What we can all learn from LGBTQ Pride
“The first thing that comes to mind when I think of pride is the ability to freely and safely express oneself. For me personally it’s being able to be the TRUEST VERSION of myself without having the fear of being judged.”
– my number 1 queer crush, Antoni from Queer Eye
So beautifully said and completely relatable. Who of us doesn’t long to be their most authentic self without having to worry about becoming a pariah or losing the love of our friends and family?
I find the LGBTQ pride month and season that we’re in to be so admirable and important. I walked in the LA Pride parade with Uber on Sunday and my heart swelled as I waved at and danced with all of the supporting and loving people on the sidelines. Everyone of varying ages, religions, and ethnicities were represented on the sidelines showing their support for their fellow neighbor.
The word pride is an interesting one to unpack.
I feel like if we were to ask an average person what they have pride in or what they’re proud of, they’d most likely look to an accomplishment or something they’ve achieved. People take pride in their education, their career, the material items they can afford, but it’s rare to hear someone say they simply take pride in who they are. In their intrinsic qualities. In the way they’ve grown. In the way they love and are continuing to evolve.
We’re so achievement-oriented and reliant on external validation that we’re programmed to immediately think of the things in our lives that may be praised by someone else when we need to feel proud. What if we could just forget about what everyone else thinks and just focus on the core of what matters? The core of who we all are and what we all want.
Genuine and unique individuals who want to be happy.
It may vary from person to person in terms of how it manifests. Maybe you’re funny and kind and obsessed with turtles. Maybe you’re subdued and relaxed and a fan of historical fiction. Maybe you have a ton of piercings or wear your hair pink or choose life makeup-free. Our differences are a result of our life experiences and keep us interesting. We’d be SO BORED if everyone we met was exactly the same.
Learning from LGBTQ Pride
This is where we can all take a lesson out of the LGBTQ pride book. They have the bravery to take pride in who they are despite every indication that some other people might not like it. When who you intrinsically are is received as a political statement, serious measures must be taken to preserve your self-esteem. When others try to shame you for who you are, pride is a life-saving response. I personally find every person in the LGBTQ community to be the embodiment of bravery and courage. Simply waking up in the morning and owning your truest self is something we all need to practice.
What is the truest version of yourself?
While you may not be hiding your preferred sexuality, maybe you feel like you have to hide or restrain some other part of yourself. Maybe you’re hiding your love of Manga comics (I saw in an interview that Cole Sprouse did this as a kid), maybe you’re self-conscious about your funny laugh (hehe hi there, that’s me sometimes), maybe you’re hiding your dissatisfaction with your job, maybe you’re hiding your love of Jesus, maybe you’re hiding that you actually give a fuck, maybe you’re hiding that you’re really struggling and need help.
I don’t know what it is that you’ve tucked away from the public, but I challenge you to fully embrace it. Be your most authentic and truest self and walk it with confidence. Who you are is supposed to be unique and different — and in that, there is perfection. Never forget that. Others will either love you or leave you but what’s most important is that you’ll like yourself.
Ask yourself:
“How can I embrace who I truly am when I go out into the world?”
“How can I love myself exactly as I am?”
That’s where I’m currently focusing. I suggest you do the same.
Have you recently embraced a part of you that you recently struggled with accepting or sharing with the world? Leave a comment with your experience or thoughts on the matter. We can all benefit from hearing other people’s tactics for living their most authentic life!
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Get more like this on my personal blog Brightly Sika, where I share tips on intentional and joyful living for millennial post-grads trying to make sense of the “real world” through a lens of positivity and self-development.
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