06/12/2026
As an LGBTQIA+ individual and practicioner, and working with various points of folks across the spectrum, I wanted to take a moment this Pride Month to really showcase what that means to me individually---and what I hope it can mean for some of you.
Some of my younger folks may not remember a time when it was illegal to marry someone you loved. Growing up, my 'aunts' who loved and cared about me deeply were never able to show their true selves openly. To me as a child, them being together wasn't a crisis of identity--it was just a fact of life.
Later on, as I got older and had my own loves, dreams, and self-exploration, I unfortunately learned what many minorities learn (especially those of us with crossover đ
)--that to be different was shameful, a flaw, and must be hidden or compensated.
The level of bullying I experienced growing up in my life was devastating and deeply traumatic, as I know is the case for many of you who share in that pain. It wasn't that long ago where slurs were thrown around and if I was caught holding hands or being friends with someone I shouldn't be, that I could very well get in trouble with teachers, work, staff, and even my family and friends.
Unfortunately, despite the many positive changes over my life thus far, I know there are many young people in our area that still struggle with this same experience. If not at school, within their own homes.
What I want to show you in these pictures, is not of me in my "professional" setting, but of me in moments of personal Pride---of truly feeling a deep satisfaction and joy of who I am; who I love; what I'm capable of; and what I'm working toward in the future.
All of which is tied deeply to those differences, not in spite of them (and certainly not in hiding them). My hope for any of you struggling in this moment, and in this time, is that you can find your inner pride and strength to make it through whatever (or whoever) may be pushing you down, and to see a future where you can escape from that and finally feel the relief of being truly free to be yourself in ways that may not feel possible to you right now.
As Marsha P. Johnson once said, "We have to be visible. We should not be ashamed of who you are."
You do nothing wrong by being the truest version of yourself. In fact, it's the greatest gift and strength that you can provide to others. By putting yourself into everything you do, as I try to do in every one of my sessions, you become more than just an individual---you can be someone's hope; success story; and if nothing else, the strongest rebellion is being proof of survival in the face of adversity.
I wish you all a happy Pride Month, and I'm excited to see you tomorrow at Pfiffner Park! â ď¸âď¸đłď¸âđ
