How to Celebrate Pride at Home
While Pride is something we live and honor year-round, Pride Month is a time to shine an extra light on LGBTQ+ history, the diversity of love, and the power of queer voices, whether you're in the middle of a parade or relaxing at home. If you’re planning a more low-key celebration this year, you can still create a truly meaningful Pride experience at home. In this guide, we’ll walk you through five cozy, self-affirming ways to mark Pride Month from the comfort of your own space – blending music, reading, self-care, film, and community support in ways that feel both nurturing and joyful.
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Build Your Own Queer-Positive Soundtrack
There’s something magical about pressing “play” on a song that feels like it was written just for you. For your at-home Pride, why not curate a soundtrack that celebrates LGBTQ+ artists and themes of self-acceptance?
You can start with well-known anthems – Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” has become almost synonymous with Pride, encouraging listeners to embrace their true selves. Mix in rising queer talents like Hayley Kiyoko, whose “Girls Like Girls” offers an unapologetic celebration of same-sex love, and Keiynan Lonsdale’s “Good Life,” a feel-good track that reminds us joy is for everyone. If you want to dive even deeper, check out Lil Nas X's "MONTERO", Charli XCX's "Boys" or "Guess" or Sufjan Stevens' "Mystery of Love" from the Call me By Your Name soundtrack.
Streaming platforms also feature curated Pride playlists (e.g. Spotify’s “Pride Classics”) that can serve as a springboard for discovery.
Ultimately, your playlist should feel like a personal love letter – to yourself and to the queer community.
Create a Cozy Queer Book Corner
Nothing says “at-home Pride” quite like lighting a candle, drifting into a cozy blanket fort, and losing yourself in a great queer book.
Create a dedicated reading nook – whether it’s a corner by your bookshelf or a stack of pillows on the floor – and stock it with LGBTQ+ titles that speak to your heart.
Memoirs such as Redefining Realness by Janet Mock and Fun Home by Alison Bechdel blend candid personal storytelling with powerful reflections on identity. For touching romance, you can’t go wrong with Casey McQuiston’s Red, White & Royal Blue or the modern classic Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman. Dive into the lush reimagining of myth with Madeline Miller’s The Song of Achilles, or explore longing in the glamour and glitz of an alternate universe Hollywood in Taylor Jenkins Reid’s The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. If you’re craving a coming-of-age tale with equal parts humor and heart, Becky Albertalli’s Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda is a perfect pick.
Tuck in with a steaming cup of tea (or your favorite snack!) and let these stories remind you that queer lives—and queer literature—are as varied as they are beautiful.
Start a Self-Care + Self-Pleasure Ritual
Pride is about affirming your right to pleasure – in body and mind. At home, carve out a little ritual that combines gentle self-care with moments of self-pleasure.
Begin by setting the mood: dim the lights, play your custom queer playlist, and prepare a warm bath or shower. Choose a body-safe vibrator or massager – iroha’s beautifully designed self-pleasure items are made to feel like an extension of your fingertips, encouraging a kind, curious exploration of your own body. Researchers have found that mindful self-pleasure can boost mood and reduce stress by releasing endorphins and oxytocin.
After your moment of intimate care, wrap yourself in a soft towel and moisturize with a calming body oil, letting each touch reinforce the message that your pleasure matters as much as anyone else’s.
Host a Queer Movie Night
There’s no need to leave home to experience the power of queer cinema. Pick a night (or two) for a film marathon celebrating LGBTQ+ stories.
A standout choice is Ride or Die, featuring our global ambassador Kiko Mizuhara in a thrilling queer relationship drama – proof that action and tender romance can go hand in hand. Follow up with classics like Paris Is Burning, a landmark documentary on New York’s ballroom culture, or the crowd-pleasing rom-com But I’m a Cheerleader. During your screening, pause for “intermission” snacks – rainbow popcorn, anyone? – and encourage conversation (even if it’s just with yourself in a cozy journal entry) about representation, desire, and what these films say about queer life past and present.
Support and Connect with Queer Communities
At-home Pride doesn’t have to be solitary. Use digital channels to uplift LGBTQ+ organizations and creators. Browse and buy from queer-owned small businesses – from handmade apparel to art prints – to ensure your spending directly supports LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs. Join virtual panels or LGBTQ+ book clubs and share your experiences on social media.
Even small gestures – a repost of a trans poet, a DM to a friend – help weave a web of solidarity that extends well beyond your living room.
Conclusion
Your home can become its own Pride parade – a personalized festival of sound, story, care, and solidarity. Whether you’re dancing alone to a new queer jam, diving into an affirming book, nurturing yourself through self-pleasure, laughing through a film, or standing in virtual solidarity with your community, each act is a powerful declaration of self-love and celebration. This Pride Month, embrace the comfort zone you’ve created – because joy, reflection, and connection can flourish anywhere you choose.
Learn more about how we from iroha celebrate Pride here!
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