I missed gay Pride this year.

I was busy hanging out with my straight friends. And it was a rainy day. Ok, so the truth is, I just couldn't bring myself to go. I'm sick of going to those sorts of events, and feeling like the ugly duckling. except i'm not a swan, and there's no handsome prince who's gonna come and rescue me from the land of low-self-esteem. maybe i'm an outsider, looking in, but it seems like the gay community expects you to achieve perfection in private, then show off to the outside world. works-in-progress should stay in the closet. maybe everyone in the world isn't as shallow as I feel. whatever the truth, I don't feel like facing the shallow majority.

So, I stayed home, ensuring I wouldn't meet anyone, especially not any guy

Cause that's what pride is all about, really, isn't it? Showing off the fact that you aren't single, to the world?