My lovely people, how many of you see June as the Rainbow month? Every June, no matter where I am, I celebrate Pride Month with the queer community. For many, it’s the one time of year when the sun shines directly on them. It is a moment of visibility, joy, and freedom. In June I also hold in my heart those communities where Pride cannot be celebrated openly, where rainbow flags remain hidden, and where people dream of a day they can dance, speak their truth, and live without fear of persecution.
This June, I am fortunate to be in South Korea. Two years ago, I connected with local communities here, and returning now feels like being welcomed home. The celebrations are known as the “Seoul Queer Culture Festival”, but the spirit is the same: Pride.
For me, Pride month began with a vibrant show led by Korea’s pioneering drag artist, Hurricane Kimchi. Through music and performance, artists reminded us of the importance of being yourself and loving who you are. Though the official name is “Queer Culture Festival,” Kimchi joyfully declared, “Happy Pride!” A reminder that June is our rainbow month everywhere.
On Saturday, June 13, more than 50,000 people attended the Parade through Seoul. Flags waved, smiles shone, and energy filled the streets. I joined the march with my activist spirit alive, wearing a shirt that read “No Stigma” and sharing my messages on “U=U” and “PrEP Protects”. Advocacy for HIV prevention and stigma reduction must always be part of Pride, because knowing these truths means health and dignity.
I visited many festival booths where people could write down wishes to be prayed for or have pictures taken within human-sized photo frames with positive messages. My core message was simple as always: a world free of stigma, where people living with HIV can express themselves without fear. One message I saw read: “HIV+ You don’t need to give up on your dream.” That resonated deeply. Activism is about expressing yourself without fear and building dream trees together.
Not everything was joyful. Along the Pride route there were also religious protesters who held signs saying for example “Homosexuality go to hell” and “Kill all sinners”. As a religious person myself, I reject this distortion of faith. Jesus taught us to love our neighbours, without conditions of gender or race. To use God’s name to harm LGBTQIA+ people is the greatest lie. If God is displeased, let God act. Not humans who twist scripture into weapons.
I believe in God as the father of humanity, and I believe in Ubuntu: “I am because we are.” That’s why I continue to connect with communities needing support. On June 29, Korea marks “Sex Workers Day”, co-organized by groups like Scarlet Chacha and X Youth Sex Labor, and Solidarity Braza. Eric the Dragking is invited to perform, showing how dragtivism amplifies messages about HIV, AIDS, and to remind ourselves that Sex work is work. Let us continue our fight for dignity!
My final days in Korea will be spent with women living with HIV. Many face stigma in prenatal and postnatal care, and isolation prevents peer support. We are exploring ways to help support the building of digital peer networks and eventually peer counseling in hospitals. Strong, empowered women can transform healthcare systems from within.
My Pride message for this month is: To every queer person, when they pray for you, claiming you are “sick” because of who you are, know this – they are wasting their time. The only healing you need is self-love. Accept yourself, embrace yourself, and shine so brightly that your rainbow beauty blinds ignorance.
Happy Pride,
Peace,
Eliane
HIV stigmafighter 