When I was about 23, I had a phone conversation with my mom that I’ll never forget.
I remember being surprised to see her number show up on my call display as she’s never been much of a phone person, but as I’d gone through a bad breakup about 6 months prior (my choice), my parents had been checking in on me more regularly so I didn’t give it much thought.
I was in a good place in my life and had been casually dating a couple of guys, but decided I needed some time on my own to find myself and figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I’ve always been a serial monogamist, and I was enjoying a bit of freedom, and I guess my mom didn’t know what to make of this new version of me.
She started asking about the guy I had recently been seeing and why I had decided to end things, and after I gave her my speech about needing time to find myself, she paused before saying something like, ‘well, that’s why I was calling.’
Bracing myself for criticism, I remained silent, but I was pleasantly surprised with the words that followed. She said, ‘I’ve been talking with your dad, and I just wanted you to know that if you prefer girls to boys, it won’t change anything. We’ll still love you. You know that, right?’
My mom has a way of ruffling my feathers, but that conversation was heartfelt and unlike any other discussion we’ve ever had. Her words were so genuine, and when we hung up the phone a few minutes later, I’m pretty sure I heard regret in her voice when she realized we wouldn’t be participating in Pride that year.
I remember that conversation every single year as Toronto comes together to celebrate Pride, and it always makes me smile. I’m so grateful I’m raising my daughter at a time when diversity is celebrated, and as she gets older, I hope she knows that her dad and I will celebrate, accept, and welcome whomever she falls in love with into our little family.
Love is love is love is love, and I’m excited to share 19 of my favorite LGBTQ quotes!
What Does LGBTQ Mean?
For those of you who aren’t aware, the acronym LGBTQ stands for:
Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer/Questioning.
Not entirely sure what each of those really mean? You’re not alone. While many people are familiar with the most common gender identities and sexual orientations, there are many more that fall under the LGBTQ umbrella. Here’s a short breakdown:
- Lesbian: Homosexual woman
- Gay: Homosexual person (usually a man, but sometimes lesbians use the term ‘gay’ to describe themselves, so this tends to be a more broad term)
- Bisexual: Someone who is attracted to both sexes
- Transgender: Someone who has a different gender identity than the sex they were born as
- Queer: An umbrella term for anyone who falls on the LGBTQ spectrum. ‘Queer’ is purposefully vague and ambiguous, providing a sense of community instead of focusing on a specific label or orientation (lesbian, bisexual, etc.).
- Questioning: A term used to describe those who are exploring what their gender, sexual identity, and sexual orientation are.
It’s important to note that these are not the only gender orientations and sexual identities that fall under the LGBTQ umbrella. This acronym continues to evolve over time to include people who identify themselves as pansexual (people who are attracted to all gender identities), gender-neutral (people who do not like to be identified as a particular gender), and asexual (people who experience little to no sexual attraction). Again, this is not an exhaustive list, but helps explain that there are many different ways people identify their gender and sexual orientation.
19 LGBTQ Quotes to Inspire You
I have been collecting quotes for as long as I can remember. When I was younger, I had a notebook I wrote all of my favorite quotes in, and whenever I had a bad day at work or was going through a tough time, I’d crank some tunes, pour myself some wine, and search for inspirational quotes online. I always found it therapeutic.
If you’re looking for meaningful LGBTQ quotes to inspire you, here are 19 of my favorites!
‘I hate the word homophobia. It’s not a phobia. You’re not scared. You’re an asshole.’
-Morgan Freeman
‘Love is never wrong.’
-Melissa Etheridge
‘There’s nothing wrong with you. There’s a lot wrong with the world you live in.’
-Chris Colfer
‘To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.’
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
‘I believe that gender is something between your ears, not between your legs.’
-Chaz Bono
‘Openness may not completely disarm prejudice, but it’s a good place to start.’
-Jason Collins
‘If Harry Potter taught us anything it’s that no one should live in a closet.
-J.K. Rowling
‘To be afraid is to behave as if the truth were not true.’
-Bayard Rustin
‘When all Americans are treated as equal, no matter who they are or whom they love, we are all more free.’
-Barack Obama
‘Being gay is like glitter, it never goes away.’
-Lady Gaga
‘Love is too beautiful to be hidden in the closet.’
-Unknown
‘When you reduce life to black and white you never see rainbows.’
-Unknown
‘You don’t have to live a lie. Living a lie will mess you up. It will send you into depression. It will warp your values.’
-Gilbert Baker
‘It takes some intelligence and insight to figure out you’re gay and then a tremendous amount of balls to live it and live it proudly.’
-Jason Bateman
‘I learned compassion from being discriminated against. Everything bad that’s ever happened to me has taught me compassion.’
-Ellen DeGeneres
‘I’ve never been interested in being invisible and erased.’
-Laverne Cox
‘All young people, regardless of their sexual orientation or identity, deserve a safe and supportive environment in which to achieve their full potential.’
-Harvey Milk
‘One day we won’t have to ‘come out of the closet.’ We’ll just say we are in love and that will be all that matters.’
-Unknown
‘Being gay is natural. Hating gay is a lifestyle choice.’
-John Fugelsang
I hope these LGBTQ quotes moved you as much as they moved me!
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