A fic-style Pride celebration! This is a side story for my Simstagram account for Caleb Vatore, living in San Myshuno with his sister Lilith and boyfriend Johnny Zest. They're all in their early-mid 20s (Caleb and Lilith were turned quite recently - only four years earlier, when they were nineteen). He's working as a Trend Setter (style columnist at Parasol magazine) and does social media, and he and Lilith have recently become close to Morgyn Ember (very close, in Lilith's case!).
Unfortunately, I can't share the link to the account because of some adult content. Still, this post is forum-safe - enjoy!
('Overheard' format inspired by @sunblond , thank you!)
Scenes from San Myshuno Pride 2018
Saturday 30 June, 2018
Myshuno Meadows, San Myshuno
Excerpt from commencement speech by San Myshuno mayor, Maryam Asayli
"This Pride, now more than ever, we remember and recognise the pioneers that lead to this moment. For those no longer with us, we remember their fight and applaud their courage. We acknowledge the bigotries of the past and the future they gave us. We recognise the struggles and sacrifices, and we grieve those taken from us too soon.
For those here today, we welcome you and thank you for everything you've done, for every hard-fought right. We remember and acknowledge your struggles, and we hope you are able to celebrate today as your day, and our glorious rainbow community's day."
Excerpt from Parasol magazine's Pride Sparkles in the Park by Caleb Vatore
...not my first Pride, but the sights and sounds strike me every time. Pride is an expression of the self, an opportunity to show the world who you are. This isn't a perfect world, and there can often be an undercurrent of fear in being yourself - even in San Myshuno, one of the most progressive cities in the United SimNation!
Pride lets us be ourselves. For myself (bi trans man), my sister L (aromantic pansexual), my boyfriend J (gay), and our friend M (nonbinary pansexual), and for everyone around us, we can let our true colours fly.
https://i.imgur.com/0IziN6f.png
In this article, I'll be showing off the looks and stories that make our queer community amazing...
Overheard, Brent Hecking
"Mm-hmm, it'll be our third anniversary in September. Early fall in Brindleton Bay was just the most glorious time to have a wedding, you know? Oh, the colours! Oh haha, no, we don't really get confused. At home we mostly call each other Big B and Little B. Not that I'm that little, haha! I'd say I'm a solid Twunk, and Big B - Brant, I mean - is Otter leaning to Bear?"
Excerpt from Parasol magazine's Pride Sparkles in the Park by Caleb Vatore
"Polyamory is ethical non-monogamy," Eva describes, gesturing to herself and her three lovers - Jade, Marcus, and Paolo. "It's definitely not cheating! We all love each other, and we're the core of our polycule - a poly molecule - and then others can come and go as life goes on. The key is communication and trust and love!"
https://i.imgur.com/zngeLZf.png
Overheard, Paolo Rocca, Caleb Vatore, and Morgyn Ember
PR: "...so yeah, we just kind of fell in together. Me and Eva started out in high school, then Jade showed up in our last year, then Marcus. I mean, you were nearly with us too, right, Caleb?"
CV: "Right! Heh, I actually had my first time with Paolo and Eva!" (The sound of a high five between Paolo and Caleb.) "And we're still all friends, so it's pretty cool."
ME: "Ah! It sounds like it was a good experience for you all..."
https://i.imgur.com/Zey2JlW.png
Overheard, Lia Hauata, Morgyn Ember, Lilith Vatore, and Caleb Vatore
LH: "Hey, Professor Ember! Wow, that is some outfit!"
ME: "Ha, you should have seen some of the things I wore in the sixties. Lia, this is Lilith, a friend of mine. Lilith, Lia is one of my students at the Academie. She hails from Sulani."
LV: "Hey, nice to meet you! You been to San My Pride before?"
LH: "Mm-hmm, last year. Wouldn't miss it! Hey, can you take a picture of me and the professor?"
LV: "Oh, sure!"
