by Jay Blotcher

1970: Gay 10-Year-Old Boy Finds Creative Way To Convince Mom To Buy Teen Magazines Well, I grew up in a small town called Randolph, Massachusetts, which is about 15 miles south o1982: Following Homophobic Police Taunt And Arrest, AIDS Activist “No Longer Believed The Police Only Arrest Bad People.” I graduated college in May of 1982 and a friend of m1983: Gay Man Transitions From Bathhouse Towel Boy To AIDS Activist. Being a gay man of 22 years old in New York City is an experience for anybody. It’s learning who you are, i1989: ACT UP AIDS Activist Takes On The New York Times In the latter part of the eighties and the early part of the nineties, my life in New York City was dominated by AIDS activ 1992: Friend Who Died From AIDS “Gave Us The Gift of That Absurd Memorial.” So it’s April of 1992 and I’m at Beth Israel Hospital on the east side of Manhattan. And it�...

by Elizabeth Coffey Williams

Trans Woman Reflects On Her Journey: “It Was Real For Me And I Was Okay With It.” Yeah, I was born in Brooklyn, New York, and when I was five years old, my parents moved to P1972: Trans Actress Makes Her Debut In Empowering Scene In John Waters Film. I first met John Waters peripherally in the basement of a church at the premiere of one of his earlie“You’re Not A Suitable Candidate.” Trans Woman Seeking Surgery Faces Resistance From Doctors. I was born in Brooklyn, New York, and then I was raised in Philadelphia, and t Trans Pioneer On The Importance Of Authenticity: “You Were Born With The Right To Be Happy.” I think if you are open to knowing some transgender folk, and I don’t know how...

by Cathy Marino-Thomas

1970s: Meeting First Girlfriend And Discovering Lesbianism. “She Really Helped Me Start On That Road.” When I was about 17, so that’s in the seventies, I had this friend Je1994: Lesbian Goes From Laughing at the Idea of Same-Sex Marriage to Becoming President of Marriage Equality USA. So it’s maybe 1994. I’ve been living with Sheila, this woman Late 1990s: Lesbian Couple Faces Multiple Challenges In Having a Child. “The Most Joyful Things In Life Are Really Hard To Obtain.” So Sheila, my wife, and I were married a co2006: Children’s Sleepover Conversation About Family Diversity Surprises Mom: “It Was Beautiful And Amazing.” Right so, I guess it was maybe 2006. My daughter was a first gr 2008: Marriage Equality Activist Faces Down Opponent–And Wins. I have doing marriage equality work for a little while. I was Board President, I was speaking. Maybe it was 2008 ...

by David R. Matteson

“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 count1950: “That Was The First Time I’d Had Sex With Another Guy.” When I was 12, which would have been about 1950, I made my trip to my grandparents’ farm. Each of my brother1960’s: Man Has Sex Dream About His Male Psychiatrist And Then Tells Him About It. My PhD program at Boston University was in a mixture of psychology and pastoral counseling. T1973: Man’s First Visit To Gay Bar Results In Life-Changing Experience. In 1973, I was – I had finished about five years of teaching at a small liberal arts college in southeComing Out As Bisexual In The 1970’s. In the mid seventies, I took a faculty friend with me to a trip to Gestalt Institute in Cleveland. On the way back, I realized how much I Bisexual Husband And His Wife Renegotiate Relationship. When my wife and I were married, I assumed I was heterosexual. And it wasn’t till many years later that I realized I wasBisexual Man Reflects On His Open Marriage, Wife, And Long-Term Relationship With A Man. Sandy and I had been married since 1962. I had worked out a bisexual agreement when I rea...

by Gloria Allen

“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 countGrowing Up On A Farm In Kentucky: “I Didn’t Know Anything About Being Different.” I was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky. We lived on a farm and we all lived together. It wasLate 1950’s: “If It Wasn’t For These Women, I Wouldn’t Be Here Today.” It was the late fifties when we got to Chicago. These amazing women, the three women – my motherSexual Assault in the Early 1960’s: “Why Did I Have To Be Treated Like That?” I went to high school here. Englewood High School, I remember going to Englewood. In 1962, I reAfter Friend’s Murder, “I Became Aware And Scared For Myself.” In 1962, I remember, I had dropped out of high school but I went back to finish it up. So I graduated in 1965.Leaving An Abusive Relationship In The Late 1970’s: “I Got Smart. And I Got Tired.” In the late seventies, I’d say ‘76 or ‘77, I had been single since 1967 up until thFounding A Charm School In The 2010’s: “Social Graces Carry You A Long Way.” Since I’ve gotten older, my life has changed a lot. At the age of 67, I was still in the commu“Life Is Beautiful. And For Me, It Has Been Quite A Whirlwind.” Today, my life has really changed for me. Although I’m 72 years old, it’s never too late. I feel good about...

