Conservatives Use Military to Attack Pride Month: An Exercise in Dishonesty
Through ignorance and prejudice, conservatives argue that the military doesn't get a month but LGTBQ people do. They are wrong.
For being supposedly tired of hearing about LGBTQ people, conservatives are remarkably willing to talk about LGBTQ people. This is especially true when it comes to Pride month, and this year’s Pride is no different. Every year, conservatives march out a tired talking point about the supposed malicious nature of Pride, arguing that the LGBTQ community gets a month while our military service members get nothing. Not only is this not true, but it also ignores LGBTQ members of the military who have served or continue to serve their country. This talking point is getting old and quite frankly, annoying. It is long overdue that I address this symbol-minded and inaccurate argument.
The Basics
When it comes to Pride Month, many people are unfamiliar with its history and origin. Rather than simply being a display of LGBTQ existence alone, Pride is an expression of defiance in the face of oppression and subjugation. The first Pride parade took place in New York City on June 28, 1970, a year after the Stonewall Riots ignited protests against unequal treatment by state, local, and even federal authorities.1 As USA Today’s Saleen Martin explains:
Until a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2003, homosexuality was considered a crime throughout the U.S. As a result, people who identified as LGBTQ would often meet in places targeted towards straight people, said Briona Simone Jones, an Audre Lorde visiting professor of queer studies at Spelman College in Atlanta.
One of these meetup spots was the Stonewall Inn, a private club-turned-bar on Christopher Street in Greenwich Village in lower Manhattan.
The New York police, who once had a now-disbanded Public Morals Squad, were known to harass people in the community, especially drag queens and transgender people, Jones told USA TODAY.
The NYPD even used a “three-article rule” in the 1940s and 1960s. Although the rule never became law, police often threatened arrest if individuals didn’t wear at least three pieces of clothing that matched the gender they were assigned at birth, Jones said.
Things took a turn on June 28, 1969 after the NYPD raided the establishment, but the patrons and a growing crowd decided to fight back. The five days of rioting, from June 28 to July 3, 1969, proved to be a catalyst for a national civil rights movement for LGBTQ community members. 2
It wouldn’t be until 1999 that Pride was recognized, and it wouldn’t be until 2015 that gay marriage was federally legalized in the landmark case Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015).3 It is this history of continued struggle that informs Pride Month every year. Despite this clear history of defiance in the face of injustice, the desire to subjugate remains strong within American politics, and, unfortunately, service members are continuously used to attack and misrepresent Pride Month.
Weaponizing Ignorance and Patriotism
For years, conservatives have attempted to use the military as a weapon for their movement, attempting to use a quasi-rally around the flag effect to persuade the people to accept their presuppositions uncritically and without consideration for consequences. This is especially true when it comes to Pride Month, as they march out the tired argument that LGBTQ people get more respect than military service members.
Never mind that an estimated 1 million LGBTQ Americans serve in the military, according to a 2022 report, but even if there were a strict separation between the LGBTQ community and members of the military, the right’s argument falls flat because just before Pride Month is May, aka Military Appreciation Month. In fact, Military Appreciation Month and Pride Month are about the same age, as the federal government recognized both celebrations in 1999.4 Nor is May the only time of the year that the military and their families are recognized for their dedication.
As most Americans are aware, Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May, but what is perhaps not as well-known is that the spouses of servicemembers are also recognized through special celebrations. Military Spouse Appreciation Day, which takes place on the Friday before Mother’s Day, has been an established tradition since then-President Ronald Reagan established the celebration in 1984, predating both the federal recognition of Pride Month and Military Appreciation Month by six years. 5
In other words, the military doesn’t get one day. They get a month and two days, but none of this matters in terms of material conditions. Ceremonies don’t improve the conditions of military service members or LGBTQ people on their own. Rather, they serve as a reminder of the importance of these communities in their own right. These celebrations are a celebration, yes, but they are also a reminder that there is a lot of work to be done towards creating a fairer and more just society for everyone.
Symbols with No Substance
While conservatives will inevitably continue to spread this lie about celebratory months and days, it is worth noting their lackluster concern for actual policy that impacts veterans across the board. Considering how conservatives have been more than willing to turn a blind eye to Elon Musk and DOGE’s attempts to gut the VA and other critical services for veterans, nobody should take their argument seriously. 6
In March, Elon and his team at DOGE proposed cutting the Veterans Affairs budget by 80,000 jobs, which would have included the jobs of 20,000 veterans. As of March, the VA had an estimated 482,000 staff. Meaning that Musk and his allies saw no problem with cutting the VA staffing levels by over a quarter. How exactly is this respectful to the military?7
Despite this clear disregard for the well-being of veterans and service members, conservatives will continue to rely on symbols over substance to demonize LGBTQ people, even as those same people serve this country with the dignity these right-wing activists have never possessed. It is not only dishonest but also insulting to the intelligence of every American.
Post publication note: Some readers have messaged me about why I didn’t include Veterans Day. To clarify, I wanted to focus on specific events that are not as well-known and are closer to Pride Month. Sorry for the confusion.
“History & Culture - Stonewall National Monument (U.S. National Park Service).” National Park Service. https://www.nps.gov/ston/learn/historyculture.htm (June 2, 2025).
Martin, Saleen. 2025. “What Is Pride Month and Why Is It Celebrated in June?” USA TODAY. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/05/31/pride-month-origins-june-2025/83917817007/ (June 2, 2025).
“Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015).” 2015. Justia Law. https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/576/644/ (June 2, 2025).
“Military Appreciation Month 2025.” Military.com. https://www.military.com/military-appreciation-month (June 2, 2025).
“Military Spouse Appreciation Day.” Military.com. https://www.military.com/spouse/military-spouse-appreciation-day (June 2, 2025).
Hsu, Andrea. 2025. “‘A Blitz Attack’: VA Mental Health Experts Liken Elon Musk’s Emails to Warfare.” NPR. https://www.npr.org/2025/03/07/nx-s1-5317722/elon-musk-emails-trump-veterans-mental-health (June 2, 2025).
Corbett, Jessica. 2025. “Outright Betrayal of Veterans’: Fury Over Trump-Musk Plan to Fire 83,000 VA Workers | Common Dreams.” Common Dreams. https://www.commondreams.org/news/veterans-affairs-department (June 2, 2025).