Rainbows bring joy, happiness. They instill a sense of wonder and appreciation of the world around us.

Yet the rainbow flag didn’t start that way. The Pride flag was flown as a symbol of protest, by those demanding to be accepted, demanding they have equal rights to those around them.

Today, many cities are celebrating Pride with parades and the revised Progress flag. Celebrating the progress we have made as a society for acceptance. But remember that it wasn’t always about joy. It was about protest.

And these days, as more states try to strip away rights and deny the existence of LGBTQ+ citizens, protest is what we need.

Empathy and acceptance. Equal rights for all.