Giving oneself permission to be #queer, wholly and openly, really opens up possibilities in one’s mind, possibilities discarded without a thought long ago, maybe even entirely subconsciously
@stolas It’s really about owning oneself, one of the three pillars of my own pride. (The others are visibility and my queer family.)
I spent 25 years in self-hate, denial, and in hiding. I’m not doing that anymore. That’s huge and just that massively important act of self-care has opened my mind.
I think I'm still half in that phase of self-hate but I'm trying to get out of it. I'm just not really sure _how_ if that makes sense.
@stolas It was a long process… I spent a long time learning about other queer folk, learning to respect and see the beauty in them and how they love… and then making the connection that I can bravely see that beauty in myself too.
It really is a brave and strong act, self-love. Sometimes that strength fails me and I slip, but I try again when I get that strength back.
@stolas You bet! That's pillar #2, visibility, I want to show my queer family (even the ones I don't know about) what I went through and where I am, and I hope I can encourage them.
Can you tell I've been thinking about this a lot this month? Haha.
