Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Pride.
Sunshine under the Rainbow
Being "gay" was grounds for damnation in the community and church that I grew up in as a little boy. The thought of the word would mentally transport you to a deep dark place of fire and brimstone or gloom and doom with a final resting place in the pits of hell. My parents were never vocal on the issue directly as right, wrong or indifferent, however, I can remember the preacher in the pulpit quoting the scriptures of abomination against God and the kids in the neighborhood being outright hateful towards anyone that was “that way”. By the time I was a teenage boy, I fit well in the category of homophobic and there was nothing you could do to change my views or convince me to want to have anything to do with this “those people”.
By Michael C Burrow5 years ago in Pride
I was a Child
I was a child, introduced to cartoon fiction characters at the age of 5. I recalled watching a show like, what we call nowadays Transformers. Well, there was a show by the name, (Kikaida) in Japan. In this show there was a character, named Heart Woman, whom when turned into her character, would have heart breast shoot out! I found this to be quite interesting. I, at an early age of 5, seemed to find that the woman in the character was very interesting, beautiful. I believe at that time I was having feelings of the same sex. I believed that the emotions I was feeling was an attraction to the same sex. I had seen male figures, but I had no interest in the feelings that I seemed to have for the females. It seemed as if I connected to the female side, but I did not know what these feelings were. I tried to fight these feelings towards the female gender, but as years progressed, I found it quite difficult to shake the feelings of attraction towards the female species. As the years passed, I had encountered a huge catastrophe in my life. I was molested by a family member, whom was the son of a pastor. This took a brutal hit to my whole entire being. I then found myself, not at ease around male figures. Instead of telling, I hid it and was living with massive shame for something I had no control over. The robbing of my innocence had left me in complete need of a mother’s love and guidance. This haunted me throughout my life. I was then again molested, raped by several different men who had made their way into our lives. My parents trusting friends and their own damn siblings. Never even uttered a word of the horror that took place in my life. I still proceeded to try and fit in with our society of trying to fit in and be with opposite sex. Although all these feelings of attractions to female was running through my mind. I suddenly could not take the agony of hiding who I truly was. I then came across a female, in the seventh grade and had my first experience with a female, same gender. We seem to have been talking and then the young lady reached over and kissed me and that’s the beginning of my lesbian life. During this time, I was sure if anyone were to find out that I had kissed a girl, then they would not take to it at all. So, I ended up fighting to keep the fact that I was a lesbian. I knew that I had strong attractions to the female gender, but I had to keep it a secret knowing that my family were deep rooted into the church. During my junior years in mid school, I had gotten into so much trouble, I had gotten arrested on school campus, caught with a bag of marijuana on me! There were eight of us girls, but seven of us got house arrest. My parents did not take to kind to any of my friends during this time. I found my life spiraling down, and I could not control the outcome, eagerly wanting to be me! I was living a mass lie, not being able to tell anyone that I was into the female gender. Which made me a lesbian. Struggling daily to try and come to the realization of who I really was. I then made a promise to myself, that as soon as I hit 18, I would leave, so that I can live my own life. During the times in high school still not completely out of the closet. I struggle with the knowledge of knowing that I had strong emotions for the female gender, and found myself turning to all areas, in which I thought would be helpful to me in coping with my emotions, of having feelings towards the same sex. I then began to drink at an early age, as well as started to smoke marijuana. This was clearly an outcry for help, but I did not know what was going on. I felt so puzzled, confused, and nervous of how to go about letting those I loved, know who I was. There was no one to confide in, since back in the 80’s, there was no talk of that type of behavior whatsoever. Now mind you, during these times there no open-minded individuals flaunting that there is support for an individual with those issues, that have strong feelings towards their own gender. There is a name for these individuals today. That is gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgenders. Although, I was hoping to be accepted and struggling with what I had to deal with and try not to lose my mind. It seemed as if I were just seeking any type of support but found help in all the wrong places. I continued my journey as a young lady and finally at the age of 18years, which was the year 1985. I decided it would probably be best for me to leave and try and go live my life away from my parents, so that they would not have to deal with this issue of their daughter being a lesbian. That move that I made literally broke my mother’s heart. Allow me to fast forward, 31years later, I met my wife, and between us both we have four beautiful children. It was my wife, who told me to start writing again, and during this CO-VID19, I decided to try to write again in April of 2020. In six days, I had completed my first poem book. “Rainbow Prince” (Into the mind of A Lighted Being), which my wife, helped edit and self-published. I believe all that I write, comes strictly, from the loving hand of God! For he embraces all, regardless our color, sex orientation, and our sins. This book of poems is dedicated to all that our struggling with whom they are and what gender that they feel completes them. Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual, and Transgenders, be at peace with who you really are to be. Embrace who you are, for God made us all very uniquely and handle your lives with finesse. I hope this book brings comfort to you in accepting whom you are truly to be.
