We all want to show our Pride in the best way we can. Sometimes, this may mean going to parades and events to show off all of our amazing colors. On the other hand, it could mean giving LGBTQIA+ awareness to youth. There are a thousand possibilities for how you can show Pride.

For me, showing Pride means learning how to be true to myself and others around me. The community gets stronger when we have support for it. I never thought how big of an influence my life could be on others. I never thought I could be LGBTQIA+ without a label, but I was wrong. I say I am part of this strong community of people because I feel like my identity fits in. Still, there is no right word that accurately describes me. All in all, I realized the most impactful thing that I can do to show my Pride is to be myself and describe to others why I don’t put labels on myself.

Even when I say I am part of this community, people judge me by how I look. I love to support LGBTQIA+ rights, but I also know the privilege I have in a society that does not offer them. To most outsiders, I look like a straight, white, cisgender female. In reality, I feel so much more than that. I believe that no matter what gender a person is, I can love them for who they are. I feel like I can love more than one person. I feel that sex is not always needed in relationships. These are all things that make me stand out from the “norms” of society’s ideas. I still understand that other people do not see this when they look at me. It is my job to make people aware that I am here, and I am not afraid to be who I am.