17 Quotes — And Images — That Capture What Pride Means Today

Pride Month comes to a close this week, and we have to say, it's been a blast. But this time of the year isn't just about throwing the biggest, gayest, most rainbow-filled month-long shindig possible (though we certainly haven't stopped trying). The history that led us to Pride is about a struggle for visibility, an unwillingness to give up fighting for it, and an unbreakable sense of love and identity — all of which lasts far beyond the month of June.

In fact, ask a group of people from the LGBTQ community what the term "pride" means to them, and they'll each tell you something different. So that's what we did: asked R29 staffers who identify as LGBTQ to give us their perspectives on pride. Ahead, read what they said — and check out a few of the original images their words inspired us to create.