In part one of our Reflections of Fierté Montreal Pride 2019, we heard from the winner of the “Trip for Two to Fierté Montreal Pride 2019” and shared images of the weekend by Samantha Lauzon.
In today’s post, part two, Samantha asked a number of the performers and a few attendees, “What does Pride mean to you?” and, “If you had a message to your younger, queer self, what would it be?”
What does Pride mean to you?
“Pride is synonymous with hope.”
“Being proud means not being ashamed.”
“Pride is about belonging.”
“Pride is about being honestly who you are without fear.”
GGN Publisher, Shaun Proulx reminds us that we must be proud of who we are. We need to remember those who came before us, who refused to not be their authentic selves. We can’t take for granted these freedoms some of us enjoy, like the freedom to hold hands in public or kiss our lover or partner openly.
Shaun’s message to his younger self:
“You are perfect the way you are. You are worthy, you belong and everything is going to be okay.”
GGN Editor, Darren Stehle’s (yours truly) message to his younger self:
“Just take the risk and not be afraid to be who you are. The shame that you may have felt is not your fault. That’s the conditioning of the status quo that made you believe that something was wrong with you – which is absolute bullshit. The more challenging it is to believe this, the more you are on the verge of living your authentic self.”
Video by Samantha Lauzon.
Samantha Lauzon is a social media personality and porn star. When she’s not teaching people how to cook on her YouTube channel she’s a tireless activist for change within the Trans community, giving a voice to Sex Workers and Non-Sex workers alike. She talks openly about addiction and mental health in the hope to #EndTheStigma.
You can find her family-friendly content by using @SamanthaLauzon across most major Social Media platforms including Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube.
