By Anthony Corona
June is Pride Month here and in many countries around the world, and, as Vice President of Blind LGBT Pride International (BPI), I find that, this year, it’s more important to me to recognize Pride Month than it’s ever been before.
With the rise of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and frightening legislation being proposed and even adopted nearly without opposition in so many places, it becomes harder every day for me to live as my authentic self. Of course I know that I simply cannot live any other way — I am who I am and I am PROUD of who I am! However, living authentically now comes with risk, and that scares me in so many ways.
At the same time, I know that, even though I am scared, my Pride can still conquer my fears, and my need to celebrate outweighs my anxiety and verifies that my resolve to live authentically is more important than the misunderstanding and the hostility that seek to deny my personal freedom.
23 years ago, long before I lost my sight and found The American Council of the Blind, a few brave and strong Pride filled people gathered and founded the affiliate I now call home. B-Flag as it was known back then wasn’t an easy sell to some in ACB, but so many Allies spoke up for the civil rights of gay people who were also blind, and voted to establish the B-FLAG affiliate, and years later, as I sit in the Vice Presidents chair, I celebrate themall. Some of my Pride is fed by knowing my BPI family is always here beside me. Beside me in the triumphs and also in the fears that all of us experience. and standing beside me in advocacy, as well!
Over the last several years my Pride has been nurtured by ACB members who have come to learn from BPI. They have reached out to support our community and to stand as our Allies. The pride I feel and the pride I celebrate comes from the LGBTQ+ community within BPI and also from the ACB members — so many of whom are our allies and our supporters. We live in a beautiful intersectionality. We have talked Pronouns, history and advocacy and so much more. In BPI, we are consistently delighted when we hear from a member of our ACB family who has been moved by a Pride Connection episode or one of our community calls.
While it may be true that we still have some Brothers and Sisters in ACB who don’t understand why we need to celebrate Pride or even the need for our affiliate, It is also true that we have so many more ardent — and even not particularly outspoken — allies in ACB who support the work we do and let us know that we are making a valuable contribution. We celebrate Pride when we celebrate the very existence of our affiliate, and we also celebrate Pride when we celebrate our Allies within ACB.
Pride, although born within and nurtured by the LGBTQ+ community, was always meant to transcend our community. Pride has always welcomed hearts and minds who love without restriction, and love without judgement. Although Pride celebrates the advocacy of so many brave people who came before, it is also a welcoming beacon to all who believe each of us has the right to live as we were born to live.
So, Happy Pride, my ACB Brothers and Sisters! Take a moment and ask yourself what are you proud of. Are you an Ally? Do you celebrate love? Then you’re celebrating Pride!
Whether you are celebrating with us or watching from a distance, Pride belongs to all of us who believe that leading with love is the way to live our lives.
ACB Voices 