Why I’m Sweating with Pride

Sweat with Pride does so much for so many and I look forward to it every year, and I have since the very first year. While I may not be the most successful in terms of money raised, I feel a sense of success in any kind of impact I am able to make. 

I do it for my queer elders who fought for what I have now. I do it for the queer youth, to protect their future. I do it for the teens in my community who had their little gay out cancelled because of threats. I do it for my friends, my chosen family, who are anxious about what the current state of world politics holds in store for LGBTQIA+ people. And I do it for myself. For little me who had no idea that I would want anything other than a prince, for teen me who heard ‘gay’ thrown around as an insult so casually, and for future me, hoping that tomorrow will be better. I do it for a sense of fun, community, achievement. I do it for the pride in who I am. 

Donate to my Sweat With Pride fundraising and support Burnett Foundation Aotearoa to fund projects in partnership with RainbowYOUTH, OutLine, and InsideOUT.