Pride

I recently completed some work for Pride month with Facebook. Regardless of how you feel about social media, as a queer person, early on in my coming out process it provided a platform to find other people that I could identify with and talk to without fear of harassment or bigotry.

When I think back to myself at that time, I get pretty emotional. I was 18, still partially closeted, terrified for my future, and I was unsure what lay ahead both professionally and personally.

Never in a million lifetimes did I think that years later I would be able to work for companies as large as and with as much influence as Facebook, for being exactly who I was born to be.

Pride is the perfect word to describe that feeling. I'm proud I had the courage to be authentically myself, however long it might have taken, I recognize the struggles of the many that paved the way before me, and I'm proud to be able to share with others who may not quite be there yet. You're beautiful.