I’m taking part in Sweat with Pride again this year to raise funds for the life-saving LGBTTQIA+ organisations who continue to support our rainbow communities in Aotearoa.

This year, I’ve set my sights on raising $2,500. It’s a high goal, but this cause means a lot to me.

It’s taken me a long time to understand and come to terms with my identity – as a lesbian, as an asexual, as someone who is non-binary. It’s been a long and at times confusing journey, and there’s been large portions of it where I’ve felt isolated, and that no one else understood how I was feeling or what I was experiencing.

It has been such an immense relief and privilege to meet others who share those same feelings and experiences, and know that there are whole communities out there filled with people who are like me. I have been so lucky to have people in my life who have been able to point me in the right direction and help me understand who I am.

I’ll be exercising for at least 30 minutes every day this June to raise funds. If you’d like to help me support these causes, I would be so grateful if you could donate and help me reach my fundraising goal – every single dollar counts.