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Pride, to me, isn’t about being gay. Any old person can be a homo – trust me, it’s not that difficult. No, Pride is something deeper; something most of the straight community, regardless of their level of involvement, will never quite understand. Pride is the battle; pride is a war: not against man – not against friends, family, coworkers, or even the law – but rather, a war fought within one’s self. It’s not a proclamation of what we are, but who we are – and, through our sexuality, through the fear and joy, love and hate that it can bring, who we have become. The struggle we’ve fought within ourselves and how what we are has shaped who we have become.
Homecoming, the theme of this year’s Pride festival, doesn’t merely signify returning to a home – for me, it signifies finding one. Through the Freedom Center, OUTinPerth and the queer community, I have found more of a home, more acceptance, than I thought the entire world had to offer. Pride is standing tall and representing these people, these places – thanking everyone who has shaped you, be it through help or hurt, through acceptance or rejection. It’s acknowledging their part in who you are, and acknowledging your part in who you are. Pride is a sense of self, a sense of duty, and a sense of belonging. For me, Pride is truly finding your home.
Mikey James
