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
One Person’s Path To Nonbinary Identity: “Having Doubt and Uncertainty Doesn’t Make Me a Fraud. It Makes Me Human.”
Hi, my name is Rae McDaniel. I’m from Chicago, Illinois. I was in a place in my life about four or five years ago where I was really questioning a lot about my gender identity an...
Trans Woman Comes Out To Colleagues, Who Welcome Her With Open Arms.
Hi, my name is Jessica Soukup. I’m from Austin, Texas. I currently work at Texas State University. I’ve been here now for 11 years. About five years ago, I came to a revelation...
Traumatic House Fire Experience Leads Genderqueer Person To Accept Themselves: “The More I Go Down this Journey, the Happier I Become.”
Hi. My name is Emmet Hunker and I’m from Washington DC. I had just gotten back from my solo travels around the world, and I was sitting on the couch of a friend who I was crashin...
Black Gay Man Reflects On A Life Defined By Love, Authenticity, Activism And Connection. “That’s Just Part Of Who I Am.”
1980s: Black Gay Man On Coming Out In The South: “While I Did Come Out, I Didn’t Really Feel Free.” So, you know, for me, the last thing that I wanted to be was a gay man be...
“We Never Know What Life Has In Store For Us.” Gay Man Details Journey From Small Town France To Grand Wedding In Paris.
*Scroll down for English transcript. Je m’appelle Romain Goubet ; je viens de Saint-Quentin en France. J’ai grandi dans cette petite ville de Picardie dans les années q...
Trans Person Finds Community And Gender Euphoria In Philadelphia. “It’s Not Going To Be An Easy Road, But It’s Worth It.”
My name’s Sunny Marks. I am from Coopersburg, Pennsylvania. In 2016, I came out as a lesbian, as a Butch lesbian or stud, to my family and friends. It was definitely a difficult ...
Tensions Ease After Gay Man Comes Out To Mom. “It Just Changed Things For The Better.”
My name is Aaron. I’m from Detroit, Michigan. Growing up, I always felt a little bit different and I was also more of an introvert. So I didn’t have a lot of friends – I was ...
Gay Man Forgives His Family For Traumatic Childhood. “I Did That For Myself Because I Needed To Heal.”
Hello. My name is Luis and I’m from Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. My mother was intermittently present. She used to live in a different city. My father wasn’t around or was...
“It Ain’t Over Till The Bisexual Speaks.” Activist Fights For Bi Inclusion Throughout The Decades.
From Living As A Straight Housewife to Becoming A Lesbian Activist. “It Was An Amazing Awakening.” I was conceived in Hawaii. This is how the story goes – conceived in Hawa...
“We Tolerate You. Isn’t That Enough?” How A Father Grew To Embrace His Queer Son.
I’m Peter Zook and I’m from Cincinnati, Ohio. So I came out when I was 16. First, my mom – at first, I told my mom. It was during the summer after my sophomore year of high s...
Trans Woman Reflects On Her Four-Decade Journey To Authenticity.
1969: Trans Woman Reflects On Exploring Her Gender As A Child. “I Knew Inside Who I Really Was.” In 1969, I was 12 years old. I was living in Douglaston, Queens. And I had –...
Nothing Can Stop This Gay, Undocumented Immigrant From Serving His Community.
My name is Christian Mendoza. I was born in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. I remember at the age of 5, my dad – he was a police officer in the narcotics and gang unit. Every time he w...
