By Dr. Zachary LaVigne, B.S., D.C.
What It Means to Be Well During Pride
In June, cities across the country fill with rainbow flags, music, and laughter. People dance in the streets, march together, and celebrate openly. Even if Atlanta doesn’t have its main Pride celebration until October, it’s hard to miss the energy of Pride Month all around us. For many outside the LGBTQ+ community, these June parades might just look like giant parties. For us, joy is something deeper. It’s resistance, protest, and survival. It’s also medicine.
Queer joy isn’t an extra or a luxury, it’s essential. Every celebration sits on top of a long history of exclusion, secrecy, and trauma. We’ve learned to always be alert, to watch how we speak, dress, and move. This kind of constant vigilance is exhausting. It wears on our sleep, digestion, hormones, and immune system.
That’s why joy isn’t a small thing. It’s a powerful way to heal. When you laugh, dance, connect with friends, or just let yourself be, your body releases chemicals that fight stress. Dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin kick in. These don’t just make you feel good, they support your heart, immune system, and brain.
Most of the conversation about LGBTQ+ health focuses on what’s wrong: higher rates of depression, anxiety, addiction, and chronic illness. These are real problems, caused by real social pressures and harms. However, what is often overlooked is how joy, pleasure, and community contribute to our recovery and overall well-being.
Think about those who came before us, queer elders who built spaces to dance, to celebrate, and to be themselves, even when it wasn’t safe. They found ways to turn pain into movement and sadness into moments of connection. Without formal language for it, they understood something that modern medicine now confirms: our bodies heal best when we feel safe, accepted, and free.
So, even if Atlanta is waiting until October for the big parade, let yourself feel free this Pride Month. It doesn’t need to be about posting the perfect photo or keeping up appearances. Find what brings you real joy. Maybe that’s going to a celebration in another city, dancing at home, walking your dog, spending time with people you love, or even just taking a quiet moment for yourself. Whatever helps you honestly reconnect with your body, that’s what matters.
Let your joy be your protest, especially when systems still try to shame or erase you. Laugh when you can. Rest when you need to. Take care of your body with food that fuels you, movement that feels good, and sleep that restores you. Attend a yoga class, meditate, get a massage, and ensure your foundation is solid. You can’t show up for yourself or anyone else if you’re running on empty.
If you’re not feeling joyful right now, that’s okay. Pride doesn’t have to be loud. Sometimes it starts as a quiet breath, a sense of safety, or a conversation with someone who really sees you.
Your joy is yours alone. In a world that still tries to police our bodies and restrict our rights, choosing to feel joy is one of the strongest statements you can make.
So this June, whether you’re traveling to a parade, resting at home, connecting with friends, or just getting through the month, do it with joy. Joy isn’t a distraction from what matters. It’s part of the work itself.