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.”
TERF? What’s That?
“…because these people don’t realize that an attack against trans women is an attack against all women.”
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.”
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.”