Proud to Love

It’s the first day of July and hence the end of what has been a very successful Pride Month. From America, I’ve been hearing loads about DOMA being overturned and that more and more states are being granted marriage equality. Here in Australia, we finally have a prime minister who is fully behind it and even an openly lesbian senate leader. Hopefully these changes are paving the way to some much-needed progress not only for marriage but also for the treatment of LGBT people, particularly youth who now have so many queer role models to look up to, from the stupendous Stephen Frey, to the legen–wait for it–dary Neil Patrick Harris, to Lady Gaga who hopefully wasn’t born that way for her parents’ sake but is still fabulous.

Many places on the web like YouTube and Google have been engaged in a campaign called “Proud to Love” this June, celebrating Pride Month and all the headway that has been made. Even if you live under a rock, you’re bound to have seen a few rainbows here and there. Loads of people everywhere, whether straight, gay or anything else, have been making videos and statuses about being proud to love themselves and others, and it’s been amazing to see so much love in this crazy world where it’s sometimes hard to see past all the hate and judgement.

I think it’s great that people are celebrating their sexuality and celebrating being true to themselves and celebrating what they love. Whoever you are out there, just be proud for all that you are and all that you want to be. I know since it’s July now, this is a tiny bit late, but here’s my proud rundown:

I am proud to love my family, who keep me grounded while driving me completely insane. 

I am proud to love all of my friends, male and female, who make me laugh until I can’t breathe and can talk to me about the most inappropriate stuff ever.

I am proud to love all the quirks of my culture, my country and my language, which help me connect to other people and thus share the love.

I am proud to love Jake Gyllenhaal and any other guys I can say I dig now that I’ve accepted myself and others have accepted me.

I am proud to love computers, television, movies, all the stuff I'm a fan of from Game of Thrones to Avatar: The Last Airbender.

I am proud to love so many other things – food, music, unicorns…

But most importantly, I am proud to love myself, for all my massive imperfections. Life is a roller coaster of judgement, embarrassment and confusion, but when we fully accept and love ourselves – our true selves – the ride suddenly becomes so much smoother.

Everyone have an amazing day and have the best July ever - the pride doesn't stop just because June has! I wish all of you all the best, no matter who you are or what you do with your genitals. J