You know that feeling when you’re young and queer? You’re not completely out to the people in your life, so you hold your love really tightly to your chest so as to not accidentally expose your vulnerable heart to the wrong person? I’d been living like that for about a year before I went to my first Pride. It was the first time I was able to flaunt my queerness without an inch of fear or shame, and it was glorious! For a few hours I was weightless because the closet tends to fall from around you when you’re surrounded by people taking control of their own joy. Suddenly, you have SPACE! If you step forward, you won’t hit a closed door, you’ll be embraced by a community covered in glitter and rainbows. On that sweltering July day, I realised that I was not as alone as I had thought, and I felt so overcome with love for myself and my community. I had to leave the festivities early because I did indeed lie to my mother about where I was going (if anyone asks, I was working hard at my weekend job serving up burgers left and right). But I went home feeling so grateful that I got to bear witness to the bright and bold self-expression of so many people in the LGBTQIA community. If you’re heading to your first Pride this summer, here are some things you should know.