By Barbara Falo5 years ago in Pride
Sarah's Journey out of the box
I’m Sarah, I was born a male, and for the first part of my life, nothing was amiss. However, fast forward to my teenage years, and being socially awkward, add having a life-threatening peanut allergy at a time when it was not common, and parents who were learning how to act because any camp or sleepover could be fatal to their only son. Were they loving? Yes. Were they supportive? Yes. But, being a loaner, I spent a lot of time either with them or by myself. On one of one those days, I started to ask myself questions. I was 13 at the time. I was being naughty and started to snoop through my parent's drawers to see what I could find. Finding clothing from my mom that she never wore, it was a bodysuit, halter top, and panties. I tried them on, and it felt amazing, weird for a boy to be wearing something girly, but it felt right, wasn't sexual in any way.
By Sarah Gravel5 years ago in Pride
Trans-gressing in the World of Men
Before I transitioned, before I even knew I was trans, I found male spaces a real challenge to navigate. I have never understood the ins and outs, the appeals, the hooks of being ‘one of the boys.’ Something about the very phrase sends shivers through my spine. Indeed, it makes me cringe to think that I was ever even close to those circles. Hopefully, few, if any, people have ever really thought of me in those terms – I never was a ‘man’s man’ anyway and my list of close male friends can probably be counted on one hand (two at a stretch – sorry gents!) – but I’ll come back to that in a moment.
By Aisla Houghton-Foster5 years ago in Pride
The sun rose and I flew to the birds. Top Story - June 2021.
When I was first craving words to describe my queer identity, I was obsessed with birds. The birds didn't need words and I didn't want them either. I was working in the engine room onboard a research ship, and we wouldn't return to land for thirty to fifty days at a time. As I struggled to break from the ideas of myself as man that I had adopted over the course of my young life I fell down Google holes trying to find a way to present my body to the world. I longed to dissolve into salt-entrained air with the albatrosses.
By Joe Nasta | Seattle foodie poet5 years ago in Pride
Coming out is never a one time thing!
As I am sure you are all aware it's Gay Pride Month. If you missed it, I'm not certain how you managed to do so. I have never been much of a "flag waver" in any sense of the word; and this includes the pride flag. "Coming out" was a pretty difficult process for me and is something I believe shouldn’t be necessary or required. Your gender and sexuality are valid regardless of who is or isn't aware of them. On top of all that, coming out shouldn't even need to be a thing. Western culture assumes all people are straight, therefore creating an environment where coming out is often necessary to be seen & validated as who we are.
By Prince of Cavan Creations5 years ago in Pride
Pixar’s ‘Luca’ Is A Heart-Warming Tale to Teach Children During Pride Month to be Confident in Who You Are
- This article contains spoilers for Disney Pixar’s Luca – Read at your own risk - “We can go anywhere, do anything. We just gotta stick together!” as Luca so rightly put; with June being Pride Month, there’s no doubt that Disney deliberately planned to drop Luca on Disney+ during the middle of Pride. A topic like Pride is something that requires a fair amount of education to ensure everyone is accepted for who they are. Unfortunately, the message still isn’t getting across to people. Luca has just landed on Disney+ and teaches not just children, but adults too, that it’s important to understand everyone is not the same.
By Lewis Jefferies5 years ago in Pride
I think about Sex with Women all the Time
I have written about coming out as bisexual a few times, however, one thing I have not talked about is the fact that I think about sex with women all the time, even when my husband is with me. When I discuss this with others, they think it means I'm unhappy in my marraige. I'm writing this today, because I want to be open about that, and I also want to make clear that no, I am not unhappy, and no I am not a cheat either!
By Carol Ann Townend5 years ago in Pride
Understanding Pansexuality With The Help Of Jojo Siwa And Demi Lovato
In the last couple of years, various celebrities have come out as pansexuals, such as Miley Cyrus and Cara Delavingne. Well, in just the last few weeks, two celebrities have used pansexuality to describe their orientation, which are YouTube star JoJo Siwa and Demi Lovato.
By Mindsmatter.5 years ago in Pride
