19/06/2025
𝗪𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗳𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜’𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗮 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻.
That means a thousand more people now thinking about how they support the Pride community. But it also means:
✔️Maintaining positivity and resilience during a tough time for many of us.
✔️Reliving trauma through every story told.
✔️And yes, exhaustion—not from lack of passion, but from the emotional weight of it all.
𝗔𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝗶𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘃𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗜’𝗺 𝗽𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵. And I will continue to do so all year-round.
So please—don’t do a Pride event just for the sake of doing one.
𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀.
Small, intentional spaces where the community feels safe can go a long way.
I’m deeply grateful for every space committed to learning and advancing inclusion. But I urge you: 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵.
Many LGBTQ+ communities are struggling—funding is being pulled, people are criminalized for simply existing, families, including mine, have been and are being torn apart by exclusionary systems.
If these events help even one person feel like being themselves is possible, then it’s worth it. But we need more than moments—we need 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.
𝗗𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲. 𝗗𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿.
Because as I heard from good friend I shared the stage with today, Leow Yangfa: “The opposite of Pride is shame.”
Not everyone has the privileged to stop being ashamed.
We celebrate Pride because we 𝗔𝗟𝗟 want to stop being shameful.
Hats off to everyone in the community pushing through this pride month, Steph Chris Earl Ian Nikki จิม เจอนี่ Jim's Journey Anne Lainez and so much more.
