Proud To Be Us: Celebrating Pride Month With The Vintage Woman Magazine
June is Pride month and we at The Vintage Woman Magazine want to celebrate our amazing LGBTQIA+ staff! Learn what Pride means to some of them below.
Laura Butcher – Assistant Editor
“I have known I was bisexual since I was 14 but have struggled with labelling myself as queer like I’m just not queer enough to be queer. For several years I have felt that Pride is for people who are more queer than I am, that I’m just some cis white lady who’d be better off as an ally. It turns out that plenty of bisexual people feel that way! This has definitely been comforting and it has made dealing with my internalized queer imposter syndrome easier. I am so glad to see more people talking about bi-erasure and internalized biphobia and I hope that it helps someone realize that they are just enough, just as they are. You don’t need to be someone’s idea of queerness to use the label for yourself. Two years ago I wore the bi pride colours to Pride for the first time and it felt really great. I wish that joy for everyone.”
Darian Williams – Advertising & Marketing Manager
“I’m the Advertising and Marketing Manager at The Vintage Woman Magazine and also a freelance advertising, marketing, and talent manager. I’m a fan of all things spooky and travelling with my fiancee.
Pride month to me is a time to honour those who started Pride marches, celebrate how the LGBTQIA+ community and its allies continue to fight for equality, and learn about identities I may not be familiar with.”
Jeordy Raines – Travel & Culture Editor
“Hi! My name is Jeordy, and I am a cis bisexual woman. My preferred pronouns are she/her and I am comfortable with they/them too. For me, bisexuality includes people of all gender expressions. I realized my bisexual identity when I was 19, and it put my whole adolescence into perspective! I came out to my mother and sister during Pride month last year after realizing that I had never spoken to them about it. It had never come up because I am in a hetero-presenting relationship, so I could have left it, but I wanted to share this part of myself with them and I am glad I did!
For me, Pride month is about two things: First, it is about honouring and respecting queer people throughout history, especially our queer foremothers and forefathers who rioted so we can live more freely.
Secondly, Pride is for taking time to be introspective. It’s a time to learn and to proudly share our truest expressions of ourselves. Most of all, Pride month is a time to confront yourself and affirm that you are loved, worthy, and beautiful.”
Dafna Bar-el – Beauty Editor
“I’ve always known that I can be attracted or fall in love with people regardless of gender or physicality, only based on the energy they give off. I also always considered myself an ally of the LGBTQIA+ community, but being in a heterosexual relationship for so long made me not even realize, until very recently, that I belong in this community myself! I now understand that being in a monogamist heterosexual relationship does not cancel your orientation or self-definition as queer.”