10 Things You Learn About Yourself & the Queer Community During Pride

Pride is as much a time for celebration and protest as it is for self-growth.

In addition to marching in the streets and making a statement about who we are as a community, we also get to learn things about our queer identity.

So here are 10 things you learn about yourself and the larger LGBTQ community during Pride.

1. You’re not alone

Some of us in large metropolitan cities take for granted how often we see and interact with other members of the LGBT community. But for those of us living in smaller towns, it’s an incredible reminder that we are not alone. We are a vibrant community with people everywhere. Even in the most unlikely of places.  

2. How diverse the LGBTQ community is

Sometimes the media doesn’t do the best job in depicting the diversity of the LGBTQ community. We come in all races, religions, shapes, and sizes. Some of us are polyamorous, some of us are monogamous. Some of us are into leather, some of us cringe at the idea of assless chaps. Some of us are asexual or pansexual, others are gay. And many of us are also gender nonconforming or transgender.

3. The strength of our community

Pride reminds us of the resilience of our community. From Stonewall, to the murder of Harvey Milk, to the AIDS epidemic, the LGBT community has been through so much. Yet still, we not only survive, we thrive!

4. How much you can drink…

On a less serious note, many of us learn how much we can truly drink. (But might I add, drink responsibly.) Nobody wants to take care of your drunk, puking-ass during Pride. So get it together. Okurrrrrr?

5. That leather and BDSM is fairly common in the LGBT community

The first time I saw leather was at a Pride parade. I was a teenager and with my gay uncles. My head kinda exploded. I didn’t realize that was a real "thing." I thought it was one of those things that few gay men partook in. Boy, was I wrong. Also, in seeing all the boys in leather, along with the pups, men on leashes, and gimp suits, you may realize that you’re more interested in trying it all out than you previously thought.

6. There’s no one right or wrong way to be LGBTQ

This, in my humble opinion, is huge! There is no one right or wrong way to express yourself as a member of the LGBTQ community. As long as you aren’t hurting anyone else in the expression of your identity, you can—and should—be allowed to express who you are.

7. We’re not all just jaded, catty queens

Maybe this speaks more to my friend group that it does the larger gay/queer community, but it’s nice to be surrounded by different types of gays/queers, if that makes any sense. Not my usual hoard of bitchy, jaded, catty queens.

8. There are many different types of activism

There are so many forms of activism as a queer person. You can march. You can express yourself. And simply existing and being happy as a queer person is a form of activism and rebellion.

9. You need to get off Grindr and go out to events more often

Sure, there are definitely more LGBT events during Pride Month than any other time of the year. Still, there are other LGBT events during the year that you can, and should, be going to. During the rest of the year, there’s more to gay culture than Grindr!

10. There’s power when the LGBT community comes together

The LGBT community often has trouble coming together as one cohesive unit. I understand why. There’s racism, size-ism, biphobia, transphobia, and so much more within the community. However, when we’re able to not only accept, but also embrace, one another’s differences, it becomes an incredible act of power and protest.