Queer Enough: Pride Month Affirmations to Combat Shame

Happy Pride, y’all! While we have come a long way in the acceptance of LGBTQ+ identifies and fighting for equal rights, Pride is still incredibly crucial for continuing our progression forward. Internalized stigma and shame is still, unfortunately, too common and it has a profoundly harmful impact on mental health.

According to an article about trauma in the LGBTQ+ community, by The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), “As a result of trauma, LGBTQI individuals may turn to negative coping strategies,” including the following:

• Denying/trying to change their sexual orientation

• Avoiding other LGBTQI people

• Suppressing emotions (especially romantic and/or sexual)

• Unsafe and/or reckless sexual activity

• Dependence on alcohol or drug use

• Attempting suicide

While there are several, healthier options to replace the above strategies, I’d like to share affirmations as an easily accessible option for combating related stigma, shame and invalidation. While the idea of repeating mere words to yourself may seem silly, there is significant evidence that consistent use of affirmations can effectively support creating new, healthier beliefs due to neuroplasticity. Thanks, science!

Without further ado, here are a few affirmations to get you started for Pride:

1. My life has meaning beyond what others think of me. 

2. I deserve love without conditions.

3. I will be patient with myself as I learn to accept my own love without conditions. 

4. I am queer enough; my queerness empowers me.

5. Others discomfort with who I am says more about them than it does about me. 

6. I am the expert when it comes to my own experience and identity. 

7. I am allowed to grow and change.

8. I deserve to take up space; I deserve to be listened to. 

9. This is my body and I will treat it with care.

10. I find comfort and freedom in my fluidity. 

11.  I don’t need others to understand me to understand myself. 

12. I am glad I am here; others are glad I am here.

Regardless of what your past experiences have been or how things may be presently, please know that your identity, whatever it may be, is entirely valid. Also, please know that you are definitely not alone.

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Kim Johnson, LMHC, MT-BC, is a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) and board certified music therapist (MT-BC) who graduated with her master’s from Lesley University in 2017. She has experience with adults and adolescents in group private practice and community mental health settings. The levels of care she has worked in are outpatient, with both individual and group therapy and in partial hospital programs for mental health and substance use disorders. Additionally, she has had intensive training in dialectical behavioral therapy and cognitive processing therapy for PTSD.

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