WHAT PRIDE MEANS TO ME

WHAT PRIDE MEANS TO ME

by JP – member at Hammersmith

In my last company, during my onboarding, when the HR manager talked me through the insurance policy and said my wife could also be covered, I didn’t stop to correct her.

A week later, on a corporate trip in the Middle East, when my Lebanese colleague asked if I was married, I said no. White lie – I’m not legally married but a then 7-year-old relationship is probably something worth mentioning when the person who’s asking isn’t just looking to tick a box on a form.

Finally, when chatting with an English co-worker who wondered about my life outside of work (and CrossFit), I did talk about Vincenzo. But not after the usual split second of asking myself “where is this going to go?”

I can try and find excuses as to why the situations above occurred but, in all honesty, this is just shame, the opposite of Pride.

To me, Pride month is a time to reflect and be part of the change I wish to see for a world with less shame and more pride for myself and others.

Pride is very often represented by Lady Gaga-loving-conventionally-attractive-young-and-muscular gay men. As grateful as I am for these guys, that is just one facet of the gem. The LGBTQ+ community is rich of so many individual experiences. Pride month is the perfect opportunity for those who want to find out more about countless stories of resilience, hope, love, acceptance and sex, too. By sharing and listening to these stories, we help
normalising them, reduce the shame, increase the Pride.

Who’s with me?

My Pride Month recommendation: Hannah Gadsby: Nanette on Netflix