by Dario Beck Torres

From Peer Pressure & Unhealthy Habits to Pride & Self Love: How One Gay Man Turned His Life Around.

My name is Dario Beck Torres, and I’m from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. So I grew up in a fairly religious environment. I remember one time being pulled aside by this lady. I didn&So fast-forward to present moment, and I’m still very active. That manifests in, I’ve joined a queer kickball league, which is a sport that I never played when I was a...

by Sharlot

Trans Parenthood: Daughter’s Birth Inspires Woman to Live Authentically.

Hi, I’m Sharlot and I am from San Antonio, Texas, originally.  I have a 3-year-old daughter. She was born three months before the start of the pandemic. And so I was still Eventually, I come out to my parents who are very supportive. I come out to my ex and we decide that it’s best to separate. I start socially transitioning, and I just start ...

by Erica Nix

Keeping Austin Weird: How One Queer Woman Learned to Let Her Freak Flag Fly.

I’m Erica Nix. I’m from Arlington, Texas. Arlington, when I was growing up, was a pretty conservative place. It wasn’t really that cool to be different, and I al...

by Rick Anderson

X-Men & Real-Life Heroes Inspire Gay Man to Become a “Super Lawyer”

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 Kirsten

Gay Aunt Becomes Queer Person’s Beacon of Hope Amid Homophobic Family

My name is Kirsten and I’m from Queens, New York.  So when I was growing up, me and my aunt, my mother’s sister, were very close. There was an intensity to that closeAnd I had been suspecting at that point for years that she was, so I finally just asked her, “Are you queer?” I didn’t say, “Are you queer?” I was li...

by SJ

“We Can’t Be Patient Forever.” Trans Person Finds Joy & Community After Cutting Ties with Family

I’m SJ. I’m from Dallas, Texas.  I grew up in a house where it wasn’t really normal for us to talk about our feelings. That was really difficult for me. As a chSo after toiling over this decision for a really long time and really thinking through all of my fears about it, I realized that it was something I had to do. I couldn’t con...

by Sammi Price

Choosing Authenticity: How One Lesbian Risked It All to Be Themselves & Thrived.

My name is Sammi Price and I’m from Neenah, Wisconsin.  I remember the first time that I had a crush on a girl, and it was in eighth grade in my little hometown in WisconsiPeople started talking a little bit. In my small town there wasn’t much to talk about. There were suspicions that I was a lesbian. There was talk amongst the crowds. But fas...

by Will Verchereau

Non-Binary Excellence: How One Employee’s Authenticity Served as a Model for Others.

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 Morgan Davis

Trans CPS Investigator Resigns Rather Than Support Texas’ Anti-Trans Policies.

My name is Morgan Davis. I’m from Austin, Texas.  A year ago, I was an investigator with Child Protective Services. At the time, Governor Abbott, the governor of Texas, askSo I immediately went outside to staff the case with my supervisor. I’m on the phone with my supervisor, “Impeccable, let’s close it.”  “No, unfortu...