“I am here” is one of the most profound statements that can be made around Pride

Content warning - this is personal and will talk about suicidal ideations and suicide For the longest time, almost 40 years, I wanted to not be here, to escape the pain that being me was causing me.  Since I can recall being aware of my gender and sexuality, I have felt the pain of not belonging and not being accepted. I have been told I don’t fit in, and that I need to change who I am. I have endured daily aggressions (for a long time not even microaggressions) about who I am in order to be employed, to be loved, and to be part of a family.