Results for "New Jersey"

Gay Man Reconnects with Family After Overcoming Shame and Learning to Live Authentically

by Chauncey Dandridge

Gay Man Reconnects with Family After Overcoming Shame and Learning to Live Authentically

Hey, I’m Chauncey Dandridge. I’m from Harrison, New Jersey.  My family was very macho. There was always sports on the television. I’m one of three boys, grew upSo I had already been a club kid, partying, doing ecstasy, doing this and that, but I think right after 9/11 is when I picked up doing crystal, crystal meth. I would use it to hav...

Gender-Affirming Care Leads Trans Woman From Sex Work & Prison to Motherhood, Marriage, and a Career

by Tabytha Gonzalez

Gender-Affirming Care Leads Trans Woman From Sex Work & Prison to Motherhood, Marriage, and a Career

I’m Tabytha Gonzalez, pronouns she and her, and I’m from Newark, New Jersey.  I first came to New York City. I was with my dance crew, or a dance crew that I was a pa...

Kicked Out of the Military for Being Gay: One Man’s Experience During “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

by James Garcia

Kicked Out of the Military for Being Gay: One Man’s Experience During “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

Hi, my name is James Garcia and I am from New York City.  In 1996, I enlisted in the Air Force. During that time, don’t ask, don’t tell was in place. That means the mI eventually gave the commander of the base at that time a letter disclosing who I am. v The conversation moved to “Well, we’re going to ask you to leave the base now,...

Gay Man Grateful After Coming Out to Parents: “You Never Know How Long We’re Going To Be Around.”

by Edison

Gay Man Grateful After Coming Out to Parents: “You Never Know How Long We’re Going To Be Around.”

My name is Edison and I’m from New York City. I grew up in a loving but extremely conservative household. My family, my parents were immigrants, are immigrants from Ecuador,And I said to him, “You’re right.” I don’t care what the truth is, what happens, what the outcome is, but you’re right. I need to tell my truth to th...

Tim, a gay man, sits smiling looking off to the side.

by Tim

Top, Bottom or Vers? Gay Man Defies Social Pressure and Comes Out as a Side.

I’m Tim, and I’m from Montclair, New Jersey.  I came out in three separate occasions over a summer. The first one was, “I think I might be gay.” And the sThis person accepted me as a valid gay man and it was not anything on the basis of what I did in the bedroom. That was sort of pre pandemic. And then the pandemic, I know, put kin...

Black, Lenape (Two-Spirit) Trans man, Darius, sits for interview. They are smiling and wearing a Phillies hat. They have a dark shirt on and wearing glasses.

by Darius McLean

How One Trans Couple Found Love During the Pandemic. “Don’t Be Afraid to Love and to Let It In.”

I am Darius McLean and I’m from Newfield, New Jersey.  About seven years ago I was working at the Mazzoni Center and the CHOP Gender Clinic. When I was working at Mazzoni CSo about six years later I was working at Einstein Hospital and just a little bit before that, Celena was made the executive director of the Office of LGBT Affairs, but she had be...

Nick, a smiling Italian-american gay man sits for interview in polo shirt

by Nick

Gay Man Reunites with Estranged Father After Seven Years. “It Takes Time But You Gotta Work at It.”

Hi, my name is Nick from Toms River, New Jersey. I was in my mid 20s living in New York City. I met a guy, I went home with him. We had a really wonderful night. We decided that wShe looked at him and she said, “If you ever talk to my nephew like that again, I will kill you. You will be out of this house. That is it.” And literally my uncle jus...

Queer Woman with brown hair, glasses, and golf hoop earrings smiles at the camera. She is wearing a button up shirt with tigers on it sitting in a blue chair.

by Rachel Reyes

Queer Woman Shares Her Path to Parenthood: “Being Queer Wasn’t Going to Stop Me from Being a Mother.”

My name is Rachel Reyes. I’m from Sicklerville, New Jersey. I’ve known since I was a kid, maybe 16, that I wanted to be a mother. I always used to say that I wanted se...

Closeted Gay College Athlete Learns to Speak Up For Others Following Transformative Pride Experience. “It Makes You A Better Person.”

by Dre'quan Reed

Closeted Gay College Athlete Learns to Speak Up For Others Following Transformative Pride Experience. “It Makes You A Better Person.”

Hi, my name is Dre’Quan Reed. I was born and raised in New Brunswick, New Jersey. I grew up in an area where it was pretty much a lot of masculinity going around. I had to prese...

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