Pride Month is more than a celebration. It’s a commitment to young people.

As LGBTQ+ youth face increasing attacks on their rights, privacy, and well-being, NCYL continues fight for systems that allow every young person to thrive

Pride Month reminds us that progress has never happened by accident. At NCYL, we remain committed to standing with LGBTQ+ youth and building systems where every young person can belong. (Adobe Stock image)

By NCYL

During Pride Month every June, communities across the country gather to celebrate LGBTQ+ people, honor decades of advocacy and resilience, and recognize the importance of working to build a future in which every young person can live authentically and safely.

This year, that work feels especially urgent.

Across the U.S., LGBTQ+ youth, and transgender and nonbinary young people in particular, are facing an unprecedented wave of attacks on their rights, privacy, access to health care, and ability to participate fully in school and community life. Policies that seek to erase LGBTQ+ identities from classrooms, restrict access to medically necessary care, or force young people to disclose deeply personal information are creating real harms for youth who already face heightened vulnerabilities.

At NCYL, Pride Month is both a celebration and a reminder of why this work is so important. Young people deserve the freedom to explore who they are, to learn in inclusive environments, to access affirming care, and to grow into adulthood without fear that their identities will be used against them.

As attacks on youth rights have ramped up, NCYL has been at the forefront in standing against efforts to restrict LGBTQ+ identities in educational settings and undermine inclusive learning environments. We’ve advocated for schools that are safe and welcoming for all students, recognizing that young people can’t thrive academically when they’re denied the opportunity to be themselves.

We’ve also worked to ensure that child-serving systems better support LGBTQ+ youth. Through our Inclusive Care Campaign, NCYL is partnering with young people and other experts to develop resources that help caregivers, providers, and other professionals create affirming environments for youth in the foster system and beyond. Several of these resources center specifically on LGBTQ+ identity, highlighting the importance of affirmation, belonging, and culturally responsive support for young people navigating systems that too often fail to meet their needs.

This year, NCYL joined several advocacy organizations in urging a federal court to block the Department of Justice’s attempt to obtain sensitive medical records related to transgender youth receiving gender-affirming care. The case raises fundamental questions about privacy, dignity, and whether young people can trust that their personal medical information will remain protected from political interference.

NCYL is also continuing its advocacy in Mirabelli v. Olson, a case that could have significant implications for transgender and questioning students. As part of our ongoing work, NCYL is supporting efforts to ensure courts understand that youth need safe spaces to explore and express their identities. Students shouldn’t have to choose between authenticity and safety. Schools should support young people’s development, not place them at greater risk.

These efforts are rooted in a simple principle: young people are experts in their own lives. LGBTQ+ youth deserve to be heard when decisions are made about their well-being and futures.

Pride Month reminds us that progress has never happened by accident. Every advancement in LGBTQ+ rights has been made possible by people who refused to accept exclusion and who fought to ensure that future generations could live more freely than those who came before them.

At NCYL, we remain committed to standing with LGBTQ+ youth, amplifying their voices, defending their rights, and building systems where every young person can belong. This Pride Month, we celebrate the courage, leadership, and joy of LGBTQ+ youth, and recommit ourselves to the work still ahead.

Because every young person deserves the freedom to be exactly who they are.

The National Center for Youth Law centers youth through research, community collaboration, impact litigation, and policy advocacy that fundamentally transforms our nation’s approach to education, health, immigration, foster care, and youth justice. Our vision is a world in which every child thrives and has a full and fair opportunity to achieve the future they envision for themselves. For more information, visit youthlaw.org.