Pride is a funny word. It means something to each person I talk with, yet it's one of the most powerful words in the English language. Sure, some see being too proud as a sin, but have you ever thought about why we have pride as a gay community? I think about it often.
Here's where I ended up...
We have pride celebrations because visibility and representation is important. These things save lives and change lives daily.
Community is also important. I truly believe (much like the late great Whitney Houston) that the children are our future. When I looked out into the audience, I saw nothing but happiness, love and a beautiful celebration. The youth, accepted each other as they were, and it was beyond inspiring to see them all dancing together.
It's also a damn good time.
Where else are you going to see so many drag queens/kings, over-the-top floats and scantily clad sexy people? In Florida it also gives us the perfect excuse to day drink (because we need to stay hydrated).
Honestly, I look forward to pride each year for different/multiple reasons, and this continues to change over the years.
What I do know is that it's important to take a moment to remember our history and honor those who came before us. It's also important to recognize that some of our LGBTQ+ family members do not have the same rights and privileges.
In recent years my heart has been warmed seeing all of the companies in our community looking to show their support for pride, and the people who they love which need their support. To me, Pride is a reminder that every day we're making progress and more and more people are falling in love with our community.
