Pride means many things to LGBTQIA+ communities across the country. From celebrating our identities and our experiences, to self and community affirmations, Pride is a moment to be exactly who we are—and we are Unstoppable Together. It is an expression of liberation, a protest against oppressions, and a remembrance of our queer and trans families, elders, and ancestors.
Most Pride-centric initiatives don’t authentically speak to LGBTQIA+ communities and ignore our lived realities beyond the frame of “coming out” and Pride parades. We believe Pride Powers Our Future, so we’ve teamed up with T-Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile, and Complex to celebrate Pride 3-6-5 with a video series highlighting the voices of LGBTQIA+ changemakers. We are elevating their stories and perspectives beyond June because we’re queer and trans 365 days a year.
Up next is Symone (she/her), a Los Angeles-based drag queen and the reigning champion of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Representing Arkansas’ own iconic House of Avalon, Symone embodies and celebrates Black culture and pop culture in all that she does. She pushes her audience and allies to confront the issues faced by Black queer and trans folks head-on by consistently centering and honoring our experiences. She’s taken the LGBTQIA+ community by storm, and brings an entirely new perspective to the world of drag.
In our inspirational final episode of Pride 3-6-5, Symone dives into what it means to support and love herself both in and out of drag. She reminds Black and brown, queer and trans communities that we are worthy—and that all things that are meant for us will come to us.
You can follow Symone on socials and support her work here.
Catch every Pride 3-6-5 feature across Complex, Wear Your Voice, and T-Mobile’s channels, and learn more about our first three changemakers, Tunde Olaniran here, Serpentwithfeet here, and Fran Tirado here.
In Partnership with: Wear Your Voice
Video Credits: Producer: Hope Harris/Lolaworks; Music: Tomu DJ; Images: Max Bronner, Justine Lane, Jana Sabeth, Hollie Adams, Richard Vogel, Martha P. Johnson, Dimitrios Kambouris, Octavia St. Laurent, Pepper LaBeija, Symone, House of Avalon, and One Management; Performance Footage: ‘Paris Is Burning,’ Jennie Livingston, Symone, House of Avalon, and One Management.
