TL;DR
- Josh Ackley rejects the idea of meeting homophobes halfway.
- He argues that it’s time to focus on building community instead.
- Recent polls show declining support for LGBTQ rights.
- Pride should be about solidarity, not appeasement.
- Friendship cannot exist independently of values.
It’s 2026, and Pride Month is upon us once again. But this year, there’s a different vibe in the air, and it’s not just the smell of rainbow flags and overpriced cocktails. It’s a call to arms, a rallying cry for LGBTQ+ folks to stop playing nice with those who would happily strip away our rights. Josh Ackley, a political strategist and frontman of the queerpunk band The Dead Betties, has had enough of trying to find common ground with homophobes. And honestly, who can blame him?
After the election of Donald Trump in 2016, the world was flooded with think pieces urging us to build bridges with the far-right. As if cozying up to those who would happily erase our existence was the answer. Spoiler alert: it’s not. Ackley argues that this strategy is not just foolish; it’s downright harmful. Why waste time trying to convince those who refuse to even entertain another point of view? Instead, let’s focus on building community with those who understand the struggle.
According to a recent Gallup poll, support for LGBTQ+ rights is slipping, and acceptance of transgender individuals is on the decline. Meanwhile, anti-LGBTQ+ legislation is spreading like wildfire across statehouses, and violence against transgender people has become so routine that it barely raises an eyebrow anymore. It’s time to wake up and smell the coffee, people! We can’t keep pretending that these issues are just differences of opinion. They are life and death.
And let’s talk about Pride Month itself. Some elected officials have taken to rebranding June with terms like “Strong Families” and “Nuclear Family Month,” as if erasing us from public life is a good look. To those politicians, Ackley has a message: “We do not need your approval, your recognition, or your permission to exist. We certainly do not want your friendship.” It’s time to cut ties with those who don’t support us.
For too long, queer people have been expected to tolerate hostility in the name of civility. We’ve been told to keep the peace, to avoid difficult conversations, and to maintain friendships with people who post anti-trans rhetoric. But let’s face it: no friendship can exist in a vacuum. If someone’s political beliefs are actively harming our community, they are not our friends. It’s time to break that generational trap of tolerance that has only led to our own dehumanization.
As we enter this Pride season, let’s remember that solidarity without courage is meaningless. Allyship without action is just theater. And friendship without mutual respect? That’s not friendship at all. Pride is about refusing to disappear, refusing to apologize, and refusing to accept a world that demands silence in exchange for acceptance. So let’s raise our voices, build our communities, and fight for one another. Because no one is coming to save us; we must become our own heroes.
So, to all the fair-weather friends out there: if you can’t stand with us, then step aside. Pride is not a branding exercise, and we will not be silenced. Let’s make this Pride Month a true celebration of our resilience, our creativity, and our unwavering spirit. The fight isn’t over, and we’re just getting started.