Shaun Ross: What Pride Means To Me

It's been amazing to see the world start to acknowledge the many spectrums of sexual identity. It's interesting to not only engage in the conversation, but to be a part of the movement. With more LGBTQ celebrities coming out, more organizations dedicated to advancing LGBTQ rights, and social media personalities becoming influential within the LGBTQ community, we're creating a platform that inspires people to think differently about our community and see us in ways they hadn't before.

Photography by Eric White

The last few years have been filled with amazing triumphs, from marriage equality to adoption, and more. Campaigns like this give us a greater visibility in the world, but also in our own community.

Photography by Eric White

I pride myself on not subscribing to stereotypes and being true to myself. I've always thought of the word Pride as something that should be more universal--from being proud of your sexuality, your race and simply just being alive--we deserve to feel pride. Too often I see younger LGBTQ people asking "how should I act? "How can I be accepted?" "How do I find love?"

Video by Paul Bui

There is no correct answer to any of these questions, but as long as you put your best foot forward and find love in yourself, inside and out, your pride can help change the world. That love is what Pride means to me.

Shop the Pride Collection at H&M.