I’m gay and 28 years old, but I’ve never been to a pride parade. It’s not that I don’t want to go—I do. I’ve thought about it so many times, imagined what it might feel like to stand in a crowd of people who share a part of my experience, to feel that sense of belonging, of celebration. But somehow, I’ve always found a reason not to go. Maybe it’s fear, maybe it’s uncertainty, or maybe it’s just not knowing where I fit into it all.
For so long, being gay felt like something I had to figure out in private, something I had to carry alone before I could share it with the world. Even now, when I’m more comfortable with who I am, the idea of stepping into a space so loud and proud still feels intimidating. I guess it’s because I’m still learning what pride means to me—not just as an event, but as a feeling, a way of living.
I think a part of me worries that I won’t fit in, that I’ll stand there and feel like an outsider in a place that’s supposed to feel like home. But I also know that pride isn’t just about the parades or the rainbow flags—it’s about embracing who you are in whatever way feels right for you. Maybe that means showing up in a crowd, or maybe it’s simply living your truth in your everyday life.
I know I’ll get there one day, when the time feels right. And when I do, I hope I can stand in that crowd and finally feel like I belong—not just in that moment, but in the world.