by Donald Bell

“A Matter of Life and Death.” Being Black and Gay in the 1960s.

“What Was It Like? Stories by LGBTQ Elders” is a new program by I’m From Driftwood, in partnership with Comcast, the nation’s largest cable provider, and SAGE, the countDictionary Makes Gay Teen Feel Less Alone One of the significant characterizations of the period that I spent in high school in the mid-60s – from ‘63 to ‘67 was that one da1960s: “I Was in a Process of Falling in Love at First Sight.” One of my life experiences that I like to share dates back to my early teen years. Back in the 1960s, I was 19 yBeing Black and Gay in the 1960s: A Matter of Life and Death My late teen years, when I was at university, were times that were really life and death-related times for people my a“It Was Extraordinary”: Man Asks Man On A Date In 1967 Another significant incident from my youth, from my late adolescence, happened in 1967, my first year at university. I w“[My Mother’s] Number One Duty Was To Be An Accepting Parent.” I went to my first march on Washington 48 years ago in 1969 in the moratorium march against the war. And what Racism At A Gay Bar: “It Was Shocking. It Was Hurtful. I Teared Up Right There.” I did have some experiences from later in life that were significant to me. One happened aboutLiving In LGBT-Friendly Senior Housing: “We Live Like Neighbors. And That’s A Good Thing.” Today, I am 67. Well, actually, 67 and a half, as my grandson would tell you. And ...

by Michael Cox

“If You Can’t Be Your True Self [At Work], Maybe That’s Not The Right Employer.”

I’m Michael Cox, I’m from Harlan, Kentucky. So one time, I was on a flight sitting next to a person who was clearly a businessman, dressed in a suit, salt and pepper hair, muc...

by Jae Ratio

Gender Non-Binary Person “Got The Butterflies” From A Simple Work Document.

So my name is Jae Ratio and I’m born in Boulder City, Nevada. As a six, seven-year old, I don’t really know the specific age, I was living the trailer park and it was just me ...

by Bryan Blaise

“In That Moment, I Realized That She Got It.” A Mother Learns To Empathize With Gay Son.

I’m Bryan Blaise from Leesburg, Florida. Back when I was 22, I went home for the holidays. At that time I had started dating someone here in Chicago and decided I was going to t...

by Edna Redo

Learning of Late Mother’s Acceptance “Felt Like God Had Lifted Everything Off My Shoulders.”

My name is Edna Redo and I’m from Chicago. I went to Curie High School here in Chicago. Graduated in ‘86, 1986, rather. One year, my junior year of high school – my mother w...

by Mark Segal

“I Would Say I’m A Cradle-to-Grave Gay Activist.”

“What Was It Like? Stories by LGBTQ Elders” is a new program by I’m From Driftwood, in partnership with Comcast, the nation’s largest cable provider, and SAGE, the count1956: “SOME PEOPLE CALL THEM QUEER.” The first time that I recall ever knowing about gay people – homosexuals, “those kind of people,” queers, was when I was about 6 ye“WITHOUT GENERAL VON STEUBEN, A GAY MAN, THERE WOULD BE NO UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.” One evening, I was sitting on the couch, just relaxing, watching TV. It was a typical tal“WE CREATED A MOVEMENT. THAT’S THE LEGACY OF THE GAY LIBERATION FRONT.” Just before I was supposed to graduate from high school, I left. Went to New York, that was in May of1972: ACTIVISTS HIJACK LIVE SHOW, DEMAND GAY LIBERATION Philadelphia was known for – is known for American Bandstand. It’s the birthplace of American Bandstand and all those t“[YOUR ACTIVISM] IS RUINING IT FOR THE REST OF US.” We knew the way to do what we wanted to do, which was to get our LGBT people before the mainstream of America. So we wanted“I’M PROBABLY ONE OF THE LUCKIEST GAY ACTIVISTS IN THE WORLD TO HAVE HAD [MY PARENTS].” About 1970, to further gay youth, I created the gay youth organization inside Gay LibAFTER FOUNDING LGBT-FRIENDLY SENIOR HOUSING IN PHILADELPHIA, “I’M A CRADLE-TO-GRAVE ACTIVIST.” In every part of our community since 1969, when Gay Liberation Front started, ...

by D'Ontace Keyes

Man Finds New Purpose In Life and Work After Friend’s HIV Diagnosis

My name is D’Ontace Keyes. I am from Chicago, Illinois. In 2009, within Philadelphia, I was studying at the University of the Arts. It was my sophomore year and it was a really ...

by Matt Beierschmitt

“You Forgot Your Knife In My Car.” The Importance of Safe Spaces for LGBTQ Youth.

Hi, my name is Matt Beierschmitt, I’m from Collinswood, New Jersey. When I was 15 years old, I was on my family computer talking on AOL chatrooms and just to meet people and the...

by Samuel Johnson

Exorcists Try–And Fail–To “Cast Demons” Out Of Gay College Student

My name is Samuel Johnson and I am from Boston, Massachusetts. So, I grew up in the Pentecostal tradition of Christianity. After a long, hard childhood of growing up in that parti...