What to Expect at Your First Pride
This past August I went to my first pride, and it was amazing, to say the least. It felt like a dream. For anyone in the LGBTQ+ community, you know that pride is a big thing, whether it’s your first or not. It's our time to feel comfortable being ourselves, with people just like us. We are able to connect with people who have the same beliefs as us. We find out that we aren’t alone in this crazy journey of life. We lower our shoulders and get swept away in the dreaminess of rainbows and glitter, with no care in the world, even if it’s just for a few days or even hours.
Your first pride is different for everyone, but here is a glimpse into what it was like for me:
You stand in the middle of the street taking it all in. At first, the smell of urine and dirt is a little annoying, to say the least, but after a while, you get used to it. I mean it is the city and all so it kind of comes with the territory. All around you are beautiful floats full of the vibrant colors of the rainbow. Three floats ahead holds a small group wearing shirts promoting their church. An LGBTQ+ accepting church. It seems almost too good to be true you think…but it is true.
Your mind wanders, your eyes dart from float to float taking it all in. There are people in heels strutting like it’s their last day on earth. You wonder how they haven’t tripped or twisted an ankle. You know you can’t walk two feet without doing something clumsy, even if you’re not in heals. Behind them is a group of drag queens, with mile-high hair and makeup, painted beautifully over their faces. They look like portraits that belong in a prestigious art museum; absolutely stunning. You know they took time to meticulously craft their looks. If only you had half that talent with makeup, but then again, mascara is enough for you.
You walk down the street a bit, looking at float after float. With every rainbow you see, pride flag waving proud, your smile becomes bigger and bigger. These are your people. You sigh a sweet sigh of mixed emotions; happiness, joy, relief, pain, confusion, sorrow, pure bliss. Your smile gets bigger. The rainbows and glitter consume you, enveloping you in a tight embrace.
You look around at who’s around you. Your sister, one of your best friends, your (future) coworkers; people who will soon be such a huge part of your life, and you barely even know it. You look around at the people you don’t know. From babies to grandparents, it feels like the whole city is celebrating. Everyone is happy. Everyone is accepting. Everyone has a story to tell. The parade starts and immediately you are swept away in the magic of it all. It’s surreal. Past every rainbow-filled block you walk down is another one full of even more glitter than the last. Everybody around is smiling, emanating joy to those around them. Saying that it’s contagious is a massive understatement.
It feels as though you have left one world and entered another. One full of acceptance and pride (for lack of a better word). The rest of the day feels like a dream and you can’t wipe a stupid not-so-little smile off your face. You are so happy your cheeks hurt. You can’t even begin to comprehend how important this day is or how much it will mean to you just yet, but it’s coming.
At the end of the day, you go back to college, proudly walk back to your dorm. You take the pride shirt off, and smile to yourself at what has just happened. You go to bed happier than you think you’ve ever been. The smile on your face slowly fades as you drift into sleep, dreaming of what your next pride will be like.
Pride is different for everyone, but the one feeling we all have in common is the one of acceptance. Being able to look around you and see a group fo people who understand you, no feeling matches those emotions. However you choose to celebrate pride month this month, I’m sending you lots of love and acceptance. And although you may not be able to celebrate with those around you, pride is stronger than ever this year.
