Your Type 1 Diabetes Guide to Pride Parades

June is Pride Month, which means it’s time for gathering, festivities, showing up as our authentic selves, supporting others as allies, celebrating how far the LGBTQIA+ movement has come and how far we have to go to achieve equal rights for all. 

But when you live with diabetes, Pride Month can also mean heat, humidity, crowds, limited food options, and yes, extra planning to make the day run smoothly—especially during all-day festivities and parades. 

Diabetes should not take up any more headspace in your life than it deserves, but it does require attention and extra planning for activities that aren’t part of your daily routine. Taking the right precautions as a person with diabetes during a pride parade can leave more space for you to celebrate safely, confidently and without worry.

We’ll outline the best strategies for taking care of yourself and your diabetes when attending a pride parade.

Start with a plan, but hold it loosely

Before you even leave home, take a few minutes to think through the day. Pride events typically mean a lot of walking, standing, dancing and being in the sun. That combination can mean a blood sugar rollercoaster and make your diabetes management more difficult to predict. 

• Make sure you pack extra supplies, like insulin, syringes, pump, and continuous glucose monitor (CGM) supplies, along with a backup meter and test strips.

In a perfect world, your tech will work perfectly. But diabetes loves to cause chaos, so it’s best to be prepared. 

Hydration is not optional

Hydration, especially with water, is crucial for people living with diabetes. Heat and dehydration can send blood sugars skyrocketing, increasing your risk of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Add in alcohol, sugary drinks, festival foods and sunshine, and you have a recipe for disaster. 

• Bring a reusable water bottle and refill it liberally throughout the day. If you’re sweating a lot, also consider bringing electrolyte drinks, such as sugar-free LMNT, low-sugar Gatorade or coconut water. 

Monitor your blood sugar often and treat lows without hesitation

Pride is not the time to ignore your lows. 

• Keep some extra low snacks, like juice and glucose tabs or gummies, and emergency glucagon in an easily-accessible place at all times. 

You might also try setting a mental threshold of where you’d like to keep your blood sugar for the day. For example, if you choose to normally treat a low once you hit 70 mg/dL at home, maybe you’ll want to treat lows once you hit 80 mg/dL during a long, hot pride parade. Many people prefer to keep their blood sugar levels a little higher than normal for safety when they’re active for longer periods of time than usual.

If you have questions or concerns, check with your healthcare provider first. 

If you’re with friends, let at least one person know the signs of low blood sugar and how to help you if needed. 

Protect yourself from the sun

Heat, sweat, sunscreen and movement can all be tough on devices, adhesives and your skin. 

• Consider using extra adhesive patches or tape to keep your sites extra secure for the parade, and always bring backup supplies if you have them. 
• Don’t forget about sun protection. Heat and sunburn can affect blood sugar levels and overall health, leaving you feeling lethargic and sick. Apply sunscreen regularly and wear sun-smart clothing: loose, light and covering most of your body.

Food is fuel, but also joy

Pride often means delicious food options: there are often food trucks, carts, snack stands and concessions at these events and eating during the event is part of the shared communal joy to experience. 

You can take advantage of these snacks by:

• Mixing carbs with protein and fat to help balance out the blood sugar impact. 
• If you don’t find anything that meets what you actually want to eat, it can be helpful to have healthier snacks packed on-hand, so you don’t have to go too many hours without eating. 

Having long stretches between snacks or meals can increase the likelihood of low blood sugar and can pause your fun. 

Most of all, give yourself grace, and do not aim for diabetes perfection during a parade. The day should be about fun, communal support and celebration, not blood sugar purity.

Listen to your body

There may be moments when you need to pause and attend to your blood sugar, or change a site—and that’s okay. There is strength in knowing your limits versus simply taking the time to make sure you can keep going. Listen to your body and what it will need throughout the day.

All too often, people with diabetes are told to be quiet, shrink and make their diabetes fit into the box that is an ableist world. We’re told that we need to accommodate systems and institutions that weren’t designed with us in mind. And Pride is all about rejecting those notions. 

You deserve to take up space, celebrate your identity, support and manage your diabetes and be in community—without apology. 

So bring your supplies, pack your water, treat your lows and protect your devices. Show up as your authentic self, connected to the people and purpose that matter most. 

Ready to advocate for yourself and others living with type 1 diabetes? Become a Beyond Type 1 ambassador!