Learning how to be proud of who I am didn’t happen overnight; in fact, I still have to work on it almost every day. But regardless of who you are, where you come from, and what your beliefs are, pride probably plays an important role in your life.
Pride can impact your life in little ways — such as when you take pride in never being late for work — or in much bigger ways — e.g., when you feel proud of your reputation for honesty and trustworthiness. Pride helps shape the way others perceive us and the way we see ourselves and present ourselves to the world. Pride plays a major role in the way our society operates.
There are countless ways of taking pride in one’s life. You can be proud of your family, career, home, education, or of anything else you value. But for those of us in the LGBT community, Pride takes on a special significance during the month of June.
Every year, June is celebrated as LGBT Pride Month, a time jam-packed with festivals, parades, educational events, and many other opportunities to engage with and learn about our community as a whole, all in commemoration of the month in which members of the LGBT community rebelled against the police at the Stonewall Inn in New York City, sparking a movement that continues to this day.
These original protestors — several of whom were queer individuals of color — took a stand against those who were trying to shame, oppose, and erase them, and helped to establish our strong and vocal community that takes pride in the fact that we are passionate and unique.
In the ensuing decades, we have faced challenges obtaining the rights, respect, and recognition we deserve from the wider community; and there have been issues within our own community as well. Race, body type, and even sexual orientation and gender identity can present difficulties and obstacles even within the LGBT community, but we can overcome those problems by openly discussing topics and being willing to learn from others.
As an openly bi man, I face a good deal of resistance from some people in the LGBT community. I’ve been told that I’m “just on a train to gay town” and told to go away and to “come back to Pride when you actually come out” by members of my own community. It’s never fun to encounter that mentality. On more than one occasion, such responses have made me upset or angry.
But I have gradually become more at peace with myself, more self-accepting, especially at Pride celebrations. I clearly remember my first Pride parade in New York City. I had come from a small Central Illinois town to spend a summer working as an intern in NYC. I was closeted and confused. I didn’t even understand what bisexuality was — let alone know anyone I could talk to about it in more depth.
On the morning of the parade, I woke up to a fanfare outside my dorm window. When I looked out, I was astonished at what I saw. Thousands of people lined the streets, cheering and celebrating as hundreds of marchers strode proudly along in their best finery. At that moment, I felt a sense of community that I had been lacking for most of my life. I felt inspired and happy — and hopeful that one day I could be one of those people proudly marching along, celebrating Pride Month for all the world to see.
It wasn’t until some time after that that I finally came out and found self-acceptance and pride in myself, but the events of that day set the wheels in motion. Seeing a beautiful drag queen strut down Fifth avenue in stilettos, watching a mother hold her trans child’s hand, as both of them sported wide smiles — those and countless other moments inspired me to not only join this community but to fight for our right to be seen, heard, and accepted.
Today, I am a proud openly bi man; that’s not all I am, but accepting this part of myself has led me to feel more confidence and pride in other aspects of my life, too. Since I came out, I’ve been told time and time again that I seem happier and more self-assured. That change can be traced back to that first Pride parade all those years ago.
Pride is very important to the LGBT community because so many of us have not always felt accepted, respected, or loved for who we are. If we spend this month supporting each other and respecting members of every group within the LGBT community, we will be doing those who set this movement in motion all those years ago at the Stonewall Inn proud.
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