CV: "Ooh, when you're done, can I borrow your flag for a hot second?"
https://i.imgur.com/STcviBE.png
Images from Caleb Vatore's photo roll
https://i.imgur.com/9rC8iPE.png
Excerpt from Parasol magazine's Pride Sparkles in the Park by Caleb Vatore
The concept of being queer isn't just for the four letters that make up 'LGBT', though. Over the years, the acronym has expanded as it's acknowledged those who have always been a part of the community, but who we've only relatively recently had the vocabulary to describe. Asexuals, for instance, were listed along with lesbians and bisexuals as early as 1970.
"People claim that ace people are some modern phenomena and that calling ourselves queer is invading a space," says Yuki Behr (demiromantic, asexual, and genderqueer). "Which is totally fake, because we've literally always been here. Yeah, you might not have heard the words 'demiromantic' or 'genderqueer' being used in the earliest days of the queer rights movements, but we were still there. And so were the asexuals!"
https://i.imgur.com/dPAfzJy.png
Overheard, Candy Behr and Lilith Vatore
CB: "Heeeey, gorgeous! Looking hot!"
LV: "Hey, Cands! You look great - you doing a set tonight?"
CB: "I'm the headliner! Selfie and a kiss for old time's sake?"
LV: "Ooh, let's see, do I really want to kiss a gorgeous woman... haha, c'mere!"
https://i.imgur.com/xpOI0xb.png
Excerpt from Parasol magazine's Pride Sparkles in the Park by Caleb Vatore
...and public faces are becoming increasingly common amongst the community. While many of my readers know of my boyfriend J's wild success in the comedy industry, media personalities of all stripes (including some fetching rainbow ones!) are here to show their pride.
While artists everywhere live in fear of critic Diego Lobo's sometimes-harsh eye, his boyfriend, stylist Izzy Fabulous, has no such issue.
"Babe, he's a puppy at home," Izzy promises, eliciting a laugh from Diego.
"Hey, hey, I have a reputation to keep!" he teases. "But really, I don't see it as any kind of conflict. As a critic, I share my true thoughts on people's works, whatever that may be. As a boyfriend, I share my true thoughts and feelings as well. The person you see before you is what you get!"
https://i.imgur.com/Olcw3xz.png
Overheard, Oliana Ngata, Yasemin Tinker, Tane Ngata, and Olive Tinker
ON: "Yeah. Flight wasn't too bad. Tane got a bit of a headache from the altitude changes, though, poor kiddo."
YT: "Oooh. Our Olive is a pretty good traveller, but we were just coming by train. Evergreen Harbour is a bit easier to get to from here!"
ON: "Man, right? Wouldn't give up the island for anything, but getting anywhere is a pain in the a-- hey, kids. Tane, you and Olive getting along?"
TN: "Uh huh! We traded some Voidcritter cards!"
OT: "Mm-hmm! I swapped my other Suintor for Arcticorn, now I have all the Water cards!"
Excerpt from Parasol magazine's Pride Sparkles in the Park by Caleb Vatore
...and while it can sometimes be intimidating to newcomers, being accompanied by more experienced friends can help smooth the way, as it is for sisters L and H (initials used by request).
"My sister and I were raised in an emotionally abusive household," L explains steadily, and touches one of her butterfly earrings. "She wasn't allowed to express her gender, and I wasn't allowed to express my sexuality. So we're wearing these earrings to spread awareness for abuse survivors. I don't think I'd be here if it wasn't for S."
S, a three-times veteran of Pride at eighteen years of age, nods and squeezes L's hand. "They've both had to overcome a lot of bad stuff that's been kind of... internalised a bunch. L lives with me and C and we see H almost every day, and I'm just... super glad they're both starting to heal."
H smiles carefully, brushing back her shoulder-length hair. "Being able to be ourselves is the most valuable thing. I've started going to culinary school, I can grow out my hair without being called slurs by our father and younger brother, I can present as femme as I want. It's been liberating."
https://i.imgur.com/rKpQmcg.png
Overheard, Caleb Vatore and H Villareal
CV: "So you're still working out a name?"
