Pride and Accessibility

Unfortunately, one again, I will likely not be able to attend Pride in Houston this year.  From the heat outside, to the sensory hell with all of the music and crowds, a pride parade is simply not accessible for me.  But that’s okay.  Pride is all about celebrating our diversity and differences as a community and to honor those that we’ve lost yet celebrate what we have gained.  Pride Houston is tomorrow and I will remain in solidarity with my queer brethren in spirit and with all of my heart.  But because the event is inaccessible for someone with my disabilities, I will not go because I know that, at this point in my life, I cannot feel comfortable or even feel the pride if I attend.  Of course, I do wish that I could go and that it was more accessible to me but the reality is that I cannot and that it is not.  However, I do live fully with pride every day and every second that I breathe into this earth.  I feel the pride and happiness of being open about being gay, and open about being autistic, and proud as a Pinoy person and as a brown person.  I live with my identities and no longer feel ashamed about any single one and, to me, that is what pride stands for!  Pride is basically about embracing yourself and your differences, about embracing others’ differences, and about loving yourself and your queer community.  MOGAI+/queer people deserve their safe space and gay clubs, bars, and celebrations are just that for our community.  But in fact, I have never been to a gay club, bar, or celebration but it is something that I would like to work through to be able to go because going some place and feeling like home away from my actual home would be a dream come true!

So if you don’t find me at your local gay club, gay bar, or Pride celebration, you will find me by heart and in spirit, proud, loving, and happy to be who I am.