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 Asian-Pacific Islander Stories

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Gay Man Learns to Accept Himself After Reaching Low Point. “No Matter What Happens Now, I’m Comfortable With Who I Am.”

by John

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...

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Gay Man Works Through The Trauma Of Sexual Assault. “I Am A Lot Happier Now That I’ve Done This Work.”

by Nicholas

Gay Man Works Through The Trauma Of Sexual Assault. “I Am A Lot Happier Now That I’ve Done This Work.”

My name is Nicholas and I’m from Orange County, California. So when I was 14, or sophomore year of high school, whichever came first, I came out to my mom first off as a bisexual...

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Gender Non-Binary Person Reflects On Not Conforming. “It’s Okay To Be Fluid. It’s Okay To Just Be.”

by Jin

Gender Non-Binary Person Reflects On Not Conforming. “It’s Okay To Be Fluid. It’s Okay To Just Be.”

My name is Jin. I’m from Aiea, Hawaii. I moved to New York City about maybe 8 years ago and 6 years ago I started becoming a sex worker. Unintentionally – it just kind of happe...

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From Open Relationship To Polyamorous Marriage: “Sometimes You Think You Know What You Want. And Then You Get Something Else.”

by June

From Open Relationship To Polyamorous Marriage: “Sometimes You Think You Know What You Want. And Then You Get Something Else.”

My name is June. I’m from Houston, Texas. At the beginning of 2018, I was in a relationship. It was a longer term relationship than I had ever been in. And he and I learned a lot...

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After Disappointing Coming Out Experience, Queer Person Seeks Family Of Choice.

by Jessica

After Disappointing Coming Out Experience, Queer Person Seeks Family Of Choice.

Hi. My name is Jessica and I’m from Boston, Massachusetts. I grew up in a large Vietnamese-American family – of immigrants, actually. And growing up, we were the only one that ...

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From Grandpa’s Sweaters To Grandma’s Scarves: “What I Really Wanted Was What My Grandmother Owned. I Wanted To Be Her.”

by Alek Chandra

From Grandpa’s Sweaters To Grandma’s Scarves: “What I Really Wanted Was What My Grandmother Owned. I Wanted To Be Her.”

So, my name is Alek Chandra and I’m from Milford, Connecticut. When I was 10 years old, it was around Christmas time, and I am at my grandmother’s home, so my father’s mother...

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“I Don’t Want To Die.” How A Gay Man Overcame His Meth Addiction.

by Vernon Magsino

“I Don’t Want To Die.” How A Gay Man Overcame His Meth Addiction.

Hi, I’m Vernon Magsino and I’m from Chicago. I was 15 years old and I was in my sophomore year of high school. I went to a Catholic Jesuit high school. It was one morning, I wa...

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Hinduism Helps Queer Woman Reconcile The Duality Of Her Gender And Sexuality.

by Neha Ghosh

Hinduism Helps Queer Woman Reconcile The Duality Of Her Gender And Sexuality.

My name is Neha Ghosh and I’m from Bridgewater, New Jersey. When I was very little, from the ages around maybe three to twelve, I was always the really awkward, really masculine ...

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“The Brown Skin That I Am In”: Gay Filipino-American Finds Empowerment In Diversity.

by Christian Tanja

“The Brown Skin That I Am In”: Gay Filipino-American Finds Empowerment In Diversity.

Hi, my name is Christian Tanja and I’m from Bakersfield, California. A few years ago, when I was in college, I was sitting down at a restaurant with my then-boyfriend at the time...

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Google Earth Satellite Image of Hong Kong
I’m From Hong Kong.

I think it started with memes. Liking and tagging each other in outrageous Facebook posts was addictive. Only then I didn’t know that this was your way of flirting with me. Very ...

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“He Said, ‘Sorry, Buddy, But I’m Not Into Asians.’”

by JC Brown

“He Said, ‘Sorry, Buddy, But I’m Not Into Asians.’”

I’m J. C. I’m from Manila. That’s the capital of the Philippines. I grew up there. I moved to the U. S., specifically New York, in 2005 at the tender age of 21. Moving to New...

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“Your Father Knew. And He Loved You Regardless.”

by Kaitlin Apostol

“Your Father Knew. And He Loved You Regardless.”

My name is Kaitlin Apostol and I’m from Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania. So back in 2004, I was a junior at Academy Park High School. And I was kinda still figuring myself out as far a...

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Unfortunately, this is all the stories we have in the Asian-Pacific Islander category.

I’m From Driftwood is producing new stories on an ongoing basis. Want to help us find more stories Asian-Pacific Islander stories? Let us know!