Reflecting on Pride 2025
This Pride Month has been a profound reminder of why we gather, why we celebrate, and why we never stop listening to each other's stories. Over these past weeks, I've had the privilege of sitting with fifteen remarkable humans whose voices span generations, genres, and experiences within our vast LGBTQIA+ community.
V.E. Schwab's vulnerability struck me deeply—here was an author whose work has touched countless readers, yet she had never felt fully embraced by the queer literary canon. Her openness about longing for community resonates with anyone who has ever wondered if they truly belong.
At the other end of the spectrum, I treasured what was one of Edmund White's final recorded interviews—a chance to hear from a towering figure whose decades of work helped build the very canon.
Joe Westmoreland's story moved me differently. Here was a writer whose work had nearly vanished from memory, only to experience an unexpected renaissance so late in life. His journey speaks to both the precarious nature of queer literary preservation and the beautiful surprises that await when forgotten voices are rediscovered.
S.A. Cosby's powerful statement about allyship reminded us that Pride extends beyond our own community. His commitment to standing with us exemplified what true solidarity looks like. The way he talked about being there for his cousin?! May we all be so lucky.
To Lucas Schaefer, Mike Curato, Austin Taylor, Nicola Dinan, Melissa Febos, Richie Jackson, Allison King, Jeff Hiller, Leila Mottley, Chip Pons, and Rob Franklin—each author and Guest Gay Reader brought something so incredible to these conversations.
Yet as this Pride Month draws to a close, I find myself grappling with a heartbreaking reality. The Supreme Court's recent ruling allowing parents to opt their children out of classes that include LGBTQIA+ stories has left me sleepless and angry. Each night, I think about the young people who are being told that their stories are “opt-out-able.”
Our existence is not up for debate.
These last few days I’ve been on overdrive thinking about what I can do. At the very least, I can continue to support all the authors that I can. And so for that, I thank you for your continued support.
To everyone who listened and engaged with these stories throughout June—thank you for being part of this journey. Remember that LGBTQIA+ voices deserve our attention year-round, not just during Pride Month. Now more than ever, we must amplify these stories, support queer authors, and ensure that representation doesn't disappear from view when institutional support wavers.
Keep seeking out these stories, keep supporting queer authors, and consider joining the Gays Reading Book Club to continue celebrating queer literature together all year long.
Our existence is not up for debate.
Our existence is not up for debate.
Our existence is not up for debate.