Pride Month makes little difference for those struggling behind bars

Some years ago a member of our staff added these words to our June newsletter: “Happy Pride Month!” 

Response was immediate, and not always positive. One person, whom I know to be a devout Christian, chose to stop her monthly support contribution. She and I differ in the way we interpret the word “evangelical.” 

Well, here we are in the month of June, once again, and that incident and those memories don’t make me angry, don’t make me proud…they make me sad. 

When I started this organization 24 years ago, there was no intention to favor one group, one race, one religion, one anything. Our mission was simple: Help those who need help! 

During Pride Month 2025 it’s appropriate that we focus on those prisoners who really need our attention as they struggle with sexual identity issues. 

-Lesbian, gay, and bisexual people are more than twice as likely to be arrested as straight people — and lesbian and bisexual women, specifically, are more than four times as likely to be arrested as straight women. 

-One in six transgender people have been incarcerated at some point, 

-85% of LGBTQ incarcerated people have been put in solitary confinement.

---Prison Policy Initiative 

One cannot imagine the problems these individuals face in the prison setting. And, let’s face it, many of these individuals had their struggles before getting locked up. 

Their family:  LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly LGBTQ+ youth, can experience family rejection due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. This rejection can manifest in various ways, including verbal abuse, physical harm, estrangement, and denial of support. 

Their church: Evangelical churches have diverse stances on LGBTQ+ issues, ranging from strict opposition to full inclusion and affirmation. Many evangelical churches have adopted a "welcoming but not affirming" approach, allowing LGBTQ+ individuals to participate in church life but not ordaining them or celebrating same-sex unions. 

Their government: Donald Trump’s administration initiated a sustained, years-long effort to erase protections for LGBTQ people. This included an effort to “define ‘transgender’ out of existence,” erode protections for transgender students and workers, and weaken access to gender-affirming health care that most transgender people already struggled to access. 

One of my favorite passages in the Bible reminds me that God did not make a mistake in creating LGBTQ people. “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” (Psalm 139:13-14).  Sexual identity and gender identity are components of a person’s personality, it seems to me, and as such are part of who God made each of us to be. 

For Pride Month? Against Pride Month? May that day come when we take pride in how we show compassion to all who are created in the image of God. 

Regardless as to how they’ve been treated by family, the church, the government, the prison system, the HFP team will keep right on doing our best to help all who struggle with issues behind bars, because all prisoners and their loved ones deserve to be treated with humanity, kindness and dignity---without exception!