5 Great Reasons to Celebrate and Embrace Pride 365 Days a Year

Pride is about being our authentic selves.

Pride means love and acceptance. Pride is a time to celebrate who we are - each and everyone of us, no matter who we are and who we love. Embracing Pride resonates deeply with all of us at ThriveWell Counselling, not just during Pride month, but every day, all year round. 

Understanding and embracing who you truly are is what ThriveWell’s LGBTQ Counselling is all about! Join LGBTQ Therapist and ThriveWell owner, Dana Kamin, and ThriveWell Counsellors and LGBTQ allies, Victoria Bowman and Taylor Smith, as we consider 5 great reasons to Celebrate and Embrace Pride ALL Year Long!

1. Embracing Love and Authenticity

Dana: Pride is about unapologetically embracing and being who we are. Pride is celebrating the loving relationships and chosen family we may create and treasure, and the communities we build. Pride is remembering who and what uplifts us, and how powerful the experience of love and acceptance can be. At its core, Pride is a celebration of love and identity, and embracing Pride means embracing you.

Victoria: One of my favourite quotes, that encapsulates the meanings of Pride for me, was written by Aliza Werner, an elementary educator and contributor on the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) website​:

“The joy it is to be yourself…Authenticity. Honesty. Freedom from others’ labels and the power to claim and name your own truths. Laying down the burdens of arbitrary, rigid rules…not settling for tolerance, nor satisfied with acceptance, but expecting celebration, fully and unconditionally.”

Taylor: As a counsellor and LGBTQ ally, I believe in the power of unapologetic self-expression, where you get to truly be you. There is such power in embracing authenticity, whatever that looks like for you. Whether you are loudly showing Pride in you, or quietly living your truth each day, living authentically and with self-acceptance are key to living life in positive and affirming ways. 

2. Honouring Strength and Resilience

Taylor: Sharing your true self with the world takes immense courage and strength. I have deep respect for how hard it often is to connect to one’s true self and share who you truly are. For some of you, this is a path you have been walking for some time, while for others you may be at the start of your journey. I am honoured to support each of you, on that journey of self-discovery, self-acceptance, and stepping into pride and strength. 

Dana: I am amazed at the resilience and strength of the upcoming generations of trans, queer and nonbinary folx. I am honoured to be a trusted ally, both personally and as a counsellor, to many of you who identify as trans, nonbinary, genderqueer and genderfluid. I appreciate how important it is to have allies along each of our gender journeys, and to be honoured and recognized, unapologetically as your true self. 

Victoria: In my LGBTQ clients, and especially my trans and nonbinary folx, I see such courage, strength and resilience, as you open your hearts, make strides towards unconditional self-acceptance, come out to your families (sometimes even in midlife), and rethink your faith, and the many values you learned. You take steps in your gender journey and transition, not knowing whom you may lose as you do. You revision what family means, and raise children by encouraging openness from a young age. Your determination and bravery inspires me.

3. Honoring Our History

Dana: Pride holds a special place in my heart. I came out as gay, lesbian, queer (pick your choice of words!) to myself and others in my late 20’s. Even though that was over 30 years ago, it is still just as important as ever for me to celebrate Pride. Celebrating Pride is a way to honour those who paved the way in the past, changing hearts, minds, and laws. I think about my own contributions, large and small…coming out to family and the world in the 1990’s, advocating for legislative changes, volunteer and work within LGBTQ spaces, and speaking out on LGBTQ issues. For many of us, Pride is still a reminder that there is more work to do, on our journey towards love, self-acceptance and mental health and wellness.

4. Advocating for Equality and Rights

Victoria: Pride is about educating ourselves as allies and recognizing the power of allyship in fighting for LGBT rights. We can educate ourselves through newspaper and online articles, books, scholarly papers, podcasts and YouTube videos, PFLAG meetings for families of LGBTQ folx, and more. We can participate in rallies, demonstrations, and yessss, yearly Pride events, write letters, stand up for people on public transit, social media, and advocate in our workplaces. We can teach openness to our children, support causes that strengthen LGBTQ lives and boycott those that don’t. Every effort, no matter its size, can make a difference in LGBTQ lives.

Dana: Pride reminds me that every day, many of us are still fighting to be accepted and safe. This includes those who seek safety by immigrating to Canada, teens and young adults who feel afraid to come out at school or at home, and those from small towns who move to urban centres. We continue to fight for access to LGBTQ mental health support and Trans-friendly healthcare. By celebrating Pride, we are raising awareness and pushing for change. Change that can truly benefit everyone and allow us all to thrive. 

5. Building Community and Allyship

Dana: Celebrating Pride is a chance to celebrate the diversity of our many LGBTQ communities, and to connect to the communities that energize and move us the most. Building community helps us feel accepted and whole, find solidarity and empathy, strengthens LGBTQ mental health and wellness, and gives us the opportunity to come together and to advocate for equality and justice.

Victoria: As an LGBTQ ally, I value that one of the most important things I can do is to listen, and I do mean really listen, from a place of non-judgment, to the lived experiences of those I work with.  I am always in a state of learning, understanding, noticing biases when they arise in myself and others, and working towards change. 

Taylor: it's crucial for me, as an LGBTQ ally and therapist, to hold space and create a safe, nonjudgmental environment where you can be exactly who you are. It involves moving beyond labels, fostering connections and recognizing and respecting your unique identity and experiences. At its core, allyship is about supporting individuals to experience love, connection, unconditional acceptance, happiness, and meaning in their lives. It's about seeing and honouring differences as much as we honour the similarities that unite us.

Struggling to Accept Your Own or a Loved One’s Identity?

If you struggle with embracing your authentic self, or that of someone you love, it may be time to reach out for support. ThriveWell’s experienced and supportive team, in particular, LGBTQ therapists Dana Kamin and Ruti Ingerman, and allied therapists, Taylor Smith and Victoria Bowman, can provide a safe and supportive space, while online, or for in-person LGBTQ Counselling in Toronto, to explore your sexual orientation or gender identity, move through past and current challenges, and move towards self-acceptance, and positive mental health.

If you are a family member, friend or loved one of someone who identifies as LGBTQ, working through your own thoughts and feelings can also be extremely helpful. Know that connection and authenticity is obtainable and you don’t have to navigate this journey alone.