Welcome to Be Proud Designs!
Your go-to destination for bold, funny, and fearless t-shirts that say exactly what you're thinking (even if it's a little salty). We believe your clothes should speak for you, spark a smile, and show off your personality without saying a word. Our designs are all about self-expression—whether that means sarcasm, pride, humor, or just being unapologetically you.
Every design is created with thought, attitude, and a whole lot of heart. We’re here for the loud laughers, the quiet rebels, the proud weirdos, and everyone in between. No matter what you stand for—or stand against—you’ll find something here that fits your vibe.
So throw on a tee that tells your story.
Be bold. Be funny. Be proud.
My name is Scott, and I am a proud gay U.S. Navy veteran. I now call Minnesota home, but my story begins in Michigan.
For most of my life, I carried a truth I never fully understood. When I was 15, I stumbled upon my adoption papers. Seeing them in black and white shook me, but I never asked my mother about them.
It wasn’t until a few years ago that I finally found the courage to bring it up. I had returned home to help my mother through a difficult situation—one that, as it turned out, she had lied to me about. After all those years of silence, I finally asked her about my adoption. That’s when she told me the truth: she had put me up for adoption because she "had to think about it."
I still don’t know what was worse—hearing those words or realizing how easily she said them.
I also asked her about my father, a man I had never met. I wanted to know why she had no contact with him. Her response cut deep: he had wanted to date her and take care of me, but she simply didn’t want that.
Throughout my life, I also grappled with another painful truth: my family never accepted me for who I am because I’m gay. Their rejection felt like a weight I had to carry alone, compounding the struggle I faced in understanding my worth. I often wondered if my existence was a burden to them, reinforcing the belief that love was conditional, rooted in bloodlines and conformity.
For a long time, I struggled with that knowledge, feeling lost and unworthy. But I’ve learned that our past does not define us—it shapes us, but it does not determine who we become. I choose to stand tall, to embrace who I am, and to share my story, not for pity, but for connection. Because I know I am not alone.