when we say pride is a protest, we mean that we don't want to be killed in conversion camps anymore. we mean that we don't want the trans rights bill, the CAA or the NPR/NRC. we mean that queer people are arrested for dissent, deadnamed, harassed and silenced the nation over.

we mean a community that aided the state's violence against queer dissent needs to do better. we see a space that is safe only for a few and a pride that falls short for its own people. one, that alienates.

we mean that DBA queers exist, muslim queers exist, so do kashmiri and queers in the northeast and that we have ignored this for far too long. that we will include ALL these queers in our conversations and not stop till the last of us has nothing but celebration on our tongues.

fat queers, femme queers, skinny queers, closeted queers, queers that are fighting, queers that left us a fight to be fought, queers that are questioning, we're here for all of you. we mean that we're sick of you calling people "chakkas", "meetha", "faggots" in your content.

when we say pride is a protest, we mean that there simply cannot be any festivity till all of us have what we have been fighting for.

do not wish me happy pride if you haven't done your bit to talk about how queer lives are affected on the daily. do not wish me happy pride if you forget me and other queer people through the year and if we exist as your token trophies to aid your aesthetic.

do not wish me happy pride till you are with us fight as much as you are with us in what little celebration some of us afford ourselves.