This year the question being passed around is “What does PRIDE mean to you?”

Pride means different things to different people, and that’s ok. That’s the beauty of pride, its all inclusive and there are no rules.

Pride parade is the best day of the year to me. Some people prefer Christmas, or Halloween, their birthday or independence day. To me, it’s the day of the pride parade, the end of pride week. For a week colorful flags have been waving all over the city, people smile more, are more patient and kind. The mood of the city is contagious and every year more and more businesses do concepts for pride week.

This year Friday’s changed their name to “Pridays” and had pride flag effects like flags, blankets and parts of the uniform. All the public transport was adorned with pride flags, cafés, clothing stores and even book stores. Everybody highlights what is colorful and inclusive. And I have never felt that it’s limited to LGBTQ+.

While I may feel like a visitor or foreigner in country fairs or special events, Pride has never made me feel unwelcome even if I’m not lesbian. It’s the one day a year when I can dress up in absolutely anything I want and know that nobody will judge me. I can experiment with my make-up, my hair, tattoos and shoes. I can dance in the street and sing at the top of my lungs. It’s so liberating. I feel so free.

I know many people say that you can do that everyday, it doesn’t have to be limited to just one day a year. But that’s the only day I’m comfortable to act out. The one day that the minority takes over as the majority and nobody bats an eye. And that’s what pride means to me. It’s freedom to be fearless to be exactly who you are. Whoever that may be.