Now That PRIDE Isn’t Trending—Where Are You Standing?
Pride is no longer “trending.”The rainbow filters have dimmed. The merch is off the shelves. And many of the same brands that once paraded their allyship have gone silent.
By Taurean Bethea Founder & Executive Director, Springfield Pride Parade OrganizationJune 30 2025, Published 12:30 p.m. ET
So we’re asking—where are you standing now?
At the Springfield Pride Parade Organization, our theme for 2025 is bold, unapologetic, and necessary: #MyPrideisLOUDAF. Yes, it might sound brash to some—but in a world where silence has become complicit, where queer and trans lives are debated in courtrooms and erased from classrooms, we’ve got no choice but to be louder than ever before.
As the late Congressman John Lewis once said, “Get in good trouble, necessary trouble.” That’s exactly what this moment calls for. Now that it’s no longer profitable to be performatively “proud,” the real ones are being revealed—and the rest? They’ve disappeared into the shadows.
To corporate America: When Pride was easy, many of you were everywhere. Rainbow logos. Limited edition collections. Empty slogans. But when it became controversial to stand up for queer youth or dangerous to say the word “transgender” out loud, too many of you opted for comfort over courage.
But not all.
We see you, JPMorgan Chase, who publicly reaffirmed your LGBTQ+ support and employee protections.
We see you, Costco, who continues to prioritize inclusivity through internal culture, not just consumer messaging.
We see you, Marriott, who recently made the choice to stand tall while others bowed to political pressure.
These aren’t just brands. They are beacons of what allyship actually looks like—consistency when the cameras are off. They understand that supporting the LGBTQIA+ community is not a seasonal campaign—it’s a year-round commitment rooted in values, not vanity.
Meanwhile, anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation is on the rise. Queer youth are under attack. Trans people are being targeted. Books are being banned. And drag queens are being treated like threats. So, I ask again—where are you standing?
#MyPrideisLOUDAF isn’t just a hashtag. It’s a call to action. A declaration that we will not shrink. We will not whisper. We will not wait for the right time to be who we are. Our pride is political. It’s radical. And it’s relentless.
For our community, pride was never about parties or parades alone. It’s about protest. It’s about power. It’s about showing up when it counts the most—especially when the world tells us to sit down.
So, to those still standing with us, thank you.
To those sitting this one out: we see your silence.
And to everyone wondering what comes next:
It’s time to speak up.
To show up.
And to get LOUD AF.
