It’s June and among many other important things this month – Graduation, Father’s Day, Juneteenth, to name a few – it’s also Pride month. Pride month has taken on new significance as many companies and organizations lend their support to the LGBTQIA+ community.

Some people might argue that celebrating a community only for one month simply isn’t enough. I often feel that way during Black History Month or Women’s History Month … clearly cultural histories should be studied, celebrated and embraced more than just one month of the year!

 As an ally to the LGBTQIA+ community, I wanted to explore what it means to be an ally during Pride month, as well as all year long. To help me, I conducted a very non-scientific survey which involved asking a few friends for their opinions. I was able to come up with the following five ways to expand your support beyond Pride month. I share this as a reminder to myself as much as it is for others. And, if this advice can be used to support other communities and cultures year-round, all the better.

1. Understand Who Comprises This Community - Can you even define what the letters stand for? It can be tricky, and some of those letters have double-meanings. For easy reference they stand for:  Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (and/or Questioning), Intersex, and Asexual (or Agender). And the + is generally used as short-hand to include anyone that doesn’t feel represented by the preceding letters.

2. Learn The History – Be open to learning as much as you can about gay history. Learn about the start of the Pride movement at the Stonewall Riots. Watch a Pride parade not just for the colorful floats, but to learn about all the ways the community and its allies support one another, like PFLAG (parents and friends), Trevor Project (youth suicide prevention services), SAGE (gay elder support) and other ally groups from corporations to the police forces, sherrifs, and fire departments. Learn to embrace the beauty of the colorful rainbow flags, which include colors that each represent members of the diverse community.

3. Empathize with the Community’s Needs – Even though some of the issues might not ever pertain to you, try to understand the needs and issues faced by the LGBTQIA+ community. There are lots of opportunities in pop culture – theater, art, television, social and news media, etc. – to learn more about the issues, from HIV/AIDS, to hate crimes, to gay marraige, gay adoption, and myriad issues around gender identification.

4. Embrace As Much of the Diversity as You Like – No one expects you to immediately understand all the nuances, it’s easy to ask questions rather than just dismiss it. For example, you might see men in leather and think it’s a crass stereotype, but it’s a very nuanced lifestyle within the community. Sure, it’s trendy to add pronouns to your email signature, but it’s not helpful if you don’t understand why? We know people love to watch, or dare we say even quote, RuPaul’s Drag Race, but don’t watch it as a spectacle without trying to learn something new about the community.

5. Defend the Community Publicly – Echo chambers of any kind are unhelpful. The best support is when others outside the community take to social media or take to the street in marches to show their support. Sharing in this case really is caring!

I hope you’ll go ahead and raise your own Rainbow flag this June, and keep it up all year long to show your continued support. The LGBTQIA+ community may seem large already, but there is surely room in the community for many allies, too!