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Power to LGBTQ+ Cosplayers Everywhere

Showing Appreciation to These Cosplayers Who Aren't Afraid to Show Their Pride

By Mark Wesley PritchardPublished 6 years ago 3 min read
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Let Your True Colors Shine Through.

June is the start of Pride Month and it's an important month for the LGBTQ community. Pride Month is celebrated every year in June to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots. It was a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. Today, there are countless celebrations, parades, parties, workshops, and so forth that attract millions of people worldwide. I'm honoring this month by showing some love to my fellow LGBTQ+ cosplayers who I currently follow online or met in person. They deserve so much credit for inspiring others that they can be themselves. We go through the same things as everyone else, because we're not perfect.

I have been out of the closet for over six years and never regretted doing it at all. Even though I've lost many friends, family, and relatives, there were other people who stood by my side. There's nothing wrong with being yourself and if people can't accept you, then that's their loss. You can't please everyone and as the old saying goes: misery loves company. All you can do is surround yourself with people who love and accept you. I have told this to my followers many times before: not everyone means you well and not everyone is meant to stay in your life. It's okay to cut people out of your life, whether they are related to you or not. It took me about five years to do just that. I couldn't deal with the constant disrespect from some of my friends, family, and relatives.

Being an out cosplayer has taught me a few things in life, such as always being kind to one another. It's not about having a number of follows or likes on social media. At the end of the day, treating others with dignity and respect is important to me. Also, being humble comes a long way. If you're not humble, then you aren't appreciative of everything and everybody. I'm thankful and grateful to have made so many friends at conventions and to be able to follow them on social media. A majority of them have been friends with me since. I've been featured on numerous pages online, so it's amazing that people are showing me love. This month, I choose to celebrate love and happiness.

To all LGBTQ+ cosplayers everywhere: never forget who you are. Don't allow hate and bigotry to ruin your lives. Sure, there will be people who will treat you unfairly, but always hold your head up high and not worry about the naysayers. You know yourself more than anyone else. Be the rainbow for those who are unable to speak or stand up for themselves. Also be a friend to someone who is feeling down or lonely. Feel free to follow me on social media. I'm always open to making new friends and getting to know people.

I'll leave you with some quotes from some well-known LGBTQ figures, allies, and celebrities:

"Burst down those closet doors once for all, and stand up and start to fight." - Harvey Milk

"If anybody can find someone to love them and to help them through this difficult thing that we call life, I support that in any shape or form." - Will Smith

"There's nothing wrong with you. There's a lot wrong with the world we live in." - Chris Colfer

"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite." - Nelson Mandela

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About the Creator

Mark Wesley Pritchard

Award-winning cosplayer, cosplay model, influencer, retro gaming fanatic, die-hard Texas Rangers fan, and nostalgic freak. Need I say more?

Threads: @thecosplayerfromtexas

Instagram: @thecosplayerfromtexas

TikTok: @thecosplayerfromtexas

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