Like most outdoor summer gatherings Pride parades and festivals are an excellent time for those of us with ink to show it off and for anyone who likes admiring tattoo art to see everything from small Chinese characters to intricate full body designs on people of all types and ages.

At various Pride events I've already attended this year, I noticed many more people than ever before sporting some type of Pride symbol tattoo.

While I don't remember seeing any more than one rainbow triangle on a guy's left butt-cheek and a couple of double male symbols in previous years (both of which inspired me to get my now year-old stylised rainbow triangle on my left bicep), recently I've spotted not only a greater number of Pride markings but also a much greater variety.

I also spotted a few people with tattoos of their zodiac sign that were stylised with rainbow colouring. I found this to be a nice blend of a meaningful personal symbol and gay Pride in a single tattoo. For the same reason, and being a yoga student, I liked the look of the one woman who had a rainbow "om" symbol tattooed on the nape of her neck.

Probably the most creative and impressive example of Pride ink that I have seen belongs to a friend of a friend. She was sporting a very detailed new tattoo on her left shoulder of a naked and anatomically correct female angel with rainbow coloured wings.

From teeny tiny rainbows on your wrist, to multi-coloured beams that stretch across your whole arm, these are the rainbow tattoo ideas and designs you need to show your Pride all year round. Because love is love.

Pride Month is a time to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community, affirm our identities, reflect on the inequalities of the past and present, and take meaningful action to create change. In 2024, everyone deserves to bring their authentic self to work, regardless of their sexual orientation.

To help get you started, here are a few empowering songs to include on your Pride Month Playlist:

📀 I’m Coming Out by Diana Ross
💿 Honey by Kehlani
📀 Good As Hell by Lizzo
💿 Montero (Call Me By Your Name) by Lil Nas X
📀 True Colors by Cyndi Lauper
💿 Vogue by Madonna

As someone who is proud to have a Pride tattoo myself, I find it to be an incredible way to express comfort and joy and (of course) Pride in my sexuality and community. For me, contemplating the tattoo made me realise that I had truly found my way past any shame associated with being gay. It was one of the most liberating experiences of my life.

Every tattoo should be a personal expression and combining a rainbow theme with some other personal symbol can make a Pride tattoo even more special to you as well as interesting to others. It serves as a way of expressing who you are in addition to being gay, a way of combining your sexuality with other unique characteristics of who you are as a person.

For those of you who aren't sure there's always the possibility of getting yourself a temporary tattoo - and whilst those tend to be more-mass market than deeply personal they do allow you to enter into the spirit of things, albeit briefly. There are many outlets nowadays that sell them.

But remember, the regular tattoos are permanent, so if you are thinking about one, be it a Pride or other symbol, take care in choosing one that is right for you and follow your artist's instruction on caring for it. Have a long hard think about it and make sure your tattoo is just right for you.

Pride Month is a time for the LGBTQIA+ community and allies to come together in celebration, solidarity, activism, reflection, and support of all LGBTQIA+ people which ever part of community you relate to - Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual or Agender, or someone else who fits in more with the plus.