Rachel Griffin Accurso, the social media creator and teacher known as Ms. Rachel, is standing firm in her celebration of Pride Month amid public outcry from some conservative parents to boycott her. On Saturday, the preschool teacher-turned-YouTube star posted a 25-second video on the first day of Pride Month, which is celebrated annually in June to honor the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community.
Accurso appeared to have anticipated the backlash, as she noted the potential loss of anti-LGBTQ viewers in her Saturday video. She said that she is “not chasing fame or views” but rather “standing strong in love.” This vocal social media criticism led her to make a response video on Monday morning, in which she told viewers her faith is “really important” to her and is part of why she chooses to “love every neighbor,” citing one of the most alluded to Christian principles in the Bible.