Insights by Jeremy Goshorn

As Pride Month bursts into color across cities and campuses, it brings with it more than celebration. For many LGBTQ+ individuals, Pride can also be a moment of healing, affirmation, and community connection. Yet even as flags are raised and parades roll on, the experience of Pride is layered with both empowerment and vulnerability. According to Jeremy Goshorn, a licensed professional counselor and assistant professor of psychology/Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Lebanon Valley College, the mental health implications of Pride are powerful—but also complex.

“Pride celebrations can create a sense of community, belonging, and support,” Goshorn explains. “For those who do not feel safe publicly disclosing their LGBTQIA+ identity in their normal day-to-day life, Pride events and celebrations can provide a space of acceptance where a person can be visibly themselves.” In such spaces, visibility fosters self-acceptance, boosts self-esteem, and even fuels advocacy—both for oneself and for the wider LGBTQ+ community.

That connection, however, is not universal. “Every individual differs in their needs of community connection,” Goshorn notes. For many, even attending Pride can involve navigating questions of safety, family acceptance, or potential social or religious fallout. The fear of being involuntarily “outed” at Pride remains very real, especially for those who live in communities where LGBTQIA+ identities are still heavily stigmatized.

The very visibility that Pride promotes can, for some, amplify internal conflicts or highlight external risks. “An LGBTQIA+ individual’s level of outness differs by person and by situation,” Goshorn says. “Often this includes asking themselves questions about the safety of the situation and the potential risks of disclosure.” Those risks—ranging from strained relationships to marginalization or even physical harm—are deeply tied to mental health outcomes.

Pride events, then, serve a dual function: as celebration and sanctuary. They offer connection not only to fellow LGBTQIA+ individuals but also to broader community networks—health providers, social services, and advocacy groups. “These connections can provide physical health, mental health, and social support opportunities,” Goshorn says. His own research shows that psychospiritual dimensions like hope and thriving can significantly mediate the relationship between identity and outness, and that feeling supported within a community is crucial for navigating identity integration.

But Goshorn is careful not to overstate the emotional power of a single month. “We must be cautious not to assume that a single Pride event is able to address the comprehensive concerns that an LGBTQIA+ individual may face,” he says. While Pride can affirm identity, it doesn’t erase the systemic discrimination many still experience the other eleven months of the year.

Goshorn also warns against viewing Pride as a quick fix for building resilience. “Participating in events may help foster resilience, but it is not the only item that helps an individual foster emotional and psychological resilience,” he says. Instead, he advocates for ongoing support through LGBTQIA+ affirming counseling, where individuals can explore their identity, develop coping mechanisms, and address trauma in a safe, professional setting.

Importantly, the need for supportive spaces doesn’t end with LGBTQIA+-specific groups. “We should be cautious assuming that only those in the LGBTQIA+ community can provide a supportive avenue,” Goshorn says. He emphasizes the importance of acceptance across all areas of life—friend groups, families, workplaces, and broader community settings. “Supportive community spaces provide individuals with feelings of support and acceptance in all spaces of their life.”

The psychological impact of Pride may be particularly meaningful for those in the early stages of self-discovery. For individuals questioning or just beginning to understand their identity, Pride can spark a transformative process of exploration and integration. But as Goshorn reminds us, this can be a vulnerable moment, and professional support can help make the experience safer and more affirming.

Beyond the personal, the larger social and political climate weighs heavily on LGBTQIA+ mental health. Goshorn cites recent Human Rights Campaign data showing that eight in ten LGBTQIA+ individuals report concerns about their safety in the U.S. He points to anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, bans on gender-affirming care, and public rhetoric that fuels stigma and fear. These systemic issues, he says, increase rates of self-harm, anxiety, and suicidality.

While Pride offers moments of visibility and empowerment, Goshorn sees lasting change as requiring broader collective action. “Individuals who see themselves as allies of the LGBTQIA+ community can help by engaging with their elected representatives to ensure policies and laws support members of the LGBTQIA+ community,” he says. That includes repealing laws that discriminate and advocating for inclusive protections.

Pride Month, Goshorn emphasizes, is meaningful—but it’s only one piece of a much larger puzzle. Its greatest value lies not just in the celebration itself, but in the continued momentum it builds toward safer, more affirming lives for LGBTQ+ individuals—every day of the year.