'Pride is like this idea that you're happy with yourself and that you're living for yourself': LGBTQ+ New Yorkers on Pride

storytelling

Throughout this Pride Month, WNYC is spotlighting the diverse experiences of LGBTQ+ New Yorkers. Our Community Partnerships Desk recently sat down with individuals at the Brooklyn Community Pride Center in Crown Heights to explore the challenges, the triumphs, and the meaning of pride in their lives. Brooklyn resident Dani Figueroa shares this story.

The transcript of Dani Figueroa 's story has been lightly edited for clarity.

Dani Figueroa:

I am 24 years old from Brooklyn, New York. I am your local gender-fluid creature. I realized I was queer around like 15, maybe even younger. I was always questioning, like, oh, why could girls do one thing? Why can't boys do one thing? It's so annoying. Like, leave it. Leave it. I can do whatever I want. I love being gender-fluid. I love doing whatever I want.

Believe it or not, a friend had to tell me about it. I was just wondering, dang, sometimes I feel like a girl. Dang, sometimes I feel like a boy. And I was like, well, I guess this is normal behavior. And the friend was trans. They were a trans guy. And they were like, you know, there's a term for that. I was like, what? So they told me. It was liberating. So the sense of like freedom of, like, oh yeah, gender is ridiculous. I got a nice group of like trans people I get to get along with, especially like other Caribbean people, like I'm Puerto Rican, so it's like, nice to know there's other queer Latinos out there. So it's just, like, a sense of camaraderie.

Pride is like this idea that you're happy with yourself and that you're living for yourself without really minding other people's opinions. Cause let's be real, everyone judges everyone. On your first initial reaction is to judge someone. It's a thing. The thing that becomes a problem is if you let your judgment carry despite lack of evidence. Like, oh, if you get new evidence, like, why are you holding on to that? Like, cut out, cut out, cut out. So, just pride in being yourself and pride in knowing that you are a human being and, you are worthy of life and that you have to give the same grace to others, too.

To other young queer kids out there, one, relax. You don't have to find out everything one shot. Like, you could take your time. Do not let someone take your agency away from you. And if they try to, find a way to get it back, no matter what. You have the time to do that, and you are going to live. I hope everyone has a good Pride Month, and just keep being you, okay?