This Year’s Theme: Unity in Community

Pride started as a riot. Stonewall in 1969 was a protest against police violence — a refusal, by drag queens, trans people, and queer New Yorkers of every kind, to be erased. The parades and parties came later. They came because of what those people refused to give up.

We named this year’s theme Unity in Community because we think both words matter, and neither one is soft.

Community is the easy part to say. It’s what we already are: neighbors on a peninsula, a few thousand people who share the same grocery store, the same harbors, the same fitness center and parks, and the same school. We see each other at the post office. We know each other’s kids.

Unity is the harder part. Unity isn’t agreement. It isn’t pretending we all feel the same way about everything. Unity is the decision to show up for each other anyway — especially when it’s uncomfortable, especially when someone’s safety or dignity is on the line, especially when staying quiet would be easier.

For LGBTQIA+ people in coastal Maine in 2026, this isn’t abstract. It’s whether your kid feels safe at school. It’s whether the trans person in your church gets the same welcome as everyone else. It’s whether your gay neighbor’s marriage is still recognized in five years. It’s whether the teenager figuring themselves out has someone to talk to who won’t make them smaller.

Unity in community means: collaboration, when we can build something together. Empathy, when we can’t yet understand but are willing to try. Action, because warm feelings alone don’t protect anyone.

If you’re queer, you belong here. If you love someone queer, you belong here. If you’re still figuring out what any of this means and you came here with questions, you belong here, too. Bring the questions.

We’ll see you at Pride.

Resources

For the curious, the questioning, the supportive, and the still-deciding.

    • OUT Maine — Rockland-based nonprofit supporting rural LGBTQ+ youth across the state. Programs, training for adults, and the annual Rainbow Ball.

    • Queerly ME — Statewide network for LGBTQIA+ adults in all 16 Maine counties. Hosts Maine’s largest community resource directory and outdoor programming.

    • EqualityMaine — Maine’s oldest LGBTQ+ nonprofit (since 1984). Advocacy, policy work, and community building for youth and older adults.

    • MaineTransNet — Community-led organization by and for transgender Mainers. Peer support groups, advocacy, cultural competency training.

    • GLAD Law — Legal advocates serving New England. Know-your-rights resources and direct legal help.

    • Maine Health Equity Alliance — Services for LGBTQ+ Mainers, people living with HIV/AIDS, and others.

    • PFLAG — The nation’s largest support and advocacy organization for LGBTQ+ people and their loved ones. Free peer support, education, and a chapter directory.

    • Family Acceptance Project — Research-based resources showing how family acceptance protects LGBTQ+ youth from depression, suicide risk, and homelessness. Free guides in multiple languages.

    • Strong Family Alliance — Practical guidance for parents whose child has just come out. Written for the moment you’re in.

    • The Trevor Project — 24/7 crisis support for LGBTQ+ young people under 25. Text START to 678-678 or call 1-866-488-7386.

    • TrevorSpace — Moderated international social network for LGBTQ+ youth ages 13–24.

    • GLSEN — Working to make K–12 schools safe for all students. Resources for starting a GSA, advocating with administrators, and understanding your rights.

    • Gender Spectrum — Free online support groups for kids, teens, parents, and caregivers navigating gender.

    • The Trevor Project (LGBTQ+ youth under 25): 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678-678

    • Trans Lifeline (trans-led peer support): 1-877-565-8860

    • 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988