UCSD - University of California - San Diego

06/25/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/25/2026 09:21

What’s Bringing Us Joy This Pride Month

Published Date

June 25, 2026

Article Content

Joy doesn't always arrive in grand gestures. Sometimes it shows up in the pages of a favorite book, during a walk with a podcast, in a television show shared with a partner or in a song that says exactly what you're feeling.

In celebration of Pride Month, UC San Diego Today asked students, staff, faculty and alumni from across the LGBTQ+ community to share what's bringing them joy right now. Their recommendations span graphic novels, science fiction, podcasts, pop music, television and film, but many return to the same themes: connection, representation or the simple pleasure of seeing LGBTQ+ lives reflected with warmth, humor and possibility.

Together, these reflections offer a glimpse into the many ways Tritons find belonging - with stories, with one another and with the communities that help make UC San Diego a place where people show up as their full selves.

Sean Kenmore, MD (He/Him)

Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, UC San Diego School of Medicine; Chief of Hospital Medicine, VA San Diego

Kenmore co-directs MED 442: LGBTQ Health Care, a course in UC San Diego's School of Medicine. He also co-founded RainbowMed+, a community for LGBTQ+ health care providers and allies at UC San Diego Health that is open to all.

What's bringing him joy this Pride Month: "The Boyfriend" (Netflix)

"It's a show about intimacy and friendship. Even though it's a dating show, the people feel real, and the issues they work through and experience are very relatable. It's a very wholesome show, and it makes me feel good. Many shows - including some I've enjoyed - focus on the traumas and tragedies of our experiences. 'The Boyfriend' doesn't, and I'm happy when I watch it."

Shannon Barber (She/Her)

Program Specialist, Student Veterans Resource Center

The Student Veterans Resource Center (SVRC) provides a space for all students - with a focus on those who are military-connected - to access peer mentoring, group study sessions, information, workshops and more.

What's bringing her joy this Pride Month: "The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich" by Deya Muniz

"This graphic novel sits at the intersection of fantasy and romance, using a whimsical tone to tell a queer story that feels joyful and affirming. I grew up not seeing many queer narratives like this, especially ones that center on happiness rather than tension, so encountering this kind of story now feels genuinely refreshing. Reading it also reminded me how much I enjoy the graphic novel format. The visual storytelling is dynamic and really shows how much authors and illustrators can do with the medium."

Lianna Lim '27 (She/Her)

Computer science major in Seventh College; Triton Transfer Hub Peer Coach

As vice president of the Sapphic Club student organization, which is open to all students, Lim helps foster friendship, mentorship and community among sapphic students and allies through social events and programming that promote belonging on campus.

What's bringing her joy this Pride Month: "Love Design," a Thai drama series

"My girlfriend recommended this show before we started dating, and we bonded over it. Sometimes I like rewatching old clips as a reminder of how much has changed since then. Plus, it's just a beautiful, wholesome and funny story."

Erica Kirk '13 (They/Them)

Assistant Dean of Academic Advising, Eighth College; Muir College alum (Cognitive Science)

Kirk is a LEAD Fellow, a leadership development program that advances education and builds capacity for organizational transformation and a more inclusive campus.

What's bringing them joy this Pride Month: Dropout.tv (especially "Dimension 20" and "Game Changer")

"In 2020, I started exploring tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons to cope with the loneliness and disconnection I felt during the pandemic. I was drawn to the authentic storytelling that could happen in an entirely made-up world.

As someone who is non-binary, being myself can often be effortful, and D&D felt like a place where that effort was minimized. One of the first tabletop role-playing shows I found was 'Dimension 20' on Dropout.tv. The cast rotates each season, and sometimes the players are famous drag queens. But no matter the season, what keeps me coming back is the authentic joy a group of comedians finds in coming together to play a game where anyone can be anything."

Nate Wilbanks '18 (He/Him)

Associate Director of Development, School of Social Sciences; Eleanor Roosevelt College alumnus (International Studies-International Business)

Wilbanks is the founding chair of the Pride Alumni Council, a volunteer-led affinity group that any Triton alumni can participate in. It brings current and former Tritons together to celebrate and support UC San Diego's vibrant LGBTQ+ community.

