It’s Coming Out Day — which means all us LGBTQIA++ people get to flaunt our flags , clap as others come out, and reminisce about the times we were so deeply in the closet it’s honestly comical how gay we turned out (aka, my exact experience). When I began my coming out journey , it was exclusively about figuring out who and how I love and learning about my deepest self. As I grew up, left school, and dove headfirst into the workforce, I realized that being queer is a whole lot more than rainbows and parades . It’s about navigating discrimination, saying "my other half" instead of "my girlfriend" to avoid awkward confrontations, and laughing along to jokes in interviews about how one day I’ll find a husband.