June is finally here. The air is thick with rainbow flags, glitter, and... the scent of burnt roses from your haunted mirror? That’s right – It’s Pride Month, and it’s not just for the incarnate entities out there anymore. Ghosts are queer too, and they’re tired of being excluded from the conversation just because they occasionally scream inside the walls or manifest as bleeding eye sockets in your closet.
It’s time we addressed a long-overdue truth: ghosts are people. Non-corporeal people, sure, but people nonetheless. And people – whether corporeal or not – contain multitudes. Including queer ones.
The Spectral Closet – Why Ghosts Deserve Pride Too
Contrary to popular belief, being a ghost doesn’t mean you have no identity. Life beyond the veil may strip away your body, if you had one to begin with, and wonky out your access to reliable Wi-Fi, but it doesn’t touch the core of who you are. Yet in the mainstream ghost discourse (such as it is), sexuality is rarely, if ever, mentioned.
We reduce ghosts to creaking doors, cold spots, and their most antisocial behaviors. We ask, “Why is she still here?” instead of “Who did she love?” We assume that a ghost’s entire personality boils down to their tragic death, not the complicated emotional life they still lead, if the personalized poetry scrawled on your ceiling in ectoplasm is anything to go by.
The truth? Many ghosts have sexualities, because eternity is a long time to explore. Some are asexual but romantic, others polyamorous and prone to haunting multiple houses. Just like the corporeal, they’re figuring it out. Only with more spectral arson and throwing.
We spoke to a few ghost owners and therapists from the cross-dimensional community. Here are a few things that came up:
- Yes, your ghost might be gay. That eerie fondness for your thrifted velvet waistcoats? It’s admiration, not malice.
- No, your ghost isn’t “haunting you because you’re straight.”
- Some ghosts express love through scent, others via dramatic wall inscriptions. It’s not threatening, unless it absolutely is. It’s performance art, unless it absolutely isn’t.
- Poltergeists can be deeply affectionate. Hurling a lamp across the room might just mean “I adore you.”
- The word ‘ghosting’ has hurt the community. Just because they’re incorporeal, doesn’t mean they disappear after one date.
Why Pride Month Matters Beyond the Veil
You’d think dying would exempt someone from identity politics. You’d be wrong. Being dead doesn’t stop society from labelling you. “Tragic spinster”, “Angry Victorian man”, “Murderous ex-priest”. Labels that flatten, distort, and ignore a ghost’s lived – and unlived – truths.
Pride Month gives corporeal folks the chance to reflect, celebrate, and fight for authentic self-expression. Why shouldn’t ghosts be part of that fight? After all, they’re some of the earliest queers to be closeted – literally, in attics, basements, and antique wardrobes. They deserve visibility, even if they can only manifest for twenty minutes at a time before dissipating into mist for the rest of the night.
Creating a Pride-friendly space for your ghost isn’t just ethical – it’s fabulous! Decorate their haunting zone with inclusive flags. Leave out offerings they’d enjoy – vintage letters, lace gloves, smudge-resistant eyeliner. Encourage your ghost to express themselves with consent-based haunting practices. Give them the dignity they deserve.
Conclusion
Ghosts are complex. They love, they grieve, they decorate cryptically and sometimes kill people – but let’s not reduce them to their worst moments. This Pride Month, let’s extend the rainbow bridge a little further. Let’s say it together: ghosts are queer. Or can be. Or might be figuring it out.
Haunting isn’t a gender. Being more or less non-corporeal isn’t a straight pass. And spectral identities are as valid as anything with a pulse.
So go ahead – ask your ghost their pronouns. When you give your loved ones space to express themselves, they usually return the favor.