Creating an inclusive workplace is extremely important for any business.

It makes your employees feel valued and respected regardless of their differences, which, in turn, builds trust and satisfaction and boosts retention rates.

And this is especially true when it comes to LGBTQIA+ employees, who have experienced a lot of discrimination in the past.

If you’re ready to take a stand and create a more inclusive environment that supports the LGBTQ community, consider celebrating Pride Month at work this year.

Not sure where to start?

We’re here to help!

Based on our own experience and employee and client suggestions, we created a list of 10 fun activities and ideas to celebrate Pride Month at work.

Let’s dive in!

Table of Contents

What Is Pride Month?

10 Fabulous Ideas for Celebrating Pride Month at Work

Why Should Companies Celebrate Pride Month at Work?

How to Be Prepared for Pride Month: Best Practices

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What Is Pride Month?

First, let’s get our definitions straight.

According to The Center, LGBTQ+ or LGBTQIA+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual, and more. And all of these terms describe a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

And here’s an interesting fact: an average of 9% of adults of various ages in 30 countries identify as LGBTQ+.

Now, even though Pride Month is commonly recognized as a celebration of the LGBTQ community, it is much more than that.

Pride Month commemorates the Stonewall Uprising of June 28, 1969 that laid the foundation for the modern LGBTQIA+ rights movement.

Here’s what happened in 1969:

• The New York City police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Manhattan.
• The LGBTQ+ people fought back in what is now known as the six-day Stonewall riots.
• Due to the extensive media coverage and annual commemorative Pride events, the Stonewall Uprising is considered a tipping point in the history of Pride.

However, it was all due to the many years of LGBTQ+ activism that happened before the Stonewall riots.

The first Pride march took place in June 1970 and marked the first anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising.

Today, we celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month every year, in June, through Pride parades, parties, concerts, workshops, lectures, and many other Pride events.

Now that you know the history of Pride Month, let’s see how you can celebrate in your work environment.

10 Fabulous Ideas for Celebrating Pride Month at Work

At SwagDrop, we believe celebrating Pride every year is a great way to show love and respect to your team. 

To help you plan ahead, we thought we’d share the top 10 most successful Pride Month activities for the workplace, based on our experience.

Check them out!

1. Donate to charity

One of the best ways to show your company’s support for the queer community is by making donations to LGBTQIA+ nonprofit organizations. 

It doesn’t matter if it’s a global or local nonprofit, just do some research to find a worthy cause.

A great fundraising idea is to employ donation matching, where you commit to matching your staff’s donations.

Or you can host a fundraising event where you invite both your employees and clients to make charitable donations.

These initiatives will help you build an inclusive company culture and brand identity.

2. Hold a trivia game

Everyone loves trivia games because they are lots of fun and boost team building.

So, why not use them as a diversity training tool as well?

In our experience, holding a Pride Month trivia game helps you raise awareness about the LGBTQIA+ community and human rights campaigns among your staff.

For your trivia game, you can choose questions that cover various LGBTQ topics, such as:

• Historical facts about the LGBTQIA+ rights movement
• Current facts about the legalization of same-sex marriages
• Fun facts about famous LGBTQ icons

And the best part is that you can hold trivia games in person or as a virtual event for your remote teams so that everyone can participate.

3. Volunteer

If you own a small business and have a limited budget, making charitable donations may not be feasible.

However, you can still give back to the LGBTQ community by organizing a corporate volunteer day.

Just reach out to an LGBTQIA+ local nonprofit and offer your team members’ skills and time free of charge.

On top of raising awareness about the challenges of the queer community, this corporate volunteer day is also a great team building activity.

4. Attend a Pride Parade

What better way to show your support for the LGBTQIA+ community than by attending a Pride parade?

Prepare Pride flags for everyone or ask them to create their own rainbow flags or signs as part of a team building activity.

Encourage your employees to show their authentic selves on the day of the parade by asking everyone to abide by a specific Pride parade dress code.

