On a daily basis I wake up and put on a mask to hide parts of myself that aren't always accepted. I hide who I am to make people around me feel comfortable and to protect myself from them. It's been over ten years since I came out and not a day since has been the same. Because of how I look on a number of levels, I get stared at or misgendered nearly daily. It's something that I have grown accustomed to and try to pay little thought to, but I hadn't realized how much it truly affected me until I came to Toronto. People from every background and lifestyle are welcomed and accepted here without pause or question. Not a single person has spared a second glance at me, called me sir or glared at me from across a room. Instead, my people are celebrated. There are flags and paintings of pride all over the city. I'm not afraid to walk down the street. I'm not afraid to be who I am, who I truly am. I'm not frightened to say, yes, I am a lesbian. This city, its people, and it's incredible openness has sincerely affected me on the deepest of levels. I'm scared to come home. Scared that I have to go back to a life of being afraid. I'm just so tired. So thank you Toronto. Thank you for lifting my anxiety, showing your acceptance through not only your residents but even your sidewalks, and making me feel so free. (Go ahead and delete me if any of this offends you, I don't need you or that negativity in my life. I'm not scared of you anymore.) #toronto #lgbtpride #lgbtcommunity #rainbow #nofear #immovinghere #sohappy (at Toronto, Ontario)