21 of our favorite responses from Capital Pride
This past weekend, Iona set up a table at the Capital Pride Festival to display our pride for the fourth year in a row. We handed out buttons and resources, chatted with festival-goers, and asked people what advice they would give to their younger selves. Attendees wrote answers on index cards and pinned to our booth’s banner and poster boards.
We received an overwhelming 400 responses! Here are some of our favorites.
What advice do you have for your younger self?
1. Don’t be afraid to be yourself!
2. It really does get better.
3. Your experiences and struggles are VALID and you deserve the help you need.
4. Max out your 401k ASAP. Vacations await!
5. Lesbian isn’t a bad word!
6. Pride is still something worth fighting for!
7. If you’ve ever googled “are you gay if…”, you’re probably gay.
8. Just let stuff go.
9. Take care of your body and spirit.
10. You will leave Oklahoma!
11. Follow your heart and please listen!
12. It’s okay to love and be loved.
13. You’re going to find your people!
14. Honey, you can pull it off!
15. Don’t worry, Mom is still gonna love you.
16. Don’t take it all so seriously!
17. Come out sooner.
18. It’s okay to not know exactly how you identify right away.
19. Tackle hard things one step at a time! You can do it!
20. It doesn’t have to happen the way you planned it for it to be fun.
21. You are not broken!
Do you have advice for your younger self? Leave a comment below!