To celebrate Pride is to understand that story. A common misconception is that being transgender is a sexual orientation. It is not. Sexual orientation (gay, straight, bi, etc.) is about who you go to bed with. Gender identity (man, woman, nonbinary) is about who you go to bed as .

That is a universal human truth. Whether you are a gay man in a small town, a lesbian grandmother, or a nonbinary teenager—we all want the freedom to define ourselves.

This Pride month, when you see the rainbow, don't just see a party. See the trans women who bled for that flag. See the struggle for gender-affirming care. And see a culture that is only as strong as its most vulnerable member.