The rainbow is still waving in our hearts. The sparkle in our Pride is stronger than ever. And the urge to hop a flight to Fire Island, Palm Springs, or Provincetown for some sweet summer queer energy? Oh honey, it’s real.

But this Pride season, Canadian LGBTQ+ travelers are making a different choice.

We’re not going.

We’re skipping U.S. Pride events and vacations—not because we don’t love them, and not because we don’t love our American friends. We do. We really do.

But this year, we’re choosing our flag over your float. This isn’t a boycott of you. It’s an act of patriotic love—for our sovereignty, for our economy, and for our communities.

A New Kind of Pride: Political and Patriotic

Pride has always been about protest. This year, for Canadians, that protest is showing up in the form of passport restraint.

Across the country, Canadian LGBTQ+ travelers are skipping trips south of the border in response to the ongoing economic tensions with the United States. Sparked by the Trump administration’s re-imposed tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminum, lumber, and agriculture—and inflamed by a refusal to return to a fair trade negotiation—Canadians are pushing back where it counts: their wallets.

We’ve banned U.S. spirits, beer, and wine from many shelves. We’re avoiding American-made groceries. And increasingly, we’re choosing to spend our pink dollars at home.

This isn’t a dramatic boycott. It’s a firm boundary.

And for queer travelers, that includes giving up our favorite American Pride trips—no matter how iconic, how sun-drenched, or how glitter-filled they may be.

Canadian Travel to the U.S. Is Down

Canadians are staying home. That’s not a theory—it’s in the numbers.

According to Statistics Canada, the number of Canadian residents traveling to the United States has dropped sharply over the past year. Compared to pre-trade dispute levels, cross-border travel is down significantly, with monthly trips falling by over 20% in some regions.

Border crossings by car are noticeably quieter. Airport terminals feel less Canadian. And travel agencies on both sides of the border have started to feel the pinch.

U.S. tourism boards, particularly in cities with large Pride festivals like New York City, San Francisco, and Chicago, have launched marketing campaigns targeted specifically at Canadian tourists. Despite their best efforts, many Canadians aren’t biting.

The love is there. The timing isn’t.

Pride Isn’t Canceled—It’s Just Canadian This Year

Let’s get one thing straight (well, not too straight): Canadians are still celebrating Pride. And it’s fierce up here.

From Toronto Pride (one of the largest in the world) to the charming, inclusive vibes of Tofino Pride on Vancouver Island, Canadians have more options than ever to express queer joy on home turf.

We’re planning gaycations in Montreal, beach getaways in Nova Scotia, and bear weekends in British Columbia. LGBTQ+ travel in Canada is booming as locals look inward, embracing homegrown destinations and experiences instead of boarding planes for U.S. party towns.

It’s not a downgrade—it’s a declaration.

Canadians are proving that we can have world-class Pride right here, on our own terms, with our own dollars, and in our own communities.

This Isn’t About You

Let’s be very clear, America: this isn’t about you. It’s about us.

We adore your queer culture. We’ve danced in your streets. We’ve screamed our lungs out at your drag brunches and clutched our pearls in your leather bars. We’ve lined up for rooftop Pride parties and strutted down Santa Monica Boulevard.

But we are Canadians first. And when our sovereignty is challenged—when unfair tariffs are imposed, when our economic interests are sidelined—we respond with resilience.

This decision isn’t rooted in animosity. It’s rooted in love. Love for our country, our identity, and our place in the world.

So please, don’t take it personally. We’re not ghosting you. We’re just holding the line.

Mark Carney Will Bring Us Back

There is a path forward.

When a new trade deal—fair, reasonable, and respectful—is negotiated between Canada and the United States, our community will be the first to celebrate.

Many Canadians believe that Mark Carney, the former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor, is the right person to negotiate such a deal. His calm demeanor, economic expertise, and global reputation make him an ideal candidate to restore balance and fairness in Canada-U.S. relations.

