by Mary Ann Horton

My name is Mary Ann Horton, and I’m from San Diego, California.  Think back to 1997. I was a closeted cross-dresser working for Lucent Technologies in Columbus, Ohio. I kneSo I was ready for my first day at work as Mary Ann. I’d waited until I had a good reason to do it. On National Coming Out Day, in 1998, we had a gay couple that owned a res...

by Rick Anderson

Hi, I’m Rick Anderson. I’m from Pearland, Texas. I grew up in the Clear Lake, Friendswood area in my early childhood in the eighties and nineties. And it was a communiAnd as that was happening, I reached out to that wonderful Baylor lawyer and it was just called them out of the blue. I think I was kind of panicking at the time. I called him and...

by Will Verchereau

My name is Will Verchereau. I’m from Lansing, Michigan.  In May 2011, I found myself freshly graduated from Michigan State University and crying alone in my closet in my apDuring the pandemic, I was starting to grow my hair out. I remember this moment where my hair was starting to curl. I looked in the mirror. I thought, “I have curly hair. Th...

by Greg Miraglia

I’m Greg Miraglia, and I’m from Moraga, California.  In 1978, I discovered law enforcement as a possible career. I got really excited about it and I had a chance to jAnd I was thinking to myself, here I am working with colleagues and everybody’s afraid. And if anybody knew that I was gay, they would see me as a threat and I knew I’...

by Angie Harden

My name is Angie Harden. I’m from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  When I was 15, I got my first job. I was thrilled to have my first job. I was lucky enough to work at a recreationaSo I called HR and I said very confidently, “I am certain that this is what has happened to me. I have been fired for being gay. Take a look at my file, take a look at my re...

by Nicole Bashor

Hi, my name is Nicole Bashor and I’m originally from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  I ended up going to college at the University of Pittsburgh, and it was quite a transition bA few years after that, I got married to a woman and we, after living in the city of Chicago for 20 years, were looking to buy a house. We originally moved to Evanston, which is t...

by Jay Beaulieu

My name is Jay Beaulieu, I’m from South Pasadena, California.  When I was six years old, I remember learning how to play basketball. I was on the court learning to shoot frSo, life moved on and I ended up getting a real job and buying a house. And one thing that never settled with me was my body dysphoria. And anybody who doesn’t want a big ch...

by Shellby Forbes

I did a lot of self-reflecting and I was able to self-identify as well as to allow myself, my inner Shellby, to come alive.I am Shellby Forbes. I am from Brooklyn, New York. So in early 2000s, I started in the finance industry working in retail banking. And during that timeframe, I started off as a teSo COVID happens, and during that timeframe I had the opportunity to work from home remote. And during this timeframe, I did a lot of self-reflecting and I was able to self-identi...

by Jami Shofner

My name is Jami Shofner and I’m from Houston. Twenty years ago, which was back in the mid-nineties somewhere, I was doing stand-up comedy as a woman, and I was in a drag show in...