Pride Month is an incredibly important time for the LGBTQ community. It brings us together in ways that no other month does, and is a major reminder of how tight knit we truly are and just how many millions of people out there really do support us.
There is undoubtedly at least one major moment that has happened to each and every single one of us in our community that makes us think of the word "pride" more than any other. Perhaps it was when you came out, or when you marched in your first pride parade, and so on and so forth.
I polled several of my friends with that particular question: what has been your biggest "pride" moment in your life? Take a look at what they had to say:
"June 26, 2015 – the Obergefell ruling. One of the greatest days ever."
"Holding my husband's hand in the street in the sun during the parade and looking over at him smiling and telling me how much he loved me."
"Seeing LGBTQA+ and straight allies unite to help those affected by the Pulse massacre."
"Performing my heart out for my sister that passed away a month prior to pride. Living my life to the fullest and knowing that she loved me for who i was."
"A few years ago…and it wasn't planned…but I ran into like 15 people from an online world/game i was apart of…then back to a bud's place who's roof deck was all forest and landscaped so awesome that you could not tell u was in Manhattan. Had an awesome last minute party with some good food, drinks and peeps."
"The first time that i went to pride parade in Chicago . It was just a few months after I moved from the Middle East. The most amazing feeling seeing the rainbow flag and everyone was happy. That was the first time that I felt it was okay to be gay,"
"Seeing the dykes on bikes at my first pride parade."
"Being in front of Stonewall Inn after the Supreme Court found in favor of Edie Windsor. Maybe one of the best moments of my life."
"In June of 2007 I arranged a meeting at my UU church between a group of LGBT families with our state representative. He had voted against gay marriage multiple times. At our meeting we learned he was changing his vote. That week a vote in the Massachusetts State House to put an anti-gay measure on the ballot lost by six votes – the anti-gay marriage measure was not on the 2008 ballot, and gay marriage in Massachusetts was preserved. On the day of the vote I found myself face-to-face with the head of the Massachusetts Family Association – took a wide stance that blocked his entrance to my state senator's office, and debated him on marriage rights. I was NOT expecting this confrontation, and was a bit overwhelmed facing off in a spontaneous debate with this abhorrent guy, but I had the advantage of having just overheard a secretary whisper in her phone that the senator was changing his vote – to protect gay marriage. I stalled him from entering the office for a few minutes, and, hopefully set him off-guard. Within an hour the vote was taken and gay marriage won the day!"
So Instinct Magazine followers, tell us… what has been your biggest "Pride" moment?