What was your first experience with Pride?

[AlexBC]

It seems every year that Pride celebrations get bigger and flashier... but some people have no doubt been going to Pride events for a while and remember when it was less so. What was your first - or at least early - experiences with Pride? Have you only gone recently? Have you never gone at all? What was it like?

[IceWitchCiel]

When I was around 16 I found the existence of the acronym and after a year or so before getting to parkview I kinda had a stronger realization on what wasn't connecting for myself and started going to camps once per year held by the Youth Project, when they were held near me, relatively good experiences.

[IceWitchCiel]

I was also in a Pride Parade a couple tikes but the stress and anxiety of all the people, I wouldn't go in it again personally

[AlexBC]

When I was around 16 I found the existence of the acronym and after a year or so before getting to parkview I kinda had a stronger realization on what wasn't connecting for myself and started going to camps once per year held by the Youth Project, when they were held near me, relatively good experiences.

I never actually went to any camps, but it sounds like a cool experience - the Youth Project does a lot of cool work.

I was also in a Pride Parade a couple tikes but the stress and anxiety of all the people, I wouldn't go in it again personally

Also fair, I swear they get bigger every year. I went in the Vancouver one last year and it was torture the whole time. A clusterfuck from beginning to end. xD Complaints were lodged.

[keyo8]

When I moved to Metro Vancouver, one of the first things I did was go to the full Pride parade, the only time I've ever watched it in even close to full, and, while it was way too overwhelmingly busy and hot, I immediately found a bunch of support groups and social groups, some of which I'm still part of, and from there I now I know what my letters in the acronym are.

East Van Pride is much better and I will miss it this year.