Jobert Abueva

Pride has just started, and you can already feel what’s missing. The rainbow logos that used to blanket June are fewer than usual. Companies that once lined up to sponsor Pride are quietly backing away. Organizers around the country are scrambling to make up the difference. The same brands pulling their dollars from parade floats are pulling them from LGBTQ+ media, too. For a lot of outlets, June is the month that funds the whole year. This year, a lot of that money is not coming.

On June 1, Philadelphia will pulse with the energy of Pride. A celebration, yes, but more important, a declaration. A march, not just a parade. A movement, not just a moment. At a time when LGBTQ+ rights are under attack at both the state and federal levels, stepping into the streets is not simply about festivity — it is about survival and courage. The assault on LGBTQ+ rights cannot be ignored.

Some on social media are dubbing it a “Christmas miracle.” Its timing offers an element of surprise akin to when gay marriage was made legal across the nation in 2015, just days before that year’s largest Pride celebrations. I’m talking, of course, about the Vatican’s announcement on Monday that Pope Francis is allowing priests to bless same-sex couples.