Story:

This picture was taken back in 2014 when I decided to go to Pride for the second time in my life. For me, it was a day of pride, and that’s when I began to realize that often members of the community don’t accept themselves. That was always a mystery to me because I’ve always believed that love is the most beautiful thing that can happen to anyone—gender doesn’t matter, happiness does. However, growing up, I realized that I would have to fight for my rights all my life and that the world outside these “four walls” can sometimes be cruel. My first coming out to my parents happened back in 2007, and I’ve always lived my sexuality as something perfectly normal. But not everyone saw it that way.

This picture is especially meaningful to me because of the caption on the poster: “These are my four walls.” I never wanted to accept living myself and my love within the boundaries of my home. Love is something wonderful and it’s lived without shame, wherever you are.

“She’s my friend” is a sentence I often used to hear. However, SHE wasn’t just a friend or a roommate. That’s how we should be able to talk about other people: colleagues, friends, even the lady at the counter, without worrying that others will judge us. It’s important to surround ourselves with the right people—those who don’t care who you sleep with but care about the kind of person you are.