by Stefanie Clark

“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 countDressing Up In Mother’s Clothes As A Child: “I Knew I Could Be The Woman That I Wanted To Be.” I was born in 1943. I was the younger son in a Catholic family – I had an ol1950’s: “I Had To Be The Man Of The Family… And I Think I’m A Girl.” I ended up going to the seminary, as something a good catholic boy always does, especially the secon1960’s: Coming Out To Wife “Left An Elephant In The Room For The Next 44 Years.” So it’s June 1966. I’m just finishing up college at Seattle University. I just got my fi1980’s: Dominatrix Inspires Trans Woman To Become Comfortable In Her Own Skin. It was August 1989. I got a call out of the blue – a search firm wanted me to come to Chicago anAfter Wife’s Death in 2012, Trans Woman Seizes Opportunity To Come Out To Family. I can remember July 20, 2012 like it was yesterday. My wife had been sick with cancer for over Trans Woman’s Life Changed After Finding A Mentor. I needed acceptance as a human being. Not male, not female, not trans. I just needed acceptance and a friend that could guide “I’ve Been Helped By So Many People On My Journey To Womanhood.” Looking back at all those people that have helped me get to where I am today, I’m just so thankful for whaTrans Woman Finds Companionship Late In Life. “I laugh harder now than I have in twenty years.” I had lived with a woman for 44 years and then had to live alone for six. And t...

by John Hilton

“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 countEarly 1940s: “I Knew Way Back Then That I Was Gay.” When I was 7 or 8 years old, I noticed in the schoolyard, Public School 187, this beautiful young boy, golden boy. And I weAfter Meeting Bill In The Early 1950’s, “We Were Together For 54 Wonderful, Glorious Years.” When I was 18, I came back to New York, to Brooklyn. My father got me a furnisheDrafted in 1958: “My Eighteen Months Away Solidified Our Relationship.” In 1958, after five months with Bill, I got drafted. Bill would come down every Sunday to Fort Dix, bec“Who Are You!?” How A Domestic Partnership Helped During A Moment of Tragedy. Well, in 2003, we noticed in the New York Times that New York City was offering a domestic partneFamily Opens Up At Memorial For Late Partner: “We All Know. And We All Loved You And Uncle Ike.” Bill and I were together 54 years. I can truthfully say we could never get enoFamily Member To Ailing Gay Uncle: “You Still Have Time To Repent.” When I started getting on the computer and doing email and Facebook, Bill asked me, “What is Facebook all“You Need To Calm Down.” A Token of Love Becomes A Lifelong Passion. Bill told me, three months after we met and I got my draft notice and I was drafted and I was sent for 18 ...

by Michael Anastasio

“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 count...

by Richard Wandel

“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 count“1960s: In Retrospect, I Think Of Him As My First Love.” I had this friend in in high school. He was clearly my best friend. We didn’t use words like that necessarily, but hKicked Out Of Monastery in 1969: “They Noticed My Homosexuality Before I Did.” So I’d been, all together, I was in the monastery for six years. From the time I graduated higFirst Meaningful Sexual Experience As An Adult: “I Knew That Meant I Was Gay.” So in 1969, after having been in a monastery for six years, I left. And I returned first brieflyFollowing Gay Man’s First Protest In 1970: “I Knew Where My Place Was.” It was in the summer of probably 1970. I had recently, the fall before, left the monastery that I hadProtest At Radio City Music Hall: “There’s A Great Deal Of Fun In Standing Up For Yourself.” It must’ve been about 19, probably 71, maybe 70. I’m bad at dates but in thaOne Week As A Gay Activist in 1971: Rejection, Assault, and Gunshots. If you want to have an idea of what it was like even in New York City or New York State in the early seventieFollowing The Funeral Of A Gay Friend: “I Left That Church Promising Myself Never To Go Back In.” So after being a gay activist in New York City for about five years – so ro...