In the United States, June is Pride Month. For the last 48 years, people have come together across the nation to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Riots, a key event of the Gay Liberation Movement, and to celebrate the LGBTQ community with parties, parades, concerts, symposiums, and more. This year, the Overwatch League is no exception -- the League itself, its component organizations, and its fan communities are showing their Pride all throughout June with events, merchandising, and advocacy.

Gaming and esports, for all of their wonderful qualities, are not known for LGBTQ tolerance and inclusion. In the League’s short lifespan, more than one Overwatch League player has been fined for use of homophobic slurs, and the League’s only openly gay competitor has been on the receiving end of harassment and death threats due to those very fines. This month, the Overwatch League is taking the opportunity to blatantly support and advocate on the behalf of the LBGTQ members of its community.

On June 9th, the League will be celebrating Pride Day with limited edition rainbow sweatbands, free to all Blizzard Arena attendees. Additionally, QWRTY Gamers and Gay Game Professionals, both activist organizations that support inclusion and diversity within the gaming and esports ecosystems, will be present.

The Overwatch League has also sponsored four Overwatch viewing parties that will be held in Seattle, Houston, New York City, and London, England. The events will be hosted by a variety of LGBTQ advocacy organizations, including Queer Geek! and London Gaymers, and will feature free swag and giveaways. Details on each event can be found here.

Fans of the New York Excelsior should keep an eye out for a Pride Party announcement from their official fan group, 5 Deadly Venoms, later this month. Although Gold Fruit Gaming is hosting a Blizzard-sponsored viewing party in New York City as well, said event is 21+ only; the Venoms will be offering their usual NYXL viewing party as an alternative for those who are underage.

Additionally, Guildhall Bar, an esports bar located in Burbank, California and favored by Overwatch League fans, will be hosting a (yet unannounced) Pride event later this month.

On June 1st, the Los Angeles Valiant announced their partnership with You Can Play. Per the organization’s mission statement, You Can Play “works to ensure the safety and inclusion of all in sports - including LGBTQ athletes, coaches and fans.” The activist group was founded in 2012 following the death of Brendan Burke, an openly gay college hockey player who advocated for LGBT rights, and since has partnered with a variety of professional sports organizations, most notably the National Hockey League (NHL).

The Valiant is You Can Play’s first foray into esports. Individuals who would like to support the cause can purchase a Valiant Pride Patch; a portion of all sales will be donated to You Can Play. Additionally, the Valiant is hosting its own Pride Party (21+) in Santa Monica, California on June 10th.

The Philadelphia Fusion, meanwhile, are selling special Pride t-shirts throughout the month. All proceeds will benefit the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a non-profit organization that champions individual rights and liberties primarily through lobbying and litigation. The ACLU has a long history of fighting for LGBTQ causes and has been particularly vocal in the last few years regarding transgender rights. Currently, only 19 U.S. states provide explicit employment protections for transgender people.

As of June 3rd, no other Overwatch League teams have announced partnerships with, nor merchandise sales in support of, LGBTQ organizations or causes. The San Francisco Shock and the Houston Outlaws, in addition to the Valiant and the Fusion, have changed their Twitter profile logos to pride colors. Notably, the Dallas Fuel have yet to acknowledge Pride Month despite two of their players (one former and one current) having previously been fined for use of homophobic language.

Hopefully, more teams will express their LGBTQ pride as the month wears on. For now, whether you prefer patches or t-shirts, Pride parties or a day at the Blizzard Arena, these are some of the ways you can show your pride with the Overwatch League.