by Ryan Thompson

Gay Son Brings Mom to His Ball… and She Ends Up Competing

I’m Ryan Thompson. I’m from Houston, Texas.  And in high school, I was out in school, but not out to my mom.  A couple of years later, I’m in college, first wiAnd I said, “Yes.”  Then she says, “Okay. Well, I already knew that. I was just waiting for you to tell me.”  So when we made it to the hospital, um, the...

by Andrew Knips

Coming Out as Gender Expansive to Family

 I’m Andrew Knips. I’m from St. Paul, Minnesota.  I grew up in the ’90s and early 2000s and in a really, really loving, caring home. My parents provided me wiAnd I think really at the end of the day, like, I was telling a story to myself and asking this question, like, “Is my family going to accept me? Am I gonna be loved for who...

by Kristi Waters

San Antonio Rallies Around Drag Queen After Cancer Diagnosis

 I’m Kristi Waters. I am from Corpus Christi, Texas, and I am a drag queen. Started in Corpus doing drag and I kind of flourished more over here in San Antonio.  Around tHe leaves, and then the nurses come in, and she was like, “I’m so sorry,” like, “he’s not supposed to say that. He did that all wrong,” and, yo...

by Harrison Eppright

A Gay Man’s Journey From Self-Loathing to Self-Acceptance

 I am Harrison David Eppright, and I’m from Austin, Texas.  About 1960… I’ll say 1968, I came across an article in Time Magazine. I was 13 years old, came acrFinally, it’s just that I met this guy when I was about 37 years old, and he just totally changed my life. He was biracial. He was part Black and part French and, and proud ...

by Dr. Marlon Johnson

Hymn Leads Queer Christian to Come Out to His Parents

 My name is Dr. Marlon Johnson. I am from Sumter, South Carolina.  When I was finishing up the first year of my time in grad school, I was learning to become a professional couSo I call my parents. And they’re sitting down, they’re letting me know they’re having dinner. I just have this shaky breath. And I just say, “I got to talk to...

by Alexis

Becoming Herself: A Trans Woman’s Journey Through Identity and Survival

 My name’s Alexis. I’m from Brownsville, Texas.  I grew up very feminine in a conservative family. We grew up on the southern border and I kind of was just developiEventually I got the support from the community that I had, that they were… they were the ones that really made me feel like no matter what you do, if you wanna do it, if you do...

by Crush the Poet

How One Poetry Slam Led to a Queer Movement

 My name is Crush. I’m from Dallas.  I grew up in a fairly intensely religious household and did not see queerness anywhere around me. I eventually got to high school wheSo that was… that was the start of Fluid Fridays. We actually started at the beginning of COVID, so while everything was shut down, we started the first show in the parking lot ...

by Chris Walker

HIV Diagnosis Leads to Hope, Healing, & Purpose

 Hey, I’m Chris and I’m from Memphis, Tennessee.  I kind of always realized that I was a little bit different. You know, in school I was always called gay before I And at this time I really kind of, like, didn’t know too much about HIV or anything. Like I knew what they told you in school, right? But like, I didn’t know about PrE...

by Jennifer Knight

How Music Helped One Trans Guitarist Survive and Thrive

 My name’s Jennifer Knight and I’m from Canada.  I knew from age two that I was female or trans as they call it, at that age. During the Atomic era, being a child oI could not have made it, you know, through life without music. Period. No pill, no drug, no alcohol, no talk therapy, nothing can replace that and that’s something that you...