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These days, LGBTQIA+ identities are often pulled into headlines, hashtags, and heated debates. Conversations that should centre compassion can become polarising, reduced to points of conflict in a culture war. But at mindhamok, we want to step away from the noise for a moment.
If we can… let’s pause the politics, and instead, talk about people.
Pride Month invites celebration, reflection, and connection. But beyond the rainbow flags and vibrant parades, Pride is also a deeply personal journey. It’s a chance to lean into the question: Who am I?
At mindhamok, we believe identity is less about finding a fixed answer and more about learning to ask honest, open-hearted questions. This Pride Month, we want to explore what it means to be curious… about yourself, about others, and about the many possibilities that identity can hold.
Identity as a journey, not a destination…
We often feel pressure to “figure ourselves out.” To land on the right label, the right pronouns, the right community, as if identity is a box to tick rather than a path to walk.
But identity is not a final form. It’s a living, evolving part of you. Curiosity allows us to move through this process with less fear and more freedom. It invites us to explore who we are without judgment. To try things on. To outgrow them. To ask better questions, and maybe even change our minds.
This approach isn’t just freeing. It’s kind of human.
Curiosity over certainty…
In a world that often demands certainty, curiosity is a quiet rebellion. It asks us to hold space for not knowing and to meet that space with kindness.
You don’t need all the answers to belong in the LGBTQ+ community. You don’t need a perfect coming-out story, or to rush into a label that doesn’t quite fit. You just need to be willing to wonder.
And that wondering? That’s a kind of pride too.
Compassion starts with you…
Curiosity doesn’t mean pressure. It means permission. Permission to be gentle with yourself when things feel confusing. To forgive yourself for not having it all figured out. To sit with discomfort and meet it with compassion instead of critique.
So often, we show kindness to others while judging ourselves harshly. But the same warmth you’d offer a friend? You deserve that too.
If you’re in a moment of questioning, try swapping self-doubt with self-curiosity. Instead of “What’s wrong with me?” ask, “What might I need right now?” or “What am I learning about myself?”
Being curious together…
Compassionate curiosity also extends outward to the people around us who are figuring out who they are too. When we approach one another with openness instead of assumptions, we create a culture where exploration is safe and shame-free.
You don’t have to fully understand someone else’s experience to respect it. You just have to be willing to listen. Pride Month is a great time to do exactly that.
Read our blog on leading with compassion.
Top Tips from mindhamok…
Here are our top tips for embracing Pride as a journey of self-discovery and compassionate curiosity:
- Lean into questions, not labels
“Labels can be empowering, but they’re not the destination. Let yourself ask, explore, and even redefine who you are. It’s okay not to have all the answers.” - Be gentle with yourself
“Confusion is not failure. It’s part of the process. Meet yourself with the same kindness you’d offer a friend in a moment of uncertainty.” - Make space for others’ journeys
“Listen more than you speak. Respect over understanding. We don’t need to ‘get it’ to honour someone’s truth.” - Celebrate becoming, not just being
“Pride is not just about being out… it’s about becoming more fully yourself, whatever that looks like today.” - Curiosity is a superpower
“In a world pushing certainty, curiosity gives us room to grow. Wondering is courageous. It opens the door to deeper connection, with ourselves and others.”
Remember that…
“Curiosity is an act of self-respect. It allows you to evolve freely, to live truthfully, and to hold space for your whole, beautiful self.”
There’s no one way to be you…
Whether you’re out, questioning, exploring, or simply curious, your identity is valid just as it is. You are allowed to change. You are allowed to take your time. You are allowed to not know.
Pride isn’t just a celebration of who we are. It’s a celebration of becoming. And becoming takes time, courage, and community.
At mindhamok, we’re here for all of it. So put your mind in a hammock and let’s get curious.
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