Alternatively, if you have a remote team, you can meet up on Slack or Zoom and watch the 2023 New York City Pride March and encourage open discussions in this safe space.

5. Create a Pride playlist

Why not use music as a fun diversity training tool that brings your employees together?

Ask team members to come up with two songs for your June Pride playlist.

The only condition is that the song has a Pride theme (like self-acceptance, self-love, or inclusivity) or is sung by an LGBTQIA+ artist.

Then, play the playlist at work and also share it with your staff on YouTube and Spotify so they can listen to it in their spare time as well.

To encourage participation, create a contest and let your employees vote for the best song on the playlist.

The winner could receive a high-quality custom Pride t-shirt. 

6. Host a Pride Month book club

Hosting a Pride Month book club is a great way to raise awareness about LGBTQIA+ issues and rekindle your employees’ love for reading.

First step is to identify best-selling books on LGBTQ history or current challenges or books written by LGBTQIA+ authors.

Then, give everyone a month to read the book because, you know, it’s hard for people to find the time to unwind with a book, given their busy schedules.

Finally, set a date and meet up to have an open discussion about the book to see what your staff have learned from it and what questions they might have.

To encourage participants to jot down ideas for the book club meeting while they read, you can offer them beautiful branded notebooks with matching pens.

7. Share Pride quotes on social media

Another great way to celebrate Pride Month is to share Pride quotes on your company’s social media accounts.

These quotes have the power to educate your audience about LGBTQ+ Pride and the importance of diversity policies.

Similarly, it will show your employees that your company is openly supporting the LGBTQ community and wants to create an inclusive environment for all.

Of course, if you want to make a bigger impact, you should encourage your employees and social media followers to share your Pride quotes and post their own.

8. Pride happy hour

Organizing in-person or virtual happy hours is a great initiative because it encourages your team members to unwind and socialize.

Of course, you can hold happy hours regularly, but in June, you can make them Pride-themed.

You can either search the internet for rainbow cocktail recipes or hire an LGBTQIA+ mixologist for the event.

Make sure you provide your employees with all the ingredients or the list of ingredients they should procure.

Then, group your staff into small groups to turn this into a team building activity.

Finally, announce the winners of the best-looking rainbow cocktail and reward them.

To keep the prize in line with the event, consider this W&P You’re a Gem Cocktail Gift Set that includes a cocktail glass wrapped in protective matte silicone and a flexible two-piece silicone gem mold.

9. Host a Pride movie watch party

One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to celebrate Pride Month is to host a Pride movie watch party.

Just choose an LGBTQIA+ classic movie or documentary that will educate your team members on gender identity and sexual orientation.

Create a cozy movie environment by renting bean bags and offering participants delicious promotional candy and snacks.

At the end of the movie, you can play a trivia game and reward the winners with this What’s Pop’N Gourmet Popcorn Gift Set that includes a snack bowl, popcorn, and seasoning.

10. Pride swag contest

Another great initiative is to host a Pride swag contest where you ask each team member to create a Pride-themed gift for their colleagues and then reward the most unique gift.

But why stop there?

You can make a contest out of all the previous Pride Month activities to engage your staff even more and make them wanna celebrate it next year as well.

But don’t forget that contests are no fun without prizes, so check out these cool Pride swag ideas that your employees will love.

1. Rainbow RPET Crossbody Tote

This crossbody tote is made out of recycled water bottles, which makes it an eco-friendly promotional product. 

The rainbow shoulder strap is a great feature that allows wearers to show their support for the community.

On top of that, it’s a very practical corporate gift that your employees can use to carry their essentials wherever they go.

Why we recommend this: You can personalize it with an empowering Pride message and your company logo to openly support the LGBTQAI+ community.

2. Rainbow Recycled 6oz Cotton Convention Tote

This convention tote made from pre-consumer recycled cotton is one of our clients’ favorites.

