What Will October Bring?
“… a man came inside and sat at the bar a few seats away from me. Then, he started talking to a woman next to him …. Now, you know me. I was totally eavesdropping. I had to know …”
Gay as an Insult
“Now, in my big age, I know what I was called is a derogatory term, a slur, that’s meant to hurt. After that day on the bus, I’d see her in the halls at school, sometimes with her boyfriend, but I never spoke to her again.”
I’m Not Fine, and That is Okay
“For a split second, I thought about giving that generic answer, “I’m fine,” but it just didn’t seem right because, quite honestly, I would’ve been lying. I also didn’t feel the need to sugarcoat how I was truly feeling. So, I gave him an honest answer.”
A Taste of Love & Hospitality
“Truthfully, no matter what I was doing or what I looked like, I felt welcomed because that’s the tone they set for me. As a Black queer woman, this is very important to me.”
We All Scream for Ice Cream
“…I chose a double scoop with Butter Brickle, brown butter ice cream with heath toffee chunks, and Ube Cookies and Crème…”
TERF? What’s That?
“…because these people don’t realize that an attack against trans women is an attack against all women.”
How Gay Are You?
“Included in his first book was the Heterosexual-Homosexual Rating Scale, a seven-point scale that Kinsey and his colleagues developed, which is now commonly known as the Kinsey Scale.”
To Be Seen is a Beautiful Thing
“I wasn’t happy to hear about it. It didn’t make me more curious or have the effect one would think it would have…. That’s why it’s so important for the Black LGBTQ+ community to have representation and recognition.”
Coming Out Tips for the Black Youth
“You’ve just done something very brave. You faced the people that you love and told them that you are queer. That’s amazing and scary!”
Pride Isn’t Over Yet
“Although June is over and July is among us, the celebration of Pride is not over yet, especially for us Black queers.”
Let’s Finish Pride Month Strong!
“…there’s still time left. There are many events taking place across the U.S. So, let’s finish this Pride Month strong and on a good note!”
How Does That Make Sense?
“I couldn’t believe my ears. Honestly, I felt like I was in the twilight zone. I’ve been on this earth for a while now, but it was the first time I ever heard this concoction of ignorance.”
Disguised Unacceptance
“‘Do we feel accepted, safe, or seen in the mainstream LGBTQ+ community?’ … all but one answer was the same and similar to my own: No…”
Then I Crawled Out the Closet
“… and his response just killed me. ‘I never would’ve dated you if I knew you were bi.’ I couldn’t believe it.”
I Popped Out of the Closet
“… I wanted to rip the band-aid off because I knew this wasn't a phase for me. So, I did what any zealous teenager would do and popped out of the closet on my folks one night.”