Unlike last year in which I was unable to attend the pride parade because I had to work and lived too far away, this summer I will be living in DC because of an internship. The internship gives me the weekends off so I will be free to attend the pride parade for the first time. But since I don't really know any other gay people (I'm out to like 20 people, but most of them wouldn't be caught dead at a pride parade), would I even have a good time if I went by myself? I'm trying to work my way into the gay community (hence the desire to attend the parade in the first place), but as an introverted person I don't really think I can just show up and instantly make friends. Thoughts on what I should do?
You should go. I know it will be hard and rather awkward, but try this on for size. My company is a huge supporter of the LGBT community and will be participating in the parade. They offered free t-shirts to those who plan on attending and I took them up on the offer. I'm going and it will be amongst work colleagues that I either don't really know that well or at all. So essentially I will be going to the parade and outing myself to work colleagues. I'm nervous as hell, but I know that it will not kill me to put myself way, way outside of my comfort zone. I hope that going will aid in me making more progress through this journey. You can't learn to embrace yourself if you don't even try. Go. It will be ok, even if it takes you some time to actually feel that way.
I say 'just go'! I've went to Pride multiple times (the festival part, not the parade), and always done it alone... I'm not out (so ofcourse there was the 'what if someone finds out'), and on top of that am sorta shy & socially awkard (..and before I went the first time I also wasn't sure about going to an event like that alone / and how I'd do being in a crowd alone.) So yeah I was nervous before going the first time, but those feelings of nervousness just vanished once I arrived, even the feelings about 'going alone' and 'crowds' were just gone I felt totally at ease, basically like I fit in/belonged there .. was really a pretty cool feeling.
I will most likely be going to the DC pride alone. I say go for it. Whats the worst that can happen, you have a good time?
I went to a Pride festival last weekend. Technically I guess I didn't go alone since I was meeting up with a group I'm part of online, but I did meet 2 people that got pulled into our group that were there alone. So yeah, go. Enjoy.
Go! There's still tons of great pamphlets on LGBT clubs and issues. I was by myself most of the time when my men's groups from the center wasn't around. Plenty of books, flags, necklaces etc. to buy. Even if you don't march in the parade, go to the festival to get queer stuff.
Ehh, I went with my friend once to pride. I wouldn't say it's weird to go alone (and who cares if people think it's weird??), but it's not something I could see myself going to alone. Pride, to me, is something where the level of enjoyment I would get out of it really depends on who I am with. I'm very introverted and shy with a lot of added social anxiety, so I'd probably feel more alone in a crowd of people I don't know, and wouldn't meet anyone. The times that me and my friend got separated for a bit and I was alone were pretty awkward. The perverts were more likely to try to talk to you which was uncomfortable and there wasn't a ton to do by myself that I found enjoyable. However, if you've never been it might be an experience that is worth having. While I didn't have an amazing time, it wasn't too bad overall and was a worthwhile experience.
Go! If you are thinking about doing it, then do it! It'll make you feel so much better just knowing that you wanted to do something and even though there was nobody to go with, you still got to go!