When that happens, the rainbow wave of Canadian queer travelers will return to America. We’ll be back in your bars, your beaches, and your boudoirs. But only when our economic dignity is restored.

Meanwhile, Come to Us

Just because we’re not coming to you doesn’t mean the party’s off.

In fact, we’re inviting you to visit us.

Now is the perfect time for Americans to experience Canadian Pride. Your dollar has strong buying power here. Travel is easy. No visa required. And our events? Baby, they’re fabulous.

Plan your trip to some of the many Canadian Pride events happening across the true north, strong, and free, including:

• Toronto Pride: www.pridetoronto.com
• Vancouver Pride: www.vancouverpride.ca
• Fierté Montréal: www.fiertemontreal.com
• Thunder Pride: www.thunderpride.ca

We’ve got culture, natural beauty, and community spirit—and you’re welcome to be part of it.

Let’s keep the queer connection alive, just north of the border.

Canadian Queers Are Getting Loud

This Pride season, Canadian LGBTQ+ travelers are using their voices and actions to demand fairness, justice, and recognition on the world stage.

On social media, TikToks and Instagram Reels show Canadians proudly reading labels in grocery aisles, skipping American wine, and sharing their reasons for traveling domestically. One viral TikTok with over 300,000 views showed a gay couple canceling their Palm Springs trip in favor of a staycation in the Laurentians, tagging it with #PrideWithPurpose and #BoycottWithLove.

Across Reddit and Facebook groups, queer Canadians are sharing lists of Canadian-owned alternatives to U.S. brands. One Ottawa drag performer even created a parody version of “Born in the U.S.A.” titled “Banned in the U.S.A.” and performed it at a Pride fundraiser for a Canadian LGBTQ youth shelter.

We’re not being petty. We’re being proud.

This Moment Is Bigger Than Pride

This isn’t just about one parade or one party weekend. It’s about what it means to be Canadian in a time of economic imbalance.

For queer Canadians, this moment has become an opportunity to turn patriotism into activism. To see travel not just as escapism—but as an expression of values.

We can’t cheer for sovereignty while sipping margaritas in Miami. We can’t demand fair trade while swiping our credit cards at Target. We can’t protest tariffs with rainbow placards and then book flights to Boston.

It’s a contradiction we’re no longer willing to live with.

We’re choosing a different kind of Pride this year. One that’s quieter but more powerful. One rooted in home.

American Friends: Please Understand

We get it. It’s hard to feel like the breakup wasn’t your fault.

But this isn’t a breakup. It’s a pause.

This is about us standing up for our country—not turning our backs on you. We’re still here, still queer, and still in solidarity with you on all the issues that matter—from trans rights to reproductive justice to fighting the rise of far-right extremism.

We’re watching. We’re supporting. We’re cheering from afar.

And we’ll be back—when the time is right.

Until Then, Keep the Maple Leaf Waving

If you spot a Canadian flag waving proudly in your gayborhood—like the one flying high in San Francisco’s Castro district next to the Progress and Trans flags—know that our hearts are still with you. We’re not gone. We’re just grounded.

When you see a Canadian Pride account resharing your event poster, know it’s not performative. It’s painful to miss out. We want to be there. We want to celebrate with you.

But right now, our place is at home.

Let’s keep showing up for each other in the ways that matter most. Let’s continue to share queer culture, lift each other up, and hold space for international queer solidarity—even when our passports stay tucked in the drawer.

We’ll Be Back—Give It Time

This Pride season, Canadians are drawing a line. Not in the sand—but in the spirit.

We’re holding off on visiting the U.S.—even when we want to—because now isn’t the time for indulgence. It’s time for intention.

To our American friends, we say: we love you. But we’re not coming.

Not yet.

We’ll be back when a fair deal is on the table, when Canadian sovereignty is respected, and when our travel dollars can once again feel like a celebration instead of a contradiction.

Until then, come north. Come to our Pride. Share in our resilience. And know that every maple leaf you see flying high is a reminder that love, like protest, knows no borders.