I'm From Driftwood
The stories on I’m From Driftwood send a simple but powerful message to LGBTQIA+ people everywhere: You are not alone. I’m From Driftwood combats isolation and creates empathy to build a more understanding and accepting world. These are our stories, told in our own voices.
Latest Coming Out Stories
After Hitting Rock Bottom, Trans Person Finds Inspiration in Helping Others. “Not Every Queer Kid Out There Has the Support of Their Families.”
I’m River Francis. I’m from Bar Harbor, Maine. When I was six years old, I saw an episode of Night Court, which featured a trans person. And for the first time I realized that ...
Queer Iraqi Woman Breaks Down the Closet Door. “This Is Not a Way to Live.”
I’m Alaa Wasfie. I’m from Baghdad, Iraq. In 2003, I was 13 years old during the American-Iraqi war. My grandmother wanted us, the entire family, to be together in one house so ...
After Therapist Outs Student To Parents & Turns School Against Her, Trans Teen Finds a Way to Thrive.
I’m Arielle Rebekah. I am from Harrington Park, New Jersey. I struggled with depression my entire life. And when I was 17 years old, I became so depressed that my parents decided...
Queer Black Woman Stops Letting Others Define Her. “I Am Queer. I’m African-American. I’m Very Happy in My Own Skin.”
Hi, I’m Michelle from Austin, Texas. I was here in Austin and applying for the Air Force Academy and West Point, the US Military Academy and was submitting my documentation to th...
After a Nearly Fatal Bout with Depression, Gay Man Learns to “Smile for Yourself” And Live Authentically.
I’m David. I’m from Toronto, Ontario in Canada. Back when I was in high school, I was watching this YouTube video of this YouTuber. He was gay at the time. When I saw his video...
Gay Man Learns to Accept Himself After Reaching Low Point. “No Matter What Happens Now, I’m Comfortable With Who I Am.”
My name is John. I’m from Salt Lake City, Utah. One of the first times I encountered anything to do with LGBT+ issues was when I was 10. I was watching the news with my mother, a...
After Escaping Certain Death in the Middle East, Gay Man Faces New Challenges In America.
It was 2003. It was a hot summer day. I was coming out of my work where I worked with an American company, crossing the bridge, trying to take a cab to go back home after a long da...
With the Flick of a Wrist, Trans Woman Turns a Corner in Her Transition and Decides to Come Out at Work.
My name is Jami Shofner and I’m from Houston. Twenty years ago, which was back in the mid-nineties somewhere, I was doing stand-up comedy as a woman, and I was in a drag show in ...
After Parents Find Scandalous Photos of Men on Phone, Queer Person Decides It’s Time To Leave Home.
Hi. My name’s Tony DiMauro. I live in Manchester, New Hampshire. I grew up in a very Christian household. I was completely homeschooled all the way through high school. The only ...
“Smart Geek Girls” and Gay Comic Book Fanfic Lead Queer Author To Write Authentically
My name is J. Marshall Freeman and I’m from Toronto, Canada. When I was 13 years old, I was a pretty normal kid reading my X-Men comics and living a pretty happy life. I come fro...
Bisexual Man Breaks Free of Parents’ Expectations: “It’s Important to Remain True to Yourself.”
Hi, my name is Gabe Lopez and I’m from Los Angeles, California. I grew up in a pretty traditional Catholic family, and I remember as a kid, when my mom would go shopping for me, ...
After A Fire & Brimstone Warning, Queer Man Finds Solace In Lauryn Hill and An Ice Cream Shop. “We All Need Angels. Keep a Lookout for Yours.”
I’m Dusty Childers and I’m from Gaffney, South Carolina. I went to a church called Blue Branch Baptist Church. And there were a lot of women there, most of them I was related t...
