An Unfolding

For as long as I can remember knowing about them, I have found solace at Pride Festivals. Before I fully knew who I was, I felt alive there. Supported. Surrounded by love. Able to be anyone I wanted to be.
Pride events embody the opposite of how I grew up. Coming into myself, truly myself, has been as much of an unlearning of how I was raised, as it has been pulling back the layers of who I am.

If you ask my closest friends, I’ve been bisexual, pansexual, lesbian, queer, and nonbinary… in that order. None of those are wrong. They are simply reflections of the steps I had to take to not only learn the community, but the steps towards accepting myself and bringing my truth to those around me. Each one has made me more brave. More open. More honest.

Life is a journey, and so is Pride. You don’t have to be ‘right’ the first time or stick to one ‘label’ your whole life. Just stay true to yourself, and the people who support you will be there. All my love, fellow humans. See y’all out there next year.

This story was shared by a human named Erika