Embracing Our Colors: Why Pride Month Hits Home

This morning, as I opened Facebook and saw a cascade of rainbows, I remembered—oh yes, it’s Pride month. But this year, the colorful celebration feels more personal than ever. As an out lesbian married to my incredible wife, and a mom to our mixed-race child, each vibrant post resonates deeply with me.

“Pride matters for kids who see ending their lives as a better option than being gay.” “Happy Uncomfortable Month for all you homophobes.” These posts, while stirring a smile, also touch a chord of solemnity in me. Sharing these messages on my own page, I’m reminded of the stark realities that still shadow our vibrant celebrations.

Recently, we drove to Florida for a Brandi Carlisle concert—an experience filled with anticipation yet tinged with caution. We avoided stopping in many places through Tennessee. Why? Simply put, it felt unsafe for two lesbians and our child to just be ourselves in unfamiliar towns. Have you ever kept driving, bladder bursting, because you were unsure if the next rest stop would be safe?

Arriving at Miramar Beach, surrounded by a sea of lesbians gathered for a Mother’s Day concert, I finally let my guard down. Holding my wife’s hand or squeezing her shoulder didn’t require a cautious glance over my shoulder. For a few days, we breathed easier, basked in a sense of freedom, and celebrated love openly.

Yet, the journey home was a stark return to reality. Packing away our pride shirts and flags, we drove straight back to Nashville without stopping. This retreat back into cautious invisibility is a daily reality for many in our community.

This pain—the profound ache of not being able to express and live as one’s true self—is unparalleled. I too have grappled with suicidal thoughts, feeling at times that death might be a kinder fate than living a masked existence. This is why Pride matters. It’s why every rainbow flag in a business window, every Pride pin on a store employee, every inclusive pronoun in a Zoom profile is crucial. These gestures allow someone, somewhere, to breathe a little easier, to feel a bit freer, to express themselves a little more authentically.

As we celebrate this Pride, let’s remember the vital importance of visibility and support. Let’s dream of a world where everyone can truly be free to be themselves. What a wonderful world that would be.

Happy Pride, y’all.