LGBTQ+ | Coming Out

The Rainbow Is a Symbol of Bravery

Choosing authenticity and hoping that it helps

Stefanie Morejon
Prism & Pen
Published in
5 min readJun 15, 2024

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A photograph of an eye with the reflection of a rainbow on it.
There’s a reason we call it pride. Photo by Harry Quan on Unsplash

Who you’re attracted to and how you interact with others is such a fundamental part of who you are, in your core. In the queer community, however, shame, repression, and inauthenticity run rampant.

We hide, shy away, and hold back. We couch our language and avoid using pronouns to talk about our partner. We constantly evaluate the people we meet, trying to determine if we can be our whole self with them.

We err on the side of caution if we’re not sure.

We hold the times we’ve been burned before ever-present.

Times are changing, but trauma is still tantamount to the queer experience

Imagine trying to navigate your first crush and grappling with your sexuality while being bombarded by messaging telling you that it’s wrong. It’s unnatural. Disgusting. Against god.

Imagine falling in love for the first time, experiencing the intensity and the wonder of it, and not feeling safe enough to share it with the people in your life.

Imagine trying to figure out if somebody at work likes you like that, while also acutely aware that they…

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Prism & Pen
Prism & Pen

Published in Prism & Pen

Amplifying LGBTQ voices through the art of storytelling

Stefanie Morejon
Stefanie Morejon

Written by Stefanie Morejon

Writer. Designer. Linguist. Teacher. Serial Hobbyist. Editor for Intersectionality & Long. Sweet. Valuable. Join me in the rabbit hole at https://smorejon.com