“As an out gay man, I have lived my life as my true self without constant fear of being arrested or facing stigma and violence. Pride Month exists because, for prior generations, this wasn’t the case. It reminds me to honor those who built a world where my sexuality and identity are validated and celebrated, not pathologized or pushed aside as immoral and made illegal. However, Pride Month also reminds me to continue to fight until the privileges afforded to me reach ALL parts of the LGBTQ+ community.”

— Jeremy Ashton ’21