Category: Coming (Out)
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“The more time we spent together, the more I saw myself.”
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs Ashe did not grow up in an accepting household as a questioning youth, they recalled. “I thought I was just a tomboy but recall throwing tantrums when I was forced to wear a dress for church,” they explained. “My younger step sister vividly recalls my discomfort about being forced to dress like a…
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“What better place to be accepted for who you are than coming out at a pride event?”
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Lilith Zarling’s roots were set in the Milwaukee area, where she graduated from Riverside High School and attended Marquette University. Her family was seemingly normal for the region, attending church once a week. But the views they taught never really resided with her. “I never can think of a time where I completely…
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“It’s really astounding to me how much one hormone can change you.”
Pronouns: He/Him/His Quill said he was really lucky growing up with two parents and a younger brother and sister. “My parents are very loving, very supportive and I also got lucky with my school because I was able to go to a school with a lot of great opportunities. My childhood was pretty great; my…
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“I was scared she would become more angry.”
TW: VIOLENCE Pronouns: She/They Nina found out she was bisexual when she was just 11 years old, and soon after realized she was also nonbinary a year later. After coming out some months ago, Nina’s mom slapped her. She said she couldn’t be gay; her mom and grandma never supported the LGBTQ+ community. “She asked…
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‘Wait a minute — do you know I’m in love with you?’
For background information, read the first part here. Both Stanley and Krystal grew up in the Chicago area, but never crossed paths until early 2016, when a business opportunity arose. Krystal was an up-and-coming musician looking to get her foot in the door of mainstream pop culture. “At the end of 2015, myself and two…
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“His main concern was my safety. He didn’t care about my sexuality.”
No-op trans woman reflects on how she’s evolved. Pronouns: She/Her/Hers When she was a kid, Krystal Beverly remembers taking T-shirts and putting the neckline on her forehead to create the effect of having long hair flowing beyond her shoulders. She used to take bedsheets and tie them around her to imitate a gown with a…
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“A psychologist asked me if I liked men or women, and I didn’t have an answer.”
Pronouns: He/Him/His Kev grew up in a moderately small city as an only child to a single mother in a Catholic household; his father left him when he was about 3 years old. “I didn’t know who my dad was; I still don’t know much about him except some very unfortunate things,” he explained. Though…
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“It depends on the day.”
Ro grew up with one sister and a dog named Kira, but she currently lives with her male best friend. They first realized when they kissed a girl at their school when they were 10 years old, and identified as bisexual. They’re 12 now, and don’t have any attraction to men; they presently identify as…
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“I wish I never came out to them.”
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs Teddy grew up in a fairly conservative household: very Christian and strict, they said. When they were 13, Teddy realized that they weren’t comfortable identifying as a girl. “I discovered who I am because of a chain of events that happened after my mother came out as bisexual,” they said. “In January, when…
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“I set my preferences for both men and women, and it was terrifying.”
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Heidi grew up in a town of about 7,000 people. She would describe it as “small as heck” and “very conservative.” She grew up in the countryside with her parents and two older sisters, Emily and Annie. “They’re cool; my parents are pretty open for the most part,” she said. “I have a…
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“That’s OK, I’ve always wanted a daughter.”
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers “Much like a good majority of Wisconsin, it’s a very rural, religious, conservative community,” Robyn said of Wautoma, her hometown. She was raised there with her mother, brother and now-stepfather, where they all attended church every Sunday and Wednesday. “When you’re growing up, the community you’re surrounded with really defines who you are…
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She came out THREE times
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Angela grew up in Germantown, Wis. with a rather typical family: a mother, father and little brother. When her parents separated when she was around 8, her family started to grow. Her stepmom came along with two older step brothers, and about four years ago, her biological mother met someone and got engaged…
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Strong, accepting family dynamic offsets bullying in school
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Samm grew up with a family of five: her, her mom, a younger sister, and an older twin brother and sister. Her biological dad was never really in the picture. The family moved around Wisconsin quite a bit when she was a kid, jumping from when she was born in Hartford, to Horicon,…
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Gay man attributes TV shows, internet to figuring out his sexuality
Pronouns: He/Him/His Zach has been in Wisconsin his entire life. He was born in Monroe and eventually moved to Barneveld, a little conservative-leaning town with about 1,000 residents. However, most of his family leaned more to the left, except for his biological father and stepdad. He’s close with his immediate family, like his mother, stepfather,…
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“You’re going to Hell, but I’m still your friend.”
Pronouns: He/Him/His Cory’s childhood was similar to a lot of those who live in Wisconsin: growing up in a small town with a lot of people who may not accept anything other than a traditional lifestyle. He grew up in Black River Falls, near La Crosse, WI. He said it was the kind of place…
Come (Out) as You Are 