Did you know that Pride is considered one of the Seven Deadly Sins? According to some religious texts it is the deadliest of sins. It is represented by the peacock, an animal considered by most to be vain.

I find this most intriguing.

Those of us who have looked long and hard into the mirror have faced down our inner demons and the judgement of those around us who have challenged us for being different. Like a bird on fire we have “come out” much like the phoenix. If one is to look at the maligned peacock from the spiritual sense–and fire is the element of spirit–one gets a very different perspective:

“You are a person who always comes from a place of honor and integrity. You stand up for your beliefs and you live by them. You have a tendency towards flamboyance at times and enjoy showing your true colors to all those around you. You are completely trustworthy, self-confident and are good at discerning the truth in all matters. You are always willing to walk your talk. You revel in being the center of attention. Those with this totem often gain recognition for their talents and have the potential to be prominent leaders in their chosen field.” (spirit-animals.com/peacock)

Seems that the vaunted sin of Pride turned inside out represents our LGBTQ+ community perfectly. Wouldn’t you agree that one of the many things we’ve become so very good at is reclaiming hurtful labels and reforging them into words of power filled with love? Collectively, we are the flamboyant bird condemned by others as sinful and vain, gloriously reborn through the reforging of our spirits through the fires of bullying, discrimination and hate, into the essence of fierce self-love and acceptance.

Think about that as you wave your rainbow flag excitedly and welcome the world for Pride.

Have a fantastic celebration!

Much love,

Jeff Harrison

Editor-in-Chief of PinkPlayMags

About the Author

Jeff Harrison is going into his 7th year as editor-in-chief of PinkPlayMags and is astounded at how quickly the time has flown by! Ink runs through his veins and if he's not writing, or editing, then he's voraciously reading...or nerding out over a good comic book, or video game.