iHeart Radio Celebrates Pride Month

 The article below is written by iHeart, and normally I don't publish P.R. releases, but in this case, iHeart has a positive story to tell. Kudos to the organization. Pride Month, after all, is not a stunt or a festival or a parade. Pride Month honors the 1969 Stonewall riots, and works to achieve equal justice and equal opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) Americans. It's not just a celebration by the LGBTQ+ community. It is also, and should be, a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community.

Take it away, iHeart:

It’s officially Pride Month, and iHeart has no shortage of ways to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community this month and beyond. 

 Find the perfect soundtrack to your festivities with iHeart’s Pride-themed programming all month long: from Can’t Cancel Pride 2024 and the best in music on PRIDE Radio to iHeartPodcasts from your favorite LGBTQ+ creators and Pride parties hosted by local radio stations across the country. 

 Don’t miss our fifth annual “Can’t Cancel Pride'' event tomorrow, June 12 with performances from some of the most influential voices in the community and its allies, including Elton John Impact Award Recipient and host Billy Porter, Allison Russell, Ben Platt, David Archuleta, Meghan Trainor, Melissa Etheridge, Orville Peck, RAYE, Victoria Monét and more. The event provides much-needed visibility and funding for six LGBTQ+ organizations – CenterLink, GLAAD, National Black Justice Coalition, Outright International, The Trevor Project and SAGE –  to continue the transformative work they are accomplishing in support of the LGBTQ+ community.

 Fans can tune in to the one-hour benefit special, produced by iHeartMedia and P&G, on iHeartRadio’s YouTube and Facebook pages, Hulu and Revry tomorrow, June 12 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT and the special will also be available to stream throughout Pride Month.

 Plus, celebrate anywhere you are with iHeart’s Outspoken Podcast Network, featuring a lineup of shows that aim to amplify, elevate and reflect the diversity, richness and humanity of the voices throughout the LGBTQ+ community. 

 Go deep on the issues with intimate, truth-only conversations from “The Laverne Cox Show”; learn more about the untold stories of queer history on “But We Loved” through elders of the community; find out why “Because the Boss Belongs to Us” makes the case for Bruce Springsteen being recognized as a queer icon; and explore the world of queer sex, cruising, relationships, culture and more on “Sniffies' Cruising Confessions.” Plus so much more, find a full list of Outspoken shows here. 

 There also is fun happening in your community! iHeart’s hit radio stations across the country are participating in local Pride celebrations with on-air contests, fundraising efforts, street festivals, parades and much more. 

 Find a full list of iHeart’s Pride Month events here, and keep reading for some highlights and upcoming events from around the country:

 

• May 31 to June 2: PRIDE Radio Houston kicked off Pride Month by broadcasting live from Walt Disney World’s “One Magical Weekend” in Orlando, Florida. This multi-day event has been happening since the first Red Shirt Pride Day in 1991, with thousands of LGBTQ+ travelers making this weekend the start of their festivities every year. 
• May 31-June 2: iHeartMedia Washington, DC’s HOT 99.5 and PRIDE Radio presented the free Capital Pride Concert with Ava Max, Billy Porter and special guest Keke Palmer.
• June 8: PRIDE Radio supported the 5th annual FLoatarama Flotilla in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The Pride-On-Water event featuring over 30 private and commercial boats raises funds for the FLoatarama LGBTQ Youth Fund.
• June 8-9: Ricky Martin headlined L.A. Pride in the Park where iHeartMedia served as the official radio and media partner. PRIDE Radio and iHeart Los Angeles stations were also part of the L.A. Pride Parade.
• June 29-June 30: Billy Porter will serve as Celebrity Grand Marshall in the San Francisco Pride Parade and will perform at the City Hall Party supported by iHeartMedia San Francisco stations 106.1 KMEL, Wild 94.9, Star 101.3 and 103.7 80s+.
• June 30: iHeart is a presenting media sponsor of NYC Pride, the Pride March stepping off from 25th Street and 5th Avenue and PrideFest, the annual NYC LGBTQIA+ street fair with exhibitors, food and activities.
• June 30: iHeartRadio Seattle stations HITS 106.1 and 95.7 JET serve as media partners of Seattle Pride as they celebrate their 50th Pride Celebration this year. 

 Stay tuned to iHeartRadio all of June for even more Pride-themed content still to come. Happy Pride!