On a solo road trip, Connor met Diana and her son for breakfast in Sacramento. They had connected through Stand In Pride West.
“But that short time really made a difference to me.”
ConnorShared in Stand In Pride StoriesMore of Connor’s story +
Connor posted ahead of the trip hoping to meet people, with little supportive family to turn to. Diana and her son showed up and spent the day with Connor.
“We spent the day together and it felt so nice just having someone I could talk to. It may have only been one day and we haven't talked since. But that short time really made a difference to me.”
Wes, Niki & Sarah
A birthday with chosen family.
For Wes, Niki became a big sister and Sarah became a maternal figure and friend. Both helped make Wes’s 31st birthday feel like family.
“That day healed a part of me that I wasn’t sure would ever be healed.”
Wes (they/them)Shared in Stand In Pride CanadaMore of Wes’s story +
In a Mother’s Day post, Wes thanked Niki and Sarah for the ways they show up. That includes weekend grocery trips and helping with the food and candles at a birthday party filled with childhood games.
“Chosen family is out there. Maternal figures exist. And healing of those wounds: It is possible. My life is proof.”
In 2021, Daniel made an offer: if your parents couldn't or wouldn't come to your wedding, he would.
He shared it on TikTok. People responded, and Stand In Pride began.
What started with weddings has grown into a community where LGBTQ+ people can find support and chosen family. Stand In Pride became a nonprofit in 2024.
“We’re not strangers. We’re family that just hasn’t met yet.”
