The Power of Support During Pride Month and Beyond

By Blaize Stewart

June 30, 2020

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Photo credit: Bigstock/teksomolika

There’s one constant in Pride celebrations for me: I always celebrate with my family. Since I moved to Chicago several years ago, my family has made it a priority to take time out of their busy lives to make the four-hour trip up from my hometown in central Illinois to join in the Pride festivities with my friends and me. We all wear custom-made shirts. It’s an exciting event that we look forward to every year, and it means much more to me than simply sharing a fun weekend together, clad in rainbow attire.

My family’s participation in Pride shows that they support me and not only accept me, but want to celebrate this aspect of who I am. It shows me that, no matter what, they have my back and will be there as I live my best bi life.

Blaize laying on top of his family who is carrying him, wearing custom t shirts
Blaize and his family

This became even more apparent to me during the pandemic, when my parents agreed to host a small Pride celebration in their backyard, after the city of Chicago responsibly canceled that year’s Pride celebration. Of course, the event was nowhere near the scale of Chicago Pride: we had only a handful of rainbow flags, some banners and posters, a grill full of burgers and hotdogs, and a few backyard games to keep the small group of attendees entertained. But while it may have appeared simple, from my perspective it was the best Pride celebration I've ever attended.

Celebrating with the small group of friends and family who have never once wavered in their support of me was a profound experience that I will never forget. In my hometown, you don’t see many rainbow flags or LGBT events — but there we were, surrounded by rainbows, laughs, and support for the entire day. At the time, I had been struggling to retain a positive outlook and find the motivation to keep pushing onward in the challenging world of LGBT advocacy. That celebration reignited my drive to keep at it, because it taught me that I have a strong support system behind me and people who will help me regardless of how difficult the road may be.

It’s through their support that I am able to be vocal, visible, and persistent in calling for positive change, both within the LGBT community and in society as a whole. My family may not always understand where I am coming from as a bi man; how could they, as straight individuals? But they are always willing to listen, learn, and ask the right questions in order to be the best allies they can.

Without this support, I would not be the person I am today, either personally or professionally. When I came out, I went from an unhappy, unmotivated man to someone bursting with passion and drive, and that change was largely driven by the support of those closest to me. It’s a gift that I can never repay, but it motivates me to keep pushing for change so that every LGBT individual gets the support and love they deserve and need to thrive.

I also recognize this unwavering support as an incredible privilege. It motivates me to be outspoken and to challenge everything that needs to be challenged — especially since not everyone has the privilege to do so. My family’s support has had a ripple effect, an impact that reaches well beyond me alone.

I am eternally grateful to have this unwavering support system and I will never take it for granted. I look forward to spending as many amazing Pride celebrations with my family as I can.

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