Defining Pride: Part Four
June 26, 2015
In this series of short essays, Diverse & Resilient staff members share their thoughts on the subject of pride: what does pride look like, what does pride mean to us as individuals, and what does pride mean to our community?
Every year in June we celebrate pride month to commemorate Stonewall. When the Stonewall riots began it was one of the first times LGBTQ people stood up for themselves. It was the first time they fought for the right to be proud of who they were, and since then we have thrown pride parades and celebrations in memory of that night. But we do not always remember the riot that started everything, nor do we recognize the trans women of color who started those riots. Pride is about remembering them, fighting for their vision of a better, prouder future, and helping the next generation understand that when we say pride, we say it because we have not always had it.
It is also a time for our community to come together and show our united pride, but pride is much more than the month or the festivals and parades we attend. Pride is a satisfied sense of attachment toward one’s self or others or toward a whole group of people, and is a product of praise, independent self-reflection, or a fulfilled feeling of belonging. Pride is about being your whole self in everyday situations. Pride is being out and proud within your workplace. Pride is reconciling your faith with an accepting congregation. Pride is sharing your life with your loved ones. Pride is embracing every part of who you are and living it every day. Pride is also about remembering where we have come from, how far we have come, and recommitting ourselves for the challenges ahead. It is important to celebrate your pride every day because pride is bringing together every aspect of yourself, your identity, your community, and your history which you carry with you every day. In order to be our full selves, in order to thrive, we need to be able to be proud of everything we carry with us every single day.
Written by Anthony Doubek, Anthony Harris, & Dyon Bryant.