LGBTQI+, Life, Identity and Community

Living Out Loud: LGBTQI+ Identity & Experience

This section is for the ones still becoming. The ones still questioning. The ones who’ve known who they were all along—and the ones still trying to find the words.

It’s for anyone who has ever been asked to explain themselves, shrink themselves, or hide a part of who they are just to make others more comfortable.

I don’t believe in boxes. And I don’t believe your identity should have to fight for air.

I’ve been an ally to the LGBTQI+ community for a long time—and I became a family member by marriage. This space is personal for me. I’ve seen the beauty, the strength, the complexity, and the resilience of this community—and I’ve also seen the harm. The way people’s existence is politicized. The way love is questioned. The way visibility comes with risk, not just celebration.

That’s not okay with me. It’s never been.

This space is my way of helping shift the conversation—away from judgment and toward understanding. Away from fear and toward belonging. Away from silence and toward voice.

Whether you’re out loud or quietly figuring it out, this is a space for full stories—not just labels.
For chosen family. For first crushes and final straws. For gender euphoria, awkward conversations, and the joy that comes when you stop asking permission to be real.

This isn’t about fitting in. It’s about belonging. It’s about safety. It’s about wholeness. It’s about truth.

We talk about the messy, the beautiful, the brave, and the bittersweet. Because LGBTQI+ lives are not monolithic. They are layered, sacred, soft, loud, angry, funny, spiritual, sexual, and full of nuance.

Here, all of that is welcome. And always will be.