Celebrating Pride Month in Rural New Hampshire: a How-To Guide
By Emma Van Ness, PhD, LCMHC
Note: This post uses the term “queer” as a blanket term for all people under the LGBTQ umbrella, the “Q” in LGBTQ.
As a therapist who identifies as and works with LGBTQ+ individuals, I often encounter the dilemma of loneliness that happens with us rural queers; we frequently feel both protected and alienated by our natural surroundings and small communities, relatively safe but also out of step in some way, like we stick out but also add color and vibrancy to what can be a fairly monotone landscape. This can be particularly true in June, when the Pride Flag goes up on the Plymouth Common but otherwise, life continues as is. There is no riotous community taking up space, no local pride events, just rainbow text on the headers of our favorite corporate overlords’ websites. How truly… alienating…
This is a reminder that Pride began as a riot 1 . The Stonewall Inn, locus of the 1969 Stonewall Riots, sparked the Gay Rights Movement, and there is no better time than the present to lean into that collective energy than now. So saddle up, queers! It is time to make Pride Month one you will remember. Here are a few ways to make Pride a celebration of LGBTQ+ identities in concrete ways beyond the pink-washing of corporate logos.
SUPPORT LGBTQ-OWNED BUSINESSES:
The Live Free or Die State has many businesses that are owned by and serve as hubs for LGBTQ life; it is true that many are found in urban centers of the state, such as Manchester, Concord, and Dover but there are several in Plymouth, Littleton, and North Conway. Teatotaller in Concord is a wonderful, and colorful, coffee shop on Main St. Both the Concord location and its sister location in Dover are owned by Emmett Soldati, an active voice in the LGBTQ Community and local politics. Penumbra in Concord offers “make your own” classes and advice for those of us who have houseplants and aspire to have green thumbs. Slim Pickin’s in Littleton is an LGBTQ-owned dive bar with karaoke and theme night. And in Plymouth, Turnage Barber Shop is a gender-affirming space offering wonderful cuts across the spectrum of gender presentations. This is just a sampling of LGBTQ businesses in the state! If you’d like to put your money where your mouth is during Pride Month, download the “Everywhere is Queer” app to see a map of LGBTQ businesses across the state. There are more than you might expect so no need to feel pigeonholed to go to that same coffee shop or corporate big box store you’ve been going to; branch out and try something new!
SUPPORT YOUR COMMUNITY WITH ADVOCACY
This is also why there is no “Straight Pride,” because heterosexual sex has never been criminalized and persecuted to the extent that gay sex and relationships have. Pride is about visibility and being seen, about taking up space because as the AIDS epidemic proved to us, “Silence = Death.”
At a time when our community is under attack, it is more important than ever to show support for each other. Volunteer with a crisis hotline, donate clothes or organize a swap with your friends, or use the 5 Calls app to engage in political advocacy. There are several local organizations you can reach out to or support that are already in this fight so you don’t have to do it by yourself. Each of these organizations is well-established so give what you can, whether that be donating money, time, or spreading the word, getting involved and getting your friends involved is what Pride is all about.
ACLU New Hampshire https://www.aclu-nh.org/en
603 Equality https://603equality.org/
NH Outright https://nhcje.org/blog/new-hampshire-outright-supporting-lgbtq-youth-
through-community-and-advocacy
GLAD Law NH https://www.gladlaw.org/locations/new-hampshire/
New Hampshire Woman’s Foundation https://nhwomensfoundation.org/
Kent Street Coalition https://kentstreetcoalition.org/
Planned Parenthood Action https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/
Indivisible Plymouth NH https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/788052/
Equality Health Center https://equalityhc.org/
Gibson’s Bookstore https://gibsonsbookstore.com/
If we have learned anything since Stonewall, it is that when we stand together, we are more powerful than we are alone. Working together for a shared cause is not only good
for your soul; it is a way of stepping into your power.
ATTEND A PRIDE EVENT
While it may mean a bit of a drive, there are Pride Events happening all over the Granite State. Our friends at Planned Parenthood New Hampshire have put together a
comprehensive list of pride events here: https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/planned-parenthood-new-hampshire-action-fund/blog/2025-ppnhaf-pride-guide
There is at least one Pride-related event every weekend so get out there! Pink Pony Club it up, friends! It is wonderful to be surrounded by friends and community and Pride
events are SO fun; do yourself a favor and lean into these opportunities to experience queer joy!
