Include Your Dog in Pride Month 2022
Pride month is a period of celebration where we reflect on history and look to a brighter future—and your dog can enjoy it too!
The Month of June is National Pride Month, offering us an opportunity to celebrate the wonderful people around us. Whether you’re gay, bi, ace, undecided, or an ally, Pride Month is a time where we can celebrate love and identity with those around us—be it family, friends, internet acquaintances, or dogs! In this article, we will explore what Pride Month is and the many ways that you can celebrate it with your canine companion.
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What is Pride Month?
People often think that Pride Month is a time where we celebrate members of the LBGTQIA+ community, and this is true—kind of. Pride first began back in 1970 (yes, people have been celebrating for over 50 amazing years and spreading love). But, Pride didn’t just begin as a celebration of love and identity.
The first Gay Pride Festival was held in New York in 1970 on June 28th. This date was no accident. It was the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. These riots were a very difficult time in history.
Police were known to frequently raid gay bars, and they were specifically targeting members of the LBGTQIA+ community in a very negative way. After one particularly violent clash at the Stonewall Inn, people had enough. They refused to live in a way that forced them to hide who they were, and they insisted that they be allowed to live their truth without repercussions over their sexual orientation.
It was a major moment in history, and it started the LGBTQIA+ movements that are still going strong today. While we should absolutely celebrate love and identity, we must also do it by honoring the sacrifices and very real dangers that led to—and still do lead to—these historical changes.
8 Ways to Celebrate Pride Month with Your Dog
Celebrating Pride Month will look different depending on who you are and what the Month really means for you. While some ways to celebrate are more appropriate for members of the community themselves or allies in particular, other opportunities are available to all of us. No matter what, you can enjoy all these wonderful opportunities while spending time with your favorite canine companion!
1. Attend a Pride Festival
Every year, millions of people gather to attend Pride Festivals around the world—and the number is only growing. In New York alone, millions of people come together to celebrate at these events every single year.
A Pride Festival is a local festival where people come together in celebration of the LBGTQIA+ community. For some people, it is an opportunity to connect with their community and show their truest selves. It is a time to dress up, stand out, have fun—or just relax and keep it low key. You can enjoy good food, plenty of music, and loads of good vibes.
For allies, Pride Festival is all about showing support and having fun with loved ones—and new friends too! There is so much to enjoy about Pride, but allies play a special role here in supporting this community that has given so much to us throughout history.
For dogs, the benefits of pride are obvious. Social pups can enjoy this opportunity to dress up and have fun, but more importantly, it is the opportunity to get plenty of pets and scratches. With so many people spreading so much love, pups really enjoy this environment—most of the time.
Dogs that are not a huge fan of massive amounts of people or loud noises might find Pride Festivals to be a little overwhelming. Dog parents can either keep their dogs around the edges of the festival where there are less people or just choose to attend the festival alone, then celebrate individually with pets.
2. Find Local Pride Events
Though Pride Festivals are one of the more prominent event types to be found during Pride Month, they aren’t the only ones at all. The LGBTQIA+ community is large and growing every year as new people learn more about themselves. Members of the community and allies alike are taking this time to really celebrate the community.
What does this mean? Tons of amazing events!
From concerts to special nights at local beer gardens, pride events are becoming more prominent, and you will find them all throughout Pride Month. Look to your favorite local hotspots to learn how they are celebrating Pride Month and to learn how you can show a little extra love, be it for yourself, your loved ones, or people who just deserve to love without fear of pushback.
These local events are a great way to get out with your pup and have a lot of fun celebrating at the same time. You can head out together to celebrate your own identity or celebrate someone else’s! Dogs know that nothing is more important than love, and they are happy to help everyone celebrate it.
3. Embrace Pride Fashion for the Whole Family
If we’re being honest, society has gotten to a point where we love to wear statement pieces, and we think this is even more important for instances like this. While you might enjoy wearing a shirt for your favorite band, wearing an outfit that shows off your identity or lets others know that you are a safe person that they can talk to is way better.
Sure, humans can embrace this—and should—but what about the dogs? Well, your favorite doggie fashion experts are here to help you confirm that pups can absolutely celebrate Pride Month with amazing fashion opportunities that will be a big hit during this month and beyond. Pride dog clothes and accessories can help your pup to show their support.
