Pride Beyond Parades: Celebrating PRIDE and the LGBT+ Community in Vet Med

June 1st marks the start of Pride Month, and many in the LGBTQ+ community—and their allies—are already celebrating. From parades and festivals to local events and personal milestones, Pride is a time to recognize the resilience and contributions of LGBTQ+ people across all walks of life.

This year, I was happy to see that the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) kicked off Pride Month with a supportive post on Facebook. But that excitement quickly shifted when I made the mistake of reading the comments.

Among the kind and affirming voices, I found an unsettling amount of ignorance and outright hate. Comments like:

“Why is the AVMA taking a political stance?”
“We shouldn’t be celebrating who people have sex with.”
“This is a mental illness.”

These weren’t random trolls—these were people in our profession. Colleagues. Fellow veterinary professionals.

It made me pause. If this is the response to a single Pride post, how are LGBTQ+ individuals actually being treated in our clinics, hospitals, and schools? What does it really mean to be inclusive in veterinary medicine? And why should our profession care about Pride?

Let’s talk about it.

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A Field of Care That Often Overlooks Its Own

Veterinary professionals are deeply compassionate people. We work long hours, stretch thin resources, and carry the emotional weight of our clients’ crises—all because we care. But in a profession where burnout, compassion fatigue, and mental health struggles are already prevalent, the additional stress of being LGBTQ+ can be heavy.

Imagine doing your job while hiding parts of yourself. Imagine wondering if your gender presentation will be ridiculed, if your spouse’s name will make a client uncomfortable, or if your coworkers silently disapprove of your identity.

Now imagine the difference it would make to know that you’re safe. That your team has your back. That your clinic doesn’t just “tolerate” you, but affirms and celebrates who you are.

That’s why Pride matters in vet med. Visibility, inclusion, and advocacy aren’t about politics—they’re about people. Our people.

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The Power of Visibility

I grew up in a conservative community in central Kentucky. We voted Republican and went to a Baptist church. In the 90s, being LGBTQ+ wasn’t something you saw much—especially not in a positive light. I didn’t meet openly queer adults or see LGBTQ+ role models until college.

I think a lot about how much it would’ve changed my life to have been introduced to LGBTQ+ role models at a young age. If I’d seen someone in my hometown who was out, safe, and thriving. Maybe at school. Maybe at church. Maybe in a white coat at the local vet clinic.

That’s the power of visibility. It shows young people (and adults, too) that there’s a future for them—that they can be fully themselves and still belong.

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Pride Is a Call to Action

Celebrating Pride isn’t just about rainbows and representation. It’s a reminder that we still have work to do to create truly inclusive workplaces in veterinary medicine.

Here are a few small but meaningful ways clinics and organizations can show up:

• Update intake forms to include gender-neutral language and pronouns
  
• Offer pronoun pins or badges for staff
  
• Attend a DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) training
  
• Join or support groups like Pride VMC
  
• Speak up when you hear harmful language or jokes
  

Whether you’re a clinic owner, a new grad, or somewhere in between, you have the power to foster a more affirming environment—for clients, for colleagues, and for yourself.

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The Future Is Queer—and That’s a Good Thing

Veterinary medicine is evolving. We’re not just here to treat animals—we’re building workplaces that care for the people doing the treating. That means making space for LGBTQ+ voices, celebrating diverse identities, and creating systems where no one has to hide who they are in order to do the work they love.

Pride matters because our people matter.

And the more we make room for everyone in this profession, the better care we can give—to pets, to clients, and to each other.