Celebrating Love: Happy Pride Month 2024

Celebrating Love:

Happy Pride Month 2024

Tree of Life Counseling Center proudly joins the LGBTQIA+ community in celebrating Pride month. On this week’s episode of the More Than a Therapy Couch podcast, we sit down with experienced Licensed Professional Counselor, Rob Perper. In his 14 years of experience in the mental health field, he has worked with members of the LGBTQIA+ population in navigating the process of self-identity, coming out, and living as one’s true self.

What is Pride Month?

Pride month is a nationally recognized celebration aimed at showing support and acceptance for the LGBTQIA+ community, increasing awareness of LGBTQIA+ related issues, and advocating for inclusive policies. 

Both members of the community and allies come together for various parades, picnics, and festivals to celebrate the successes in inclusion over the years and reflect on what still needs to change. Oftentimes, these celebrations include flags and attire with various colors of the rainbow. The colors symbolize the diversity and spectrum that exists within gender and sexuality. 

When is Pride Month celebrated?

Pride month is celebrated in June every year to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising. This series of uprisings took place over five inconsecutive nights at the Stonewall Inn in New York City following police raids of the popular gay bar. It is seen as the start of widespread activism against police and state brutality and harassment toward LGBTQIA+ people. 

While Pride Month has unofficially been celebrated since this event, the United States Federal Government declared June to be a nationally recognized event in 1999. 

What does LGBTQIA+ stand for?

LGBTQIA+ is a frequently used acronym to refer to a variety of groups of individuals that do not identify with heterosexual and/or cisgender identities. It stands for:

Lesbian

Gay

Bisexual

Transgender

Queer

Intersex

Asexual

Perper states that it is important to note that “we oftentimes leave it as LGBTQIA+ to ensure everyone is represented and allow for the fluid nature of gender and sexual identity.”

What does it mean to “come out” ?

“Coming out” refers to the process of accepting one’s gender/sexual identity and sharing it with those around them. In his experience working with the LGBTQIA+ community, Perper explains that “the key word here is “process” as it is not a single event but a series of events involving identifying it for yourself and then starting to relay that information to others as you feel ready and/or safe to do so.”

Not everyone feels the need to “come out” or experiences the process of “coming out” in the same way. As cultural expectations and understanding continues to change, many have begun to explore different ways of accepting their identities and sharing them with others in their lives. 

“There is no cookie cutter answer for this but I always tell people that they should start with a core of people that they know will be receptive and supportive and build it out from there. Know that it is a scary thing to come out to anyone, even if you know they will support you because it's about being as vulnerable as a person can be.”

How can you support a loved one who is questioning their gender identity/sexual orientation?

There are many ways to support and affirm a loved one’s identity, but in order to do so it is important to work through any unconscious biases and previously held expectations. Support is a highly individualized concept and varies based on your situation.

There are several LGBTQIA+ organizations that have shared guides and information on how to support a loved one who is questioning. Perper often refers clients and families of clients to explore resources provided by “local Pride Centers, PFLAG local chapters, and the Trevor Project.”

If you or a loved one may be struggling with the process of exploring your identity, Perper suggests reaching out to an affirming counselor “as that can be an ideal place to start processing and working through these thoughts in a safe and non judgmental environment.”

When asked if there was one thing he could say to someone who is questioning, Perper shared “I don’t know if I could hear it before I was ready but I would have loved to realize how much happier I am living as my authentic self and would not trade one moment of it for anything in the world. We only get one go at this life so don’t waste it hiding the beauty of who you are.”

About Tree of Life Counseling Center

At Tree of Life Counseling Center in Princeton, NJ and Freehold, NJ, we have an experienced team of 50+ clinicians to help support you, and your family, through whatever you may be facing. Schedule an appointment today by calling 732-393-8391 or filling out an online form at https://www.treeoflifecc.org/start-today.