Pride Rainbow
DOGGY TEE
Must have tee for small dogs.
This classic design is an opportunity to show off your pet’s love and support for people regardless of who they love or how they identify. Fitted with a standard rainbow design, it very clearly says “PRIDE” while still offering that adorable fit you know and love for your pet. Let people know that your pup loves love as much as the next pupper and isn’t afraid to show it!
4. Embrace the Rainbow 🌈
Rainbows are the go-to design when it comes to celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community. Who doesn’t love the idea of a bunch of different people coming together to make a vibrant and diverse community that celebrates our differences? For simple Pride Month demonstrations, it is always best to embrace the rainbow. Fortunately, there are plenty of great rainbow looks for your pets.
There are plenty of ways to celebrate this. Whether you choose to add a rainbow filter to photos of your pup for this month or decide to add rainbow flags for all to see, it is a good way to show support. Just remember that there is more to being an ally than simply putting up a rainbow flag. Your LGBTQIA+ friends and family deserve love, support, and acceptance as well. Be vocal and ask people you know what you can do to best support them. Show why Pride Month matters to you every single day.
5. Enjoy Some LBGTQIA+ Media
It's honeymoon time for the newlyweds! Stream a new episode now: https://t.co/SVM3LFujye #LegendsOfTomorrow pic.twitter.com/7Lrz0giyf4
— DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (@TheCW_Legends) October 21, 2021
We all know that dogs love cuddles and snuggles, and few things offer this better than good media. Whether you’re listening to music from your favorite LGBTQIA+ artists or watching films from and about LBGTQIA+ folks, sometimes the best way to spend Pride Month is by placing this month and this community at the center of your focus.
Community members and allies alike can always benefit from learning more about these stories and acknowledging the contributions that these individuals make. Media and art allow us to learn more about each other, and it is a wonderful way to explore new stories. There are so many people in the LGBTQIA+ community, each with unique stories, and media is a wonderful way to learn about it.
This dog-friendly activity allows you to learn and have a little fun, but it is also a premium opportunity to cash in on some of those doggy cuddles and snuggles. Pups love spending time with the family, and they’re always looking to celebrate love!
6. Celebrate with Your Family and Loved Ones
Sometimes the best way to celebrate this month of love and identity is to share these things with those around you. Spending time with loved ones and being open and honest with each other is a great way to spend Pride Month. It means making sure that your family feels your love and knows that you will accept them no matter what—and this isn’t just for allies. Celebrate love, support, and happiness with those who matter most to you—including your favorite dogs!
7. Be Active and Support Local LGBTQIA+ Community Members
Allies have a big role in making sure that Pride Month is what it is. Behind the LGBTQIA+ community is a community of people who know that these individuals deserve to be themselves and live their best lives. And members of the community can be allies too. Sometimes the best way to be vocal about support is to live your life so others feel like they can do the same thing. Whether it’s dressing your pup in Pride Month fashion or showing the people who need it some extra love, support goes a long way in changing the world.
8. Show Who You Are
We are all different, amazing people—and right now, the world needs to hear that. For too long, we have told too many identical stories, and it is time for that to change. Show why Pride Month matters to you by showing off who you are. This does not mean coming out if you are not ready or if it will put you in danger, but it does mean living your truth in any way that you can. It means being proud to talk about your significant other regardless of gender. It means sharing your pronouns whether you are concerned about them or not. It means being open and honest about your support for the community. These actions change lives. Bringing your dog along for support can help too and spread quite a few smiles.
The Takeaway
Pride Month was founded on a powerful day that changed the world, but there is still a lot more for us to change. Members of the LGBTQIA+ community and allies alike should come together to raise their voices up and remind the world that love is love is love—and the dogs can help too!
Until next time, thank you for reading!
About the author: Gabrielle is the loving pawrent to adorable pups Willow and Dilla. Growing up surrounded by dogs, she always dreamt of having her own. Willow and Dilla came into her life and changed everything. Now, she's crazy about pampered pooches, and her perfect day involves dancing with her husband, dressing up her furbabies, and cuddling them to sleep. For Gabrielle, life is all about spreading love and joy with her adorable canine companions by her side.
