Still Fighting for Pride: One Year Later
My reflections on what’s changed and what hasn’t since my first Substack on Pride
TL;DR
Ground LGBTQ+ rights in broad American values — freedom, fairness, and equality belong to everyone.
Refuse to let the GOP define the conversation; steer back to what actually matters for families.
Stand firm and with conviction on what Democrats are actually fighting for — no apologizing.
Kelly S. here. A little over a year ago, I wrote my first Substack for NDTC1.
I’d just started the job, Pride Month was underway, and anti-LGBTQ+ attacks weren’t slowing down, so I wanted to give our candidates something they could actually use to meaningfully refute the bigotry that was only ramping up. A year later, with more legislation on the books and the 2026 midterms cycle in full swing, the framework holds. The core of the message remains, and as we continue to grow our reach, we need your support to share this guide to defeat the rhetoric.
We’ve all seen how the GOP has turned LGBTQ+ Americans into a recurring villain in their political playbook, pigeonholing the entire conversation into wedge issues and culture war powder kegs. They’ve manufactured outrage as a substitute for governing.
If Democrats want to win and stay true to our values, we must push back.
We’ve talked about representation before2, but it’s worth revisiting right now. The ACLU is currently tracking 530 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced in state legislatures in 2026 alone. Lawmakers in at least nine states have introduced measures aimed at challenging or reversing Obergefell v. Hodges (the Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide). And at the federal level, Trump illegally banned transgender people from serving in the military. All these moves, and more, represent a coordinated campaign against the LGBTQ+ community that demands a clear, unapologetic, and confident Democratic response.
Here’s a framework for when the GOP’s talking points try to lead you into their trap.
1. Anchor LGBTQ+ rights in broader American values.
At a No Kings rally this year, my parents and their friends touted anti-Trump signs in one hand and American flags in the other. Another protester only saw the flags and assumed they were there in resistance to the No Kings movement. Protesting the protest. That’s how backwards our messaging has landed as Democrats.
We’re reclaiming the American identity that the GOP has tried to hijack and drain. The one built on the idea that everyone has a place here.
When LGBTQ+ Americans become the GOP’s exiles of the month, remind voters what Republicans are really trying to do: drive wedges between us. But freedom, equality, and fairness are not privileges afforded to the few who fit the far-right’s mold — they’re rights that belong to all Americans.
Supporting LGBTQ+ rights is not fringe. It’s not niche. It’s patriotic. The more we shy away from saying that plainly, the more ground we cede to the GOP and their hollow, meaningless claims of “liberty and justice for all.”
2. Refuse to let the GOP define the conversation.
The far-right churns out outrageous headlines about LGBTQ+ folks and dares us to defend them. They paint caricatures of a select few and frame those caricatures as the issue, all so they don’t have to answer for their failures on healthcare or the economy.
It’s a strategy. I’ll say it again: It’s. A. Strategy.
They’re uniting their base around a manufactured opponent. Engaging with those arguments validates their stance and pours fuel straight into the fire that lets them come to the rescue of the outraged.
The rage-baiting bigots making the most headlines don’t care what sports team your kid is “allowed” to play on. (Although on the bright side, it seems that they’ve fear mongered themselves into caring about women’s sports???) It’s all talking heads and pointing fingers to stage a scene where they can look like they’ve actually gotten something done.
Progress on LGBTQ+ rights isn’t about getting baited into “rebutting” the latest bad-faith distraction making the rounds on right-wing media. It’s about building a nation where every person has the right to exist without fear. Yet too often, that’s not what we find ourselves talking about, because we let the GOP steer the way.
Don’t be cornered. Don’t take their bait. Be clear: this is about families living freely and safely, free from discrimination and government overreach. Come back to that every single time MAGA closes in with a new distraction meant to keep them from facing accountability.
3. Stand firm on what you’re for.
Republicans have gone on the offensive on an issue they have no leg to stand on. They’re banning service members, bullying children, and trying to legislate people out of existence. The path forward is putting them back on defense — and that starts with Democratic candidates saying plainly what we’re actually fighting for.
That LGBTQ+ kids deserve to be safe in school.
That LGBTQ+ workers deserve full protection from discrimination.
That LGBTQ+ patients and their doctors deserve to pursue healthcare that meets their needs.
Have conviction and moral clarity. Don’t belittle your own beliefs. And don’t apologize for them.
Pride Month is a reminder that the fight for equality has never been handed to us. It’s been won through organizing, showing up, and refusing to back down. That’s as resonant in June 2026 as it has ever been.
But Pride is also about joy, community, and celebration. NDTC staff shared the songs that move us, energize us, and feel like Pride to us. Here’s our playlist, a soundtrack to drown out the bigotry after you’ve mic-dropped on the GOP’s blatant rhetoric, one banger at a time!
And if you want to channel that energy into action, join us for our upcoming Pride event.
Pride Panel: Resistance, Resilience & the Road Ahead on Thursday, June 18th | 1 PM ET | Virtual
We’re bringing together LGBTQ+ advocates, organizers, and leaders for an honest, open conversation about building the resilience we need for the long fights ahead. We’ll explore what resistance looks like right now, how LGBTQ+ people are navigating today’s political climate, and how to channel Pride into political power and lasting change.
This event is for LGBTQ+ community members, allies, advocates, and anyone committed to showing up when the road is hard.
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