“Bathwater”
by: Christopher Labine Jr.
Digital Ink, Size Here
“Over the past six years, since choosing to embark on a career as a professional queer artist, I’ve come to understand the true meaning of “pride.” For much of my life, it was a word I avoided while living in the closet because of everything it seemed to imply. Through my brand, DICKSCOVERIES, and by immersing myself in queer erotic spaces, that word has transformed for me. What once felt uncomfortable and easier to avoid has become something I now carry with genuine pride.
I’ve also come to understand how easy it can be to take for granted the freedom some of us have to celebrate our queerness openly, especially when in many parts of the world simply existing as yourself is still punishable by death. Through the international connections I’ve made, I’ve seen that despite borders, languages, and different lived experiences, our queerness has the power to unite us. That is why I’m so grateful to be nominated to the LA28 Olympics Pride House 40 Under 40 committee, where our role is to help create a safe, discreet space for queer Olympians and fans from around the world to come together during the Games.
I know the word “pride” is often diluted through repetition and corporate glossing, but for me, it still holds weight. The word carries a kind of patriotism within the community, except instead of national pride, it’s a global pride rooted in identity, resilience, and collective belonging that’s built on survival, visibility, and the fundamental right to exist openly and be ourselves. It reminds me of those whose lives were cut short simply because of who they were, and of the responsibility we have to keep showing up, celebrating openly, and making space for those who still cannot.”
