Looking Back on Pride Month in Irvine 🌈

As June draws to a close, we look back on a vibrant and meaningful Pride Month in Irvine—a time when our community came together to celebrate visibility, honor legacy, and reaffirm our commitment to inclusion.

On May 22, in conjunction with Harvey Milk Day, the City of Irvine hosted its fourth annual Pride in Irvine celebration at the Civic Center Piazza. Residents and visitors gathered as the Progress Flag was raised in front of City Hall—a powerful symbol of solidarity that remained proudly displayed through June 30. The free, family-friendly event featured booths from local LGBTQIA+ groups, refreshments, and educational activities, fostering connection, awareness, and celebration for all.

Did you know the City celebrated its third consecutive perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s 2024 Municipal Equality Index—hitting 100 points plus 15 bonus points for outstanding LGBTQ+ inclusivity in city policies, services, and leadership? These bonus points acknowledged Irvine’s leadership in areas like all-gender facilities, conversion therapy protections, domestic partner benefits, and resources for transgender residents and those living with HIV/AIDS.

Our Irvine City Council has been instrumental in driving this progress. From endorsing the annual Pride flag raising to upholding our values through perfect MEI ratings, Council members have shown unwavering support for the LGBTQIA+ community. We are proud of their leadership in ensuring that Irvine remains a place where everyone belongs, is respected, and has the opportunity to thrive.

Pride Month is more than a celebration—it’s a reflection of shared purpose and aspiration. By visibly uplifting queer voices and recognizing the historical struggles that built our freedoms, Irvine strengthens our social fabric. These collective moments nurture empathy, build bridges across differences, and affirm that inclusion isn’t just a policy—it’s at the heart of who we are as a city.

As Irvine residents for many years, we remember past darker days when the city and the council were not united, and had a Mayor that promoted her policies of hate and division. Christina Shea was the architect of Measure N that for many years prohibited the city from recognizing sexual orientation as a fundamental human right until it was rightfully overturned once we got Shea booted out of office. No matter what side of the political spectrum you gravitate toward, we should all agree that there’s no place for Shea’s hatred in Irvine. It’s time to move forward, for all residents, and not back into the past.

As we transition into July, let’s carry the spirit of Pride forward:

-Stay engaged with We Are Irvine and DEI spotlights that highlight LGBTQIA+ observances throughout the year.

-Encourage friends, family, and co-workers to participate in city events or volunteer with local LGBTQIA+ organizations.

-Support policies that advance inclusion in all facets of city life—from workplace protections to supportive programming and public celebrations.

Pride Month 2025 reaffirmed Irvine as a beacon of diversity and acceptance. Through intentional symbols like the Progress Flag, robust civic policies, and compassionate leadership, we showed up for one another—and demonstrated to the world that inclusion isn’t optional, it’s who we are.

A heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make this Pride Month resonate so strongly—especially our City Council. Your commitment helps shape a community where each of us can stand tall, celebrated for exactly who we are.

Here’s to continued progress, togetherness, and pride in Irvine.