This month's theme is Pride. It's something that I’ve always admired. Pride in your actions, pride in your identity, pride in who you love. It’s a feeling unlike any other. As I look back on this past year, with many young people graduating, coming out, and being their authentic selves, I see so many reasons we should all feel pride. I know 2021 has offered its own challenges, with attacks against LGBT+ people, a rise in depression and anxiety, and the fact that we are still in a global pandemic. But between fighting for our rights and our health, and despite all our struggles, we should still feel proud to be here. As a bi person who gets to work with artists every day, this month means a lot to me. I’m proud of myself for being able to be so open with the world, and I’m proud of Blossom, our team of creatives, and of everyone who has let us share their authentic stories. And while Pride festivals might still look a little different this year, we hope Blossom can offer a semblance of community and love this June.
Pride has always been tricky for me. I’ve never been very good at celebrating myself, or my accomplishments or...anything, really. Seriously, I haven’t even celebrated my own birthday in years. That’s probably indicative of some larger issues, but the point is that for me, pride isn’t something that comes naturally. It takes a lot of work to recognize when I’ve done something worthy of recognition, but that’s exactly how I feel about Blossom. I am truly proud of what Maddy and I have built over these past few months, and more than that, I’m proud of all of the incredible writers and artists who have joined our community. Seeing the work that they produce each month inspires me, and makes me feel like I can be more creative, more outspoken, and more proud in every aspect of my life. While June can sometimes feel like a time exclusively for corporate-sponsored parade floats and discourse about whether or not it’s appropriate to wear leather harnesses in public, there’s way more to it than that (I think. I really need to get off of Twitter). Pride Month is a reminder for us as queer people to celebrate our individuality as well as the things that connect us as a community, and that’s what we’re aiming for this month ---- pride in ourselves, and pride in each other.
