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 Voices Stories
“I’ll Be Damned If I’m Going To Be Buried A Girl.” Gender Transition Gives HIV+ Trans Man Reason To Live
My name is Teo Drake, I actually grew up in Connecticut, near New Haven. The story basically is this intersection or this way of looking at my struggle around gender identity and t...
Coming Out as an Undocumented Immigrant and Coming Out as a Queer Man.
My name is Carlos, Padilla, and I’m from Seattle, Washington. I was originally born in Guadalajara, Jadisco, Mexico, and I immigrated into the United States at the age of 2. For ...
Rosa’s Journey From “All Gays Should Go To Hell” to Loving Her Lesbian Daughters.
I’m Rosa Manriquez and I’m from Los Angeles. When people ask me what I am, if I’m LGBTQA, what am I, I tell people I’m neither. I don’t identify by my sexuality, I’m a ...
After Struggling With Homelessness, Angela Makes a Better Life For Herself.
My name is Angela Louis, I’m from Brooklyn, NY. Ever since I was born I knew something was different. I knew I was born in the wrong body. Wanting to have a boyfriend and wanting...
Bisexual Struggles With Perception of Being Straight.
As a child, Faith Cheltenham thought she was gay. As she grew older, though, she became aware that her attraction was much broader than to just one gender or identity. Faith explai...
“Dad, I’m Trans.” “Well, You’re Still Mine.”
Pat knew he was different from pretty early on. He explains: I came into this world different. I knew I was different. But yet again, they put you in a box. You’re either male or...
“Love Conquers” As Woman Marries Trans Man
Lillian always imagined herself marrying “a dark bald black man.” After years of being single and realizing she’s happy being by herself, she met Michael on a personals site....
Richard Socarides Recalls Coming Out To His Dad, One of the Founders of Conversion Therapy
While everyone’s coming out story is different, Richard Socarides’ might be one of the most unique. Richard, who served as President Clinton’s senior adviser on gay rights, e...
AIDS Activist and Radio DJ Explain How Their Relationship Works
Edward Strickler would rather talk about his AIDS activism. Jim would rather talk about his favorite African guitarist, Diblo Dibala. They met in 1981 and have been together since....
Gay Man Recounts His NYC Life in the 1960s
Gilbert Parker has had a full life. The retired literary and talent agent from William Morris Agency shares stories of his NYC life in the 1960s, which includes a comedic near-hook...
Store Owner Finds Success After Being Open and Honest.
Philip Rafshoon wanted to open a gay bookstore. He went through all the normal challenges of starting a business but the most difficult was one he certainly wasn’t expecting. Whe...
“‘I Could Leave You’ is the Issue, Not Who I Will Leave You For.” A Bisexual’s Dilemma.
Lisa Morris, who identifies as bisexual, married a man when she was 29. We went to City Hall and got married. On a Tuesday morning at 10. I was in cutoffs and a tshirt, I think he...
