What Does PRIDE Mean To You?

Last year, 38% of the youth served in our Mentoring Program identified as part of the LGBTQIA+ community. LGBTQIA+ people are at increased risk for CSEC—not because of their identities, but because of the many intersecting and overlapping obstacles, including increased risk of being rejected by their families, leaving them without shelter, basic resources, and/or crucial social support.

Pride month is very important to us at My Life My Choice. While we support and celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community all year long, we saw this as a great opportunity to hear from members of our staff on what Pride means to them. We then shared their responses with the young people we serve at our virtual Pride event through a Collective Storytelling experience. Bringing staff and mentees together to celebrate Pride was as fun as it was powerful through this storytelling experience.  

Below is the story we told, composed of different thoughts and statements from My Life My Choice staff on what Pride means to them:  

Coming out in my late 30’s was one of the scariest things I have ever done. I was nervous about what people might think of me. What I learned was that while the responses weren’t all accepting or encouraging, it didn’t matter because I was finally able to be me. The fact that I am able to safely be out is what PRIDE means to me. To the people who fought for the rights that I have today, thank you! To anyone that can’t come out, isn’t sure about how they identify or don’t feel like they belong, we are here when you are ready.  

Pride means being able to hold the hand of the person I love and am married to without shame.  

I'll never forget where I was standing the moment I heard that gay marriage became legal in Massachusetts. I had accepted that getting married would never be a possibility.  

Pride means being able to cut off all my hair, dress how I feel most comfortable, and love who I love.  

June is a month where I felt most seen. 

Pride is celebrating resilience. Even in my relatively short lifetime, we have made enormous progress. We still have far to go, but every day I cherish how far we’ve come. My community is tenacious, enduring, and devoted to each other’s health, safety, and happiness. I take pride in how we have protected each other throughout history and how we continue to do so today. 

I’m a cis female with a cis male partner, and it has taken a long time for me to understand that who I am is not defined by who I'm in a relationship with. I don't identify with any particular label within the LGBTQIA+ acronym but if I had to choose it would be somewhere within the umbrella of that lovely “plus.” I'm attracted to people of all genders and even if the world doesn't know that about me it’s still an important part of who I am. If working at My Life My Choice has taught me anything it is that beauty exists in being fully and authentically myself.  

Pride to me means being able to be surrounded by people that allow me to be my authentic self without fear of any explicit or implicit biases someone might have. It is a time to commemorate years of struggle that the LGBTQIA+ community has faced and a reminder that the collective voice is powerful.  

Pride is celebrating how far we’ve come as a community and how far we’re going. I think about all of the LGBTQIA+ folks who lived and loved before me and how proud I am to be out today. I hope to keep fighting to inspire the next generation of the LGBTQIA+ community.  

At My Life My Choice we work to create a culture and space where our LGBTQIA+ staff and mentees feel safe, heard, and valued. For resources for LGBTQIA+ youth and young adults, we encourage you to check out our amazing partners at Boston GLASS.