HV: "Yeah. Nothing really feels right yet. I've been one thing for so long that it's just... this big mental adjustment."
CV: "Watcher, yeah. I was lucky that I was pretty little when I transitioned. So like, I've been Caleb way longer than I ever was Rose. I can give you some resources, if you want?"
HV: "Thanks. Next Upper Crusts meeting? Mila's been talking about this chocolate-hazelnut torte that I'm like, drooling over..."
Overheard, Morgyn Ember, Cassandra Goth, and Johnny Zest
ME: "Ah! Cassandra!"
CG: "Hello, Morgyn! Wow, you look different."
ME: "Haha, Lia said much the same thing. That's a wonderful dress! Johnny, this is Cassandra Goth, eldest daughter of my apprentice, Bella -"
JZ: "Hey, we've met, I think! My Dad and your Mum were at a work thing and I babysat you and Sofia?"
CG: "Oh, yes, I thought you looked familiar! And not just because of the TV!"
JZ: "Nice. Small world."
ME: "It is indeed. I've known Cassandra since she was born. Watcher, I've known her father since he was born..."
JZ, laughing: "...Man, you're old."
ME: "Mm-hmm! Cassandra, may I take a photograph? I want to see if I can work some inspiration from your outfit, I love the way that lace falls..."
CG: "Of course! Also, when you see Mum, tell her that I got the Britechester information?"
ME: "I will. Smile!"
CG: "...Do I have to?"
(Laughter.)
https://i.imgur.com/QvwNhoZ.png
Excerpt from Parasol magazine's Pride Sparkles in the Park by Caleb Vatore
But not everyone goes for bright, dramatic displays - Pride doesn't mean going all-out just to be yourself. One more subdued couple are Ulrike Faust-Haas and Maaike Haas-Faust, a married couple who show up in (more or less) their regular clothes. While they do have small pride flags, they see them solely as accessories rather than entire identities.
"We're Ulrike and Maaike, first and foremost," Ulrike explains. "Yes, I'm a bisexual trans woman. I'm also an artist, a goth, a former wild child, a perfectionist, a fan of Odder Things, indie music, and orange blossom tea, a wife, and a human!"
https://i.imgur.com/vEhYpzM.png
Images from Caleb Vatore's photo roll
https://i.imgur.com/EqjOTtm.png
https://i.imgur.com/M8GssVV.png
https://i.imgur.com/fSULrJ6.png
Excerpt from Parasol magazine's Pride Sparkles in the Park by Caleb Vatore
In the end, there's no one right way to celebrate Pride. You can bedeck yourself in glitter and sequins, put the 'loud' in 'loud and proud', or you can dress as you normally are. You can celebrate with lovers, spouses, friends, family. Party all night or go home to bed early.
Pride is for everyone, for our entire glorious rainbow community. Gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual. Aspec people in every form. Trans or cis, binary or nonbinary, no gender, some genders, all the genders. Polyamorous or monogamous, first-timers or old hands, young and old, all races and colours, all lifestates, all faiths and creeds.
Pride, in the end, is about us, and for us.
Happy Pride, San Myshuno. Happy Pride, everyone.
Overheard, Caleb Vatore and Johnny Zest
CV: "Yeah, see you at home. Enjoy Candy's set! Tell her I say hi! Looks like it's just you and me, huh?"
JZ: "Yeah, haha. You okay with not going to watch the set?"
CV: "Mm-hmm. I'm a bit socialed out."
JZ: "Aww. Too socialed out for kisses?"
CV: "Please. I'm never too socialised out for kisses. Hey."
JZ: "Mm?"
CV: "Love you."
JZ: "Love you too. Happy Pride, Cay."
CV: "Happy Pride, Johnny. Let's go home."
Images from Caleb Vatore's photo roll
https://i.imgur.com/mljFCbh.png
https://i.imgur.com/xYjvHd1.png