Simply put, it makes the perfect swag bag for any corporate event.

Why?

Because it’s eco-friendly and large enough to fit lots of cool swag.

Why we recommend this: Due to the large print area you can customize it with a Pride quote and your company logo. Plus you can add a Pride-themed custom mug, T-shirt, and cap inside to create a complete swag bag.

3. Rainbow RPET Drawstring Bag

This drawstring bag with a rainbow design is another cool promo item for Pride Month. 

It’s made out of 100% recycled polyester to help reduce plastic waste.

In addition, it’s very useful for carrying your gym clothes and has an eye-catching rainbow design.

Why we recommend this: 1% of every purchase goes to a nonprofit environmental organization, which means you’ll be supporting both the queer community and the Planet.

4. Zigoo Silicone Collapsible Bottle 180z – Tie-Dye

Talk about functionality meeting style, right?

This collapsible water bottle is very practical as it collapses from 9.2″ to just 5.45″ in height, so it can fit in any bag.

And if you still have too much stuff to carry around, you can simply use the carabiner to attach it to the outside of your bag or backpack.

At the same time, it makes for a meaningful wellness gift because it encourages your employees to stay hydrated wherever they are.

Why we recommend this: What makes this the perfect Pride swag is the rainbow design that will catch everyone’s attention.

5. Silipint Original Silicone Pint Glass 16oz

Here’s another cool drinkware option for you.

This silicone pint glass is unique as it is made out of patented, BPA-free, 100% food grade–tested, and unbreakable silicone.

Overall, this glass has thick and sturdy, yet squeezable walls. 

But the walls are not too squishy, to prevent spills.

And you can place it in the microwave and the freezer to savor both hot and cold beverages.

Why we recommend this: This is a fun and practical gift with an awesome rainbow design.

6. Tie-Dye Flannel Fleece Blanket

If you’re looking for a thoughtful corporate gift for Pride Month, look no further.

This flannel fleece blanket is so soft that it’s perfect for cozying up at home while watching a movie.

Also, its unique tie-dye design will brighten up anyone’s day.

Why we recommend this: This blanket shows your employees that you care about their comfort, while also celebrating LGBTQ+ pride through its colors.

7. Rainbow Sun Ray Sunglasses

These sunglasses are an essential summer accessory if you want to make a fashion statement.

But apart from being very stylish, they’re also very practical because they feature UV 400 protective lenses.

Why we recommend this: If you’re planning on attending a Pride Parade with your team members this June, these sunglasses are the perfect accessory.

8. JournalBook Set

Here’s another one of our eco-friendly Pride swag ideas.

This journalbook has a FSC®-certified paper cover with 80 sheets of white FSC®-certified soy-based ink-lined paper, which makes it a sustainable choice.

Also, it comes in seven stylish colors and you can personalize it with an empowering Pride message and your company logo.

Why we recommend this: It’s a very practical swag item that people can use to jot things down at work, at conferences, and even during the fun Pride Month activities you organize for them.

9. Recycled Polyester Rainbow Lanyard

While it may not seem as much, this recycled polyester lanyard is a sustainable Pride swag option.

Our clients like it because they can wear it at tradeshows, conferences, and any other events to promote diversity.

Why we recommend this: You can use rainbow lanyards at all your corporate events, all year round, to show your company’s support for LGBTQIA+ communities.

10. Tie-Dye Fanny Pack

This fanny pack is another summer accessory that your team members will rave about.

It features a zippered main compartment that keeps your essentials safe whenever you need lightweight, portable storage.

But what makes this corporate gift unique is its tie-dye design that will match any outfit.

Why we recommend this: Your employees can wear it at a Pride parade as well as any summer festivals they attend.

***

Now that we’ve inspired you, let’s talk a bit about why celebrating Pride Month at work is so important.

Why Should Companies Celebrate Pride Month at Work?

Because everyone should feel welcome, respected, and valued in their work environment.

