Rainbow Bracelets and Pride Shirts

I've never been one to go out of my way to let people know that I was gay. This meant for me, among other things that, Rainbow bracelets and pride shirts weren't my thing.I honestly didn't understand the drive to wear these things. I wouldn't wear jewelry or clothing announcing to the world that I was straight so why now that I am gay?I had an experience today that changed that for me. Last week I posted in r/gaymers about having a hard time knowing when someone is gay or not at this local board game lounge. Someone suggested that I wear a gaymers shirt.Well all of the sudden I had a reason to wear clothing that announced that I was gay in the hope of finding other gay men. However I only found one gay man.Today I was wearing the shirt around the house. For some reason I couldnt get myself to wear it in public. There was this anxiety about wearing the shirt that I couldnt quite kick.I was doing some french phonetics homework until the last minute before class. So I didnt have time to change and decided to just wear the shirt out. What happened surprised me in more than one way.I felt so insecure. I was hunching my shoulders and observant of who I faced with my body. This kind of surprised me because generally I'm a confident person. I figured it was just because I was doing something that just wasnt me.Either way I told my self, "Fuck that. I'm not going to sit here and feel insecure about a stupid ass shirt. " So I made a concious effort to hold my shoulders normally if not over exposing my chest. I made a concerted effort to face my body toward anyone I was talking to.Unexpectedly I felt so free in a way that I hadnt before. This resounding feeling that I am me and I am also gay. This thought kept cycling through my mind, 'I am me and I like dick,''I am me and I like men." Each time amplifying this sense of expanding into myself.This is when I met the gay man that was hidden in me and afraid of what others may say or think or do if I aggressively embraced my sexuality. He stretched into himself with this serene satisfaction.I was enjoying this high and decided to hit the gym right after class instead of later. I strolled into the gym with my chest out and basking in this state of being. Showed up some old rugby friends on the erg. Then I rewarded myself with going to Chipotle. There I ran into my southern baptist aunt. I felt like we were meeting for the first time.Im not ending the day more myself then when I started it. Still with the echoing thoughts, "I am me and I am gay. I like dick and I like physics. I like video games and I like men. I am me in all of my variation and I am also gay."TLDR: I wore a gaymer shirt and discovered a part of myself.