I grew up in a very conservative household. I fought with my parents about whether or not I should be allowed to listen to the Spice Girls (I lost, and I still feel a void where the lyrics of “Wannabe” should be), whether or not I should be allowed to read Harry Potter (I lost that fight, too, but read them in secret), and, among other things, whether I should be allowed to go to Pride (the first year I just went without asking). Ever since my first Pride, I’ve been amazed at how the simple things seem to make the biggest impact, and this year was no different.
Multiple Generations 
While I love Tumblr and all that it’s done for the Queer community, I have to admit that between social media and LGBT Netflix movies, the only Queer people I seem to see are young adults. Going to Pride and seeing older people wearing their rainbows proudly gives me a sense of future; it makes me feel like there’s a chance I’ll actually get to grow up as a gay woman. Seeing the younger kids gives me a sense of peace, too, seeing that they are growing up learning tolerance and acceptance.
Same-sex parents with their children
Having kids is something that is very important to me, and is something I’ve always wanted to do. Given this, one of the hardest things for me to come to terms with in my own coming out story is that my choice to parent with someone of the same sex will negatively impact my child. My child will experience everything from awkwardness when a person asks what they will do to celebrate Father’s Day (and realizes that my child has two mothers and zero fathers) to outright rejection as a parent tells their child they are not allowed to play with mine (because of me and my partner). Knowing that my sexuality will almost surely bring my child pain has made me question whether or not my desire to raise a child is something I ought to follow. However, seeing same-sex couples at Pride with their children makes me remember how much love and joy there is between parents and their children. It makes me realize that while my sexuality will result in challenges for my child, that doesn’t mean it’s my fault. The fault lays with society and society’s perception of “good parenting”- and the more same-sex parents that raise wonderful, loving children the more that society will shift to include same-sex parents under the umbrella of “good parents.”
Smiles
The positive atmosphere at Pride is almost tangible. Everywhere you go, everyone is smiling, cheering, and just genuinely happy. The radical self-love is infectious; I couldn’t help but to feel more confident in myself, and positive about how I’m gay. Given the current political climate, it was so wonderful to be able to go somewhere and have a positive-focused event with a group of like-minded people. We celebrated the success of how far the Queer community has come, while acknowledging that there is still a lot of work to be done. Positivity resonated throughout it all, giving a refreshing feeling of, “We can do this.”
Pride
The aspect of Pride that always impacts me the most is, of course, the pride itself. Whether it’s people wearing the trans flag as a cape, t-shirts that say, “Bi is Hot” or the tote bag proclaiming “Totes Gay”, you see pride in every person at being a member (or ally) of the Queer community. Pride is so important for everyone, but as someone who grew up in a home that demonized LGBT people, Pride is one of the few places I can go to unlearn the hate that was taught to me. I can only hope that as years go on, Pride will continue to impact people in the positive ways it has impacted me, teaching people to feel pride in who they are.
By: Andrea Wucherpfennig, Anxiety In Teens Contributor