As part of the #BeYourself campaign we have reached out to the LGBT+ community and asked various people to write about being your true self and embracing who you are. We hope that our campaign will amplify our voices and our writers’ courageous actions have the potential to inspire, inform and encourage others to be true to themselves and embrace their own uniqueness. Natalie shares her thoughts below, and hopefully her words may inspire other Lesbians to be themselves and be proud of who they are.
Be yourself, be out, be proud, but most importantly, be a light for those who have no other choice but to live in the dark.
I’m from that inbetween generation, an 80’s baby a 2000’s teenager. Between boom and bust, between the illegality of homosexuality to the legalization of same sex marriages.
The true inbetween generation. I can live loud and proud and I do. I do it because there are so many people that no matter their sexuality or gender identity. If they are on the spectrum or if they’re non binary, I want to be a light for them.
Love and let love; lead by example.
This year I turn 30 and my little sister turned 18
She came out in a spectacularly relaxed fashion 3 years ago.
When I was 15 I was depressed, suicidal and lonely.
I told myself I could change. I said I’m not gay, and I acted that way for 3 miserable years. That didn’t work, shocker!!
When I eventually came out there was no fall out – it was just accepted.
Every sleepless night, every tear soaked pillow, and every dark thought was worth it.
Worth it because now my baby sister can come to me at 15 and say ‘I like girls’. She can be out and proud in school and at home and it is just the norm.
I like to think she could do that because I lay the foundations and I decided to be me.
Be the light you want to see in the world.
Be brave be proud #BeYourself