June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month. It is more than just a celebration of who we are individually. Pride is about coming together–about how far we’ve come as a community. JuanPa couldn’t have said it better on twitter when he tweeted,
“Pride is a colorful response to a prompt from a society that tells us we’re supposed to be hiding in a closet. That’s why straight people don’t have it. You’re not attending a straight pride you’re just going outside.”
Hope in Community
Pride is more than just necessary. It is colorful, bright even. And if you’ve ever attended a Pride festival you know how it feels like it’s own little world- its own entity. Everything outside of pride seems to wash away. But beyond any of this, there is a community, there is hope.
Which is why for Pride 2018, I wanted to give back to my community. So, for every purchase of my book “Unrequited: Things I Learned From Trying to Love the Wrong People” during the month of June, I am donating a dollar to the Los Angeles LGBT Center.
The center works tirelessly, helping LGBTQ+ parents, homeless youth, as well as seniors. They offer a wide range of services from health care, education, housing, and clothing for those who may need it.
Higher Risk of Abuse
Unrequited is a book about abusive relationships, an issue within the LGBTQ+ dating community. In fact, hotline.org states:
“Approximately 23 percent of LGBTQ men and 50 percent of LGBTQ women experience abuse from their intimate partners (VAWNET). This means that members of the LGBTQ community are slightly more likely to experience abuse than straight couples.”
Which is why I feel both the book and the community are the perfect pair.
Happy Pride, 2018. I hope you’ll help me attempt to make a difference.
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You can purchase a copy of Unrequited by clicking here.
(Depending on location: It is available via amazon in various countries)