5 Things / Pride and privilege


Happy Pride! 🌈

My first Pride was in Boston, the day after my first real kiss with a girl. It was a few months after my mom's reluctant acceptance, and many, many years before I figured out how I wanted to show up in the world. 

Back then, our "gay agenda" on campus was to get sexual orientation added to the college's anti-discrimination policy. All these years later, and there's still no federal law protecting LGBTQ+ folks from discrimination.

I love being a part of this LGBTQ+ community and yet I know that sometimes we stay siloed and don't show up for others. Myself included.

For a long time, most people I knew who were LGB were pretty much like me - cisgender, white, and able-bodied. I didn't know about the history of the movement, and the legacy of its Black, brown, and trans leaders. I spent years and years not knowing, and also not using my own privilege to be an ally for others, even within my own community.

I now know that being an ally is my responsibility. This Pride, I'm going to have a great time. I'm going to celebrate (we're actually bringing the kids to Disney). And I'm also going to keep showing up, speaking up, and having difficult conversations.

Here are some good vibes I found this week:

Image by NBC News

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