You Belong Here

by Mark F | Jun 1, 2026 | Uncategorized

Celebrating Pride at Fibromyalgia Friends Together

June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, honour those who fought for the rights many enjoy today, and recommit to building a world where everyone can be themselves without fear.

At Fibromyalgia Friends Together, we know something about what it means to be seen, believed, and accepted. So this month, we wanted to take a moment to celebrate Pride from where we stand as a community built on understanding.

Two experiences that often overlap

Living with fibromyalgia and being part of the LGBTQ+ community can carry a surprisingly similar weight. Both can mean carrying something other people can’t always see. Both can mean explaining yourself, being doubted, or bracing for how others might react before you’ve said a word.

For people who live with both, those experiences don’t sit side by side — they overlap. Navigating healthcare can feel harder when you worry about being judged. Finding spaces where you’re fully accepted, exactly as you are, can take more searching. And the exhaustion of constantly advocating for yourself is something many in our community know all too well.

That’s exactly why community matters so much.

What Pride and our community share

At its heart, Pride is about a simple, powerful idea: you don’t have to hide who you are to be worthy of respect, care, and belonging. That’s a message that resonates deeply here.

Whether it’s an invisible illness or an invisible part of your identity, the longing to be believed and welcomed is universal. The relief of finding people who get it — who don’t need you to perform, explain, or justify yourself — is one of the most healing things there is.

That sense of belonging is what we try to offer every single member, all year round.

“As Chair of Fibromyalgia Friends Together, and as someone who is both part of the LGBTQIA+ community and living with fibromyalgia, this month means a great deal to me. I know what it is to carry things others can’t see, and to long for a place where you don’t have to explain or apologise for who you are. That’s the community I want us to be, one where every part of you is welcome. To anyone reading this who has ever felt unseen: you belong here, and we’re proud to have you with us.”

Mark, Chair, Fibromyalgia Friends Together

A space for all of you

You are welcome here as your whole self. Your fibromyalgia is part of your story, and so is everything else that makes you you, your identity, who you love, and how you move through the world.

This Pride Month, and every month, our promise is the same: this is a place where you don’t have to leave any part of yourself at the door.

Looking after yourself this Pride season

Pride can be joyful, but celebrations, busy events, and big emotions can also take a toll — especially when fatigue and pain are part of daily life. A few gentle reminders:

• Rest is not giving up. Pacing yourself so you can enjoy what matters most is a form of strength, not weakness.
• You set the terms. You can celebrate quietly, loudly, in person, online, or not at all. There’s no single right way to mark Pride.
• Reach out if you need to. Whether you’re celebrating, struggling, or somewhere in between, you don’t have to do it alone.

Happy Pride 🌈

To every member of our community who is part of the LGBTQ+ family, and to everyone who stands alongside them: we see you, we believe you, and we are so glad you’re here.

Happy Pride Month from all of us at Fibromyalgia Friends Together.