For many people, 2025 might seem like one of the potentially darker periods in recent history for gay, bisexual, trans, and other queer people. There has been a palpable cultural shift away from the inclusiveness that many are aiming for, and while it might be a political football for some people, for the queer people in your life, it is their real life.
If you’re a friend, family member, or simply consider yourself an ally, you might be wondering what you can do to show support. Being accepting might not feel like enough, and you may want to get up and do something. So, what do you do?
Change The Channel On Social Media
If you, like a lot of people, spend a lot of your time online, then what messages you and others see are going to be in large part dictated by the algorithms behind the social media you use. Nowadays, it seems that social media, especially some channels, are becoming breeding grounds for hate and controversy. While many are moving to more inclusive platforms like Bluesky, intentionally shifting your digital landscape and following more queer voices, from activitsts to artists, influencers, and everyday individuals, can help you escape the hateful rhetoric. It also gives you the chance to share those voices so that you can help others do the same, changing the script that others see on their own feeds..
Support Queer Art And Artists
The arts have always been a space where marginalized voices have the opportunity to be heard and express themselves on a larger platform, and supporting queer artists can be a direct way to show solidarity and support the community. Whether this means supporting breakout trans actresses in Hollywood like Yasmin Lee, the Hangover Part II actress, and Laverne Cox from Orange Is The New Black, attending their shows, buying their works, or simply recommending them to others, you can help build a culture where queer talents are valued. Actors, musicians, painters, writers, and other creatives often use their platforms to tell stories that may otherwise go unheard without community support.
Stand With Them
Although using your platform to spread queer voices, both in social and cultural spaces, can certainly help, it’s important to understand that media consumption is not activism. If you want the conversation to change, then you should consider taking part in it. Attending Pride events, protests, or community gatherings is a meaningful way to show your support for the queer community. While Pride Month in June is a highlight of LGBTQ+ visibility, support should not be limited to one time of the year. Being physically present at rallies, marches, and protests sends a strong message, but even when you can’t attend in person, signing petitions, joining advocacy groups to lend your numbers, and helping organize events in the community can help greatly.
Check In On Those You Care About
Public efforts to foster acceptance are important when it comes to supporting marginalized people, but it also happens in small, everyday moments. Checking in on the queer people in your life, be they friends, family members, or otherwise, can help them feel seen and valued. Many queer people face isolation and rejection, which can lead to significant mental health challenge. Whether it’s a simple message, a phone call, or meeting up for a cup of coffee, you don’t have to be an expert to be there for them.
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
Aside from cultural support, showing real economic support is one of the best ways to uplift those who are being marginalized. If you’re able to show that support, then shopping at queer-owned businesses and donating to LGBTQ+ organizations can help you build the financial stability of the community. Financial instability can make it harder for people to organize and be politically active, so this support can make a real difference.
Listen And Learn
If you want to be a true ally, then you have to understand that there is no way to educate your way to perfect understanding. It’s about being in community with the people that you care about, listening to queer voices, engaging in conversations about gender and sexuality, and knowing that is an ongoing process.
Your personal line of what you do to support the queer people in your life is up to you at the end of the day. However, if you want to do more, whether personally or societally, there is a lot that you can do, as shown above.
