This year’s Pride Month arrives amid intensifying political pressure with attacks on LGBTQ+ rights escalating nationwide and leaving many Americans wondering what they can do to fight back.
Even in Illinois, where LGBTQ+ protections have made the state a refuge for queer people, advocates warn that political attacks are putting many of those rights at stake.
Queer leaders across Illinois say there are many ways Illinoisans can support LGBTQ+ rights this Pride Month and beyond:
- Vote in every election
- Support pro-LGBTQ+ candidates
- Contact your elected representatives
- Show up where decisions are being made
- Support LGBTQ+ organizations and mutual aid efforts
- Build community beyond social media
- Stay engaged after Pride Month ends
Vote in every election—not just presidential ones
Several organizers said one of the most immediate ways people can support LGBTQ+ rights is by paying closer attention to local and state elections.
That includes school boards, judicial races, state legislatures and congressional elections. Elected officials at those levels shape everything from school curriculum and library policies to health care access and anti-discrimination protections.
Denise Poloyac, a board member with progressive organizing group Indivisible Chicago, said anti-LGBTQ+ forces have increasingly focused on these local and lower-profile races to advance their agenda.
“I think that’s really where the MAGA right has honed its techniques and tried to control the narrative,” Poloyac said. “Those are the places where people relate more intimately to their government than what happens in Washington, D.C.”
Support pro-LGBTQ+ candidates
Beyond voting, there are other ways to support pro-LGBTQ+ candidates, including mobilizing voters, volunteering for campaigns and donating money in key races.
Efforts can include canvassing, phone banking, postcard writing, text banking and other voter outreach work.
Canvassing typically involves knocking on doors to speak with voters directly about candidates and issues. Many organizations also offer trainings and support for first-time volunteers.
Progressive organizing groups like Indivisible Chicago, Q Force and Operation Swing State regularly organize canvassing trips and voter outreach efforts focused on races in Illinois and neighboring swing states.
Poloyac pointed to Wisconsin’s recent Supreme Court elections as an example of how local and regional organizing efforts shaped major policy issues. The election expanded the court’s liberal majority, helping maintain protections for abortion rights in the battleground state.
Organizers also pointed to congressional races involving LGBTQ+ candidates challenging Republican-held seats.
That includes Peter Burgelis, who is challenging Republican Bryan Steil in Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District, and Eric Chung, who is running in Michigan’s 10th Congressional District, currently held by Republican John James, who is not seeking reelection.
Coco Soodek, founder and co-director of Q Force, said electoral organizing can take many forms depending on a person’s time, comfort level and resources.
“You don’t have to devote every minute of every day to working on these issues,” Soodek said. “But there are definitely places where you can get involved that can do the world a lot of good.”
Contact your elected representatives
State Rep. Kelly Cassidy (14th District) said one of the simplest ways Illinoisans can support LGBTQ+ rights is by regularly contacting elected officials about issues affecting their communities.
That can include calling legislative offices, sending emails, attending town halls or submitting public comments on proposed legislation.
Cassidy said constituent outreach helps lawmakers understand how policies affect people directly and can increase political pressure around LGBTQ+ issues, adding that silence and disengagement can make it easier for anti-LGBTQ+ policies to advance.
“If you give ground on these issues, the attacks don’t stop,” Cassidy said. “You have to keep fighting.”
Illinois residents can find their local, state and federal elected officials through online lookup tools like Common Cause’s “Find Your Representatives” database.
Show up where decisions are being made
Many of the most significant fights over LGBTQ+ rights are unfolding in spaces open to the public, such as school boards, library boards, city councils and legislative hearings.
Recent public battles over LGBTQ+-inclusive curriculum, book bans and transgender student policies have highlighted how local governments shape everyday life for queer people.
Asher McMaher, co-founder of Trans Up Front Illinois, said public participation at these meetings has become increasingly important as anti-LGBTQ+ groups organize around schools and public institutions.
“If we’re not in those rooms, then the only voices being heard are the people attacking our community,” McMaher said.
Support LGBTQ+ organizations and mutual aid efforts
LGBTQ+ organizations across Illinois are providing everything from gender-affirming care navigation to housing assistance, food access and crisis response.
Supporting those groups—through donations, volunteering or sharing resources—can help sustain networks many LGBTQ+ people rely on every day.
McMaher said people do not need to support every issue at once and encouraged individuals to focus on causes they feel personally connected to.
“Think about what you want to be supporting,” McMaher said. “Whether it’s trans youth, health care access, immigration issues or supporting trans women of color, find the work that feels meaningful to you.”
Build community beyond social media
Creating stronger in-person connections can also make LGBTQ+ communities more resilient during politically difficult moments.
That can include attending LGBTQ+ events, joining community groups or spending more time in affirming spaces outside social media.
Soodek said strong community networks make it easier to mobilize people quickly.
“If you already know and trust each other and already have that community, then it’s easier for people to activate when something happens,” Soodek said.
Those relationships can also inspire hope, she said.
“The only antidote to that feeling of powerlessness is to seek solace and inspiration from your communities of people,” Soodek said.
Stay engaged after Pride Month ends
Pride Month often brings increased visibility to LGBTQ+ issues, but many advocates warn that sustaining that energy beyond June is just as important.
Poloyac said protecting LGBTQ+ rights will require ongoing organizing efforts rather than short bursts of public visibility.nPride Month can serve as an entry point for people looking to become more involved, she added, but lasting political and cultural change requires people to stay engaged year-round.
“Try to find ways to support people even beyond Pride Month, because we’re in this for a long haul,” Poloyac said.
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