of those whom you are in allyship with, educating oneself using the vast resources available to us all, advocating for those who are being marginalized, amplifying the voices of those who may not be heard otherwise, and taking a step back when your voice is not needed/wanted. Being an ally means constantly learning and growing.
For this edition of Aligned, I asked a few friends and colleagues to tell me what Pride means to them, and was so very happy I did. Read on for their personal reflections on Pride.
Tam Vo is a postdoctoral fellow in the CCR Cancer Genetics Branch.
“Pride is a time for gathering with my friends and chosen family, for the freedom of expression outside of the heteronormative norms that I was molded in while growing up, and not hating myself for being different from others. Pride is also a time for reflection on the monumental efforts built up by the tireless work of the LGBTQI+ community for ALL our voices to be heard. Love is love!”
Shyam Patel is the Communications Director for the Sexual & Gender Minority Research Office in the NIH Office of the Director.
“I think Pride, to me, is celebrating and recognizing the courage it takes to live freely and openly as your most authentic self. To be a part of a community that has overcome so much, yet continues to fight for equality, takes much bravery and resilience and is deserving of celebration. I also think Pride is also about reflecting on your own individual journey and realizing that no matter where we come from, where we are and where we hope to be, each of us is deserving of happiness, love and more. Happy Pride!
Willow is a program analyst in the Sexual & Gender Minority Research Office in the NIH Office of the Director.
“Pride to me is a call to art and to arms for progress and humanity. It’s a time to celebrate and express our individual differences, the diversity of our communities, and our solidarity. We do this in the face of a person, state, country and world that may be indifferent, wary, and at times relentlessly hostile and violent, both physically and symbolically. This can be especially true for people of color, transgender and gender non-conforming members of our community. Wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with NONBINARY, or holding up a progress flag in the middle of the street signals to the world we will take up as much space as everyone else, with no apology, as total equals in every way, and take our seat at the head of the table. We present ourselves alive, now, and march in the streets and across computer screens in the strength of our numbers. Most importantly, I’m always hoping someone will see me or someone else they identify with, and think, perhaps for the first time, perhaps for the thousandth, I know I can keep going now, because I don’t have to do this alone.”
I’m really interested to know: what does Pride mean to you? Please email CCRDiversity&Inclusion@mail.nih.gov to let me know what Pride means to you and/or how you show up as an ally.
Learn more about PRIDE events at NIH and other helpful resources here.
Additional resources:
NIH Sexual & Gender Minority Research Office
AACR Examines Cancer Disparities in the LGBTQ Population
Understanding the Status and Well-being of Sexual and Gender Diverse Populations (NASEM Report)
Aligned is a blog written by the Center for Cancer Research's Office of Equity and Inclusion discussing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility and highlighting various ways we can all be more involved in creating a more diverse scientific workforce. Learn more about CCR's commitment to inclusion.