Summertime is a swell time to be gay. The shorts are short, the days are long, and Pride Festivals pop up in every major city center.

I love the magical 48-hour bubble that is “Pride.” For one weekend, the queers come out to play. The straights get a little bent. Even semi-conservative politicians shake hands with gay babies and kiss old ladies.

But what about the rest of the year? The non-Pride part? Where does the celebratory spirit go? And more importantly — how do we (by which I mean LGBT citizens and allies) stay vocal and visible?

Here’s how I show my pride the other 363 days of the year:

♥ Supporting + promoting LGBT entrepreneurs via Twitter, my blog and networking groups like StartOut.

♥ Busting stereotypes about what a lesbian “should” look like. Hello, neon sequins!

♥ Holding my girlfriend’s hand, whether we’re at an upscale gay bar, a tractor parade, or shopping at an outlet mall in rural Minnesota.

♥ Patronizing local businesses with outspoken commitments + ties to the LGBT community.

♥ Partnering with innovative LGBT-focused social media outlets, like Unicorn Booty.

♥ Taking care of my physical, financial and emotional health, so I can lead by example.

♥ Blasting RuPaul’s albums from my sassy VW beetle convertible, wherever I be rollin’!

So, those are my ideas — I reckon my readers have a few more. Please let your freak flag fly in the comments!

(Image via Autostraddle)