Lee’s Story: Pride is Fcuking Fun!

For Pride month, we asked our members if they would like to share their stories about their lives and what Pride means to them. The response has been amazing and we may continue these after Pride month has ended. If you would like to contribute your story, please send your story to londonirishlgbtnetwork@gmail.com

Thanks to Lee for sharing his story.

Pride is Fucking Fun

by Lee Brophy

I’m very fortunate to have parents who accepted me for my queerness no questions asked. One caveat, I had to come out to my dad twice because the first time he thought gay and bi were the same thing (if he only knew!)

It took me until I was 19 to come out as bisexual due to chronic shyness. I had been bullied for being fat by so many people that it completely destroyed my self esteem and expression. It took years of sarcasm, reverse psychology, and a really big mirror for me to undo the self sabotage. Now I separate the feedback into ‘useful’ and ‘that’s funny, I wish I thought of that’.

I don’t begrudge anyone who was horrible to me growing up. I am who I am today because of everything that has happened to me.

Listen, everyone is afraid of dying. Everyone wants to be loved. Hurt people, hurt people. We’re all doing the best that we can with the tools that we have. Go easy on yourself and laugh a little bit more. Have pride in what you are: a sack of meat with a squishy lollipop sticking out of it that is both self aware and not at all prepared for the life it’s living. If you can’t have pride for that, here are plenty other reasons:

Pride is fucking fun. It’s the celebration of the self. It’s encouraging your niblings to experience all the joys of childhood without the gendered obstacles. It’s fundraising for the progressive ideals that push our community forward. It’s howling at the midnight moon with friends who have been diagnosed with HIV and have access to life saving treatments.

Pride is Sunday morning coffee on the patio of a downtown cafe in short shorts and a crop top. It’s walking into your logical-family home and being loved by the closest ones in your life. It’s consensual, protected, wonderful, bliss-inducing erotic encounters with sexy strangers and gorgeous lovers. It’s the exploration of who you are today because of who you were before and who you’re excited to soon become.

Pride is the recognition that life is worth living, you are valid and deeply loved, and there is a place for you in this chaotic world where you fit oh so perfectly. Pride is fucking fun!

Thanks a million!
Lee