Results for "Fire Island"
![Overcoming Internalized Homophobia: “My Sexuality Is Something To Be Celebrated.”](https://imfromdriftwood.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/050918.jpg)
Overcoming Internalized Homophobia: “My Sexuality Is Something To Be Celebrated.”
I’m from Montgomery, Alabama. I always was an effeminate child and I think – I guess I knew that on some level. One day, I was 8 years old. It was bright and sunny and hot, al...
![From Homeless to Hopeful: How One Weekend On Fire Island Changed Gay Teen’s Life.](https://imfromdriftwood.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/ScottRiedelHeadshot.jpg)
From Homeless to Hopeful: How One Weekend On Fire Island Changed Gay Teen’s Life.
Hi, I’m Scott Riedel. I’m from Ironton, Ohio. It’s a small town in southern Ohio. I moved to New York about twenty-five years ago and met my partner Gil. Gil was born and ra...
![“Transitioning Has Been A Journey And I Wouldn’t Trade It For The World.”](https://imfromdriftwood.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Peal-Bennett.jpg)
“Transitioning Has Been A Journey And I Wouldn’t Trade It For The World.”
“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 countTRANSCRIPTS: “IN THE LONG RUN, I’M GOING TO BE HAPPY I TOLD HER THIS.” My name is Pearl, I’m a transgender woman. I didn’t transition until I was 50 years of age. Back i“I’M NOT TAKING THIS DRESS OFF.” In 1997, give or take a year or two, I was working out on Fire Island, a barrier island, off of Long Island, and I worked at this little res“THE CHALLENGES OF LIVING PUBLICLY AS A WOMAN: “HE YELLED, ‘THAT’S A MAN!’” The year was 2000. I was living my life as a woman, as Pearl. I had not changed my “JUST ANOTHER DAY AT THE DOG RUN.” During that first year before any, before my transition, I, the day before, I went to the dog, took my dogs to the dog run as Ken. And I wen“THAT’S HOW I CAME OUT TO THE FAMILY.” The big hurdle for me was telling my family about my living as a woman now, living as a transgender woman. What I did is, I went to a “MY NAME WAS PEARL FROM THEN ON.” The year was around 1997. I went out, it was Gay Pride weekend. I marched in the Gay Pride parade with some friends in New York City. They we...
![Using Humor Through Bullying, Homophobia, and the AIDS Epidemic](https://imfromdriftwood.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Thom-Hansen.jpg)
Using Humor Through Bullying, Homophobia, and the AIDS Epidemic
“I Wouldn’t Kiss You If You Were The Last Boy On Earth.” Well it was 1969 just pre-Stonewall. And I was a Sophomore in high school. I went to St. Peter’s Preparatory Schoo...
![Challenging “The Clones” of Fire Island and Celebrating The Freaks at The Pyramid Club.](https://imfromdriftwood.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Victor-Mendolia.jpg)
Challenging “The Clones” of Fire Island and Celebrating The Freaks at The Pyramid Club.
I’m Victor Mendolia and I’m from Selden, New York, which is on Long Island. When I was 16, I started going out to Fire Island, to Cherry Grove. I had recently left this born-a...