And if we’re being honest, despite all of the recent progress, LGBTQ communities still face a lot of discrimination.

Plus, according to LinkedIn, 77% of LGBTQ+ professionals consider it important for prospective employers to show an outward commitment to supporting LGBTQ+ employees.

So, take a stand and fight against this unjust treatment because every small action can lead to a big change.

Still not convinced? 

Take a look at some of the benefits of celebrating Pride Month at work:

• You create a safe space for all your employees regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation, which boosts retention rates.
• You raise awareness about LGBTQIA+ issues among your team members who can then share these insights with others.
• You show potential and existing clients that your business values and supports inclusivity.

Given all these benefits, we also advise you to consider implementing diversity policies in hiring to create a more inclusive work environment.

***

Next, we’ll help you prepare for this year’s Pride Month celebration.

How to Be Prepared for Pride Month: Best Practices

To ensure the success of your next Pride Month celebration, here are some best practices you should follow:

• Create an inclusive culture. Clearly, this doesn’t happen overnight. 

So, start promoting your inclusive brand values on social media and host various Pride events at work to prove your allyship to your employees.

• Evaluate your discrimination and diversity policies. It’s not enough for your company to support LGBTQIA+ communities if your company policies do not.

So, if you don’t have clear discrimination and diversity policies, it’s time to create some.

• Be mindful of those who aren’t “out” yet. Gender identity and sexual orientation are very intimate issues and not everyone feels comfortable sharing these things.

So, you should never pressure your employees into talking about these things or ask them directly.

• Expand your training. Diversity training is very important for creating an inclusive workplace.

You can educate your staff on everything from using the right pronouns and understanding concepts like ‘transgender’ or ‘non-binary,’ to supporting transitioning team members.

• Welcome feedback. Even if you are part of the LGBTQIA+ community yourself or have researched the topic extensively, you still don’t know how others will react to your Pride celebration.

Some people are more sensitive than others, so you should always seek employee feedback and adjust your future celebrations accordingly.

• Avoid ‘rainbow-washing.’ Don’t go overboard with rainbow office decorations and apparel.

Instead, take meaningful actions that will truly support the LGBTQIA+ community, like donating to charity or doing volunteer work for organizations that actively stand by the community

• Don’t force participation during Pride Month. Just like you shouldn’t force your employees to talk about intimate issues, you shouldn’t force them to participate in your Pride celebrations either.

Forcing these things can have the opposite effect and make your staff feel uncomfortable and unsafe.

Now, over to you!

Over To You!

Clearly, there are plenty of good reasons to celebrate Pride Month at work.

So, ready to start planning your next Pride event?

We know you have a lot to consider, but, trust us, with all the fabulous ideas and suggestions you’ve given you, you’re one step closer to those great Pride celebrations you want to create for your team. 

Want some Pride swag to accompany your events?

We’ve got you covered!

Just contact us to discuss your options and get the best Pride swag for your team.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some of the most common questions you might have:

How do you better create awareness of Pride Month?

There are plenty of ways to create awareness about Pride Month, including running Pride campaigns on social media, organizing diversity workshops at work, organizing LGBTQIA+ fundraisers, and more.

But regardless of what strategy you choose, you should also have open discussions and foster an inclusive work environment where people feel comfortable sharing their thoughts about this matter.

Is it appropriate to discuss sexual orientation at work?

Yes, as long as you open a general discussion meant to educate people on this topic. However, you should never put any team member on the spot by asking them about their sexual orientation (or gender identity) as it will naturally make them feel uncomfortable.

When having such conversations, make sure you give people the space and time they need to open up and discuss what they feel like sharing. 

Is LGBT History Month the same as Pride Month?

No, these are two separate events. LGBT History Month celebrates the achievements of lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender icons every October. LGBTQ Pride Month commemorates the Stonewall Uprising and the LGBTQ rights movement every June.