Amidst the scorching summer heat, a shiver ran through my veins. Something in the air told me this is where I belonged.

The first Pride Month event I ever attended was in Nashville back in 2016. It was the first time I’d seen so many queer people and families coming together in one place for one purpose.

Music was playing. Everyone was decked out in rainbows. Together we were smiling, dancing, and rejoicing in being seen and understood.

It opened my eyes to the possibilities of not just tolerance or acceptance but a celebration of queerness by being surrounded by people who felt the same, “We’re here. We’re queer. We’re all in this together.” A weight was lifted off my shoulders that I didn’t even realize I had been carrying until I felt that relief — I’m safe, I belong here. Now Pride Month is a reminder that there’s a place for me everywhere, no matter where I go.

One of my favorite discoveries at Pride in Nashville was other groups of queer gamers. Every few months, one of my friends hosted an LGBTQ+ game night, and anyone and everyone could come — it was an open-door policy. We’d play video games and board games, eat delicious food, have great conversations, and just have a fun time. During those parties, we talked about anything and everything — being a queer gamer, gay marriage, rainbows, and dating — in a comfortable and casual place. It was nice to spend time with giant nerds like me who were queer and knew the same struggles. It felt like home seeing both communities together in one space.

Fun fact — I first met one of my now coworkers through a friend at one of those get-togethers. Being part of this space has directly affected my career journey and helped me be more confident in who I am at work.

The gaming industry has come a long way. There are more games with gay and transgender characters, there are so many queer content creators, and it’s become a much more welcoming and open space. I feel that we’re in a queer renaissance and want to encourage people to tell their stories whether it’s creating a queer story in a game, being an openly queer livestreamer, or writing a book or a film.

I also want to mention that Kongregate is a very queer-friendly place and how grateful I am for that. We’re a game publisher who can say we’re queer-friendly and mean it. We’ve been here awhile, we have been for the queer community and we continue to be. It’s a pleasure to be in a place where every day I can engage with and work with different queer people while working together on our main goal — which is to make games and have fun.

Chais Kalz is a Product Marketing Coordinator at Kongregate. He has been at Kongregate for 2 years and knows all things nerdy from D&D to social deduction games to anime.

Join us this Friday at 10 am PDT to play Passport Rummy & talk Pride Month:

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