What's bringing him joy this Pride Month: "The Locked Tomb" series by Tamsyn Muir

"What better pitch for a queer sci-fi/fantasy series is there than 'lesbian necromancers in space'? Beginning with 'Gideon the Ninth,' lesbian author Tamsyn Muir's debut novel, 'The Locked Tomb' blends gothic horror and science fiction to great effect. Add in a hefty dose of simultaneously hilarious, evocative and stomach-churning prose - and a dash of everyone's favorite: gay yearning - and you get an undeniably joy-inducing series for fans of world-building, magic systems, alien invasions, witticisms and sapphic romance. And for those who dabble in audiobooks, narrator Moira Quirk's voice acting elevates the author's clever characterizations to a whole new level."

Kristen Lam '14 (She/Her)

Associate Director of Logistics at UC San Diego; Revelle College alumna (General Biology and Psychology)

Kristen serves as chair of the Pride Staff Association, a community-centered employee group that welcomes all UC San Diego staff to help foster connection, support and belonging for LGBTQ+ staff and allies across campus.

What's bringing her joy this Pride Month: The music of Renee Rapp

"What can bring you more joy than an unapologetically authentic lesbian pop culture icon? In today's chaotic world, sometimes we need a little bit of Renee Rapp's wildly chaotic personality on our side. As someone who uses lyrics to connect with and process emotions, Renee's music is perfect for when I'm feeling over it, deeply emotional or straight-up sassy. And if that can't get you through the day, I don't know what will. So really, can a gay girl get an amen?"

Elizabeth Vazquez (She/Her/Ella)

Research and Involvement Coordinator, Triton Transfer Hub

The Triton Transfer Hub helps our transfer students navigate UC San Diego's academic landscape through resources, programs and community-building opportunities.

What's bringing her joy this Pride Month: "Heated Rivalry" (TV series)

"Not only has 'Heated Rivalry' itself brought me joy, but so has the response from viewers. The adoration and positive reactions to the complicated love story between two hockey players have sparked emotional responses from me and so many others online.

For me, the coming-out scenes really tug at my heartstrings. Coming out can be awkward and uncomfortable, and for some people, it can be unsafe. It brings me joy to be able to say that I've experienced coming out in different stages of my life, and seeing those moments reflected on screen still moves me."

Tay McCavanagh, PsyD (They/Them)

Gender Affirming Care Coordinator, STRIDE

McCavanagh serves on the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Issues, which advises campus leadership on issues affecting LGBTQ+ community members.

What's bringing them joy this Pride Month: Podcasts

"Over the last couple of months, I've been spending more time outdoors taking long walks with my puppy. During these walks, I've naturally gravitated toward listening to podcasts. Whether I'm listening to 'Good Hang' with Amy Poehler, 'TransLash Podcast' with Imara Jones or a medley of 'neuro-spicy' podcasts, I find myself feeling more present and reflective. Being outside in the sun, moving my body and listening along has become a simple source of joy in my routine."

Miles Martin (He/Him)

Senior Communications and Media Relations Manager, UC San Diego Health Sciences

Miles helps share stories about research, patient care and innovation across UC San Diego Health Sciences.

What's bringing him joy this Pride Month: "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar"

"This film is a powerful - and riotously funny - reminder of how far we've come and how far we still have to go in accepting drag in mainstream culture. Despite being a popular movie of the 1990s and starring three straight men, the film centers gay culture and makes drag queens the heroes of the story. It does so in ways that take advantage of their differences rather than ridiculing them. It's easy to laugh at its somewhat clunky representation while we're on the 18th season of 'RuPaul's Drag Race,' but I would argue that this film was groundbreaking for its time, and it will always bring me joy for that reason."

Charlotte Shih '28 (She/He/They)

Ecology, behavior and evolution and literary arts major in Muir College

Shih serves as social chair of Out in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (oSTEM), a student organization that supports the personal and professional development of all students with a focus on LGBTQ+ students. They also serve as a Bayard Rustin intern for education and activism with the LGBT Resource Center.

What's bringing them joy this Pride Month: "This Is How You Lose the Time War" by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

"I really like sci-fi, so being able to see LGBTQ+ representation in a genre I've always enjoyed has been heartening for me. I've also been running a book club on it, which has been a great way to connect with members of the community and talk about literature in a way that's important to me. Sci-fi is the happy intersection between my two majors, so I've loved reading and thinking about this book."

UCSD - University of California - San Diego published this content on June 25, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on June 25, 2026 at 15:21 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]