Identity

Deconstructing My Depression. Runner-Up in Pride Under Pressure Challenge. Content Warning.
Please be warned this has very heavy topics of transphobia & suicide. I am not in the best mental state right now, as I am sure so many other people feel the same. I am sure that even if our struggles are different, many other people battle the same emotions. It can feel isolating, even though intellectually I know I am not alone in these feelings.
By C.M.Dallas3 years ago in Pride
a modest proposal
With a rising percentage of Americans identifying as LGBTQIA+, it is clear that a cultural shift in our country is necessary to achieve any semblance of peace in the coming years. Nearly 6% of Americans identify as queer in some capacity, and an estimated 20-40% of houseless youth identify on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. What accounts for this is often the response of family members after a child comes out. The queer youth is either kicked out or leaves their home due to safety concerns and lack of support. There must be some solution for this housing insecurity amongst queer youth that adequately addresses the harm done by straight and cis counterparts.
By kp3 years ago in Pride
Love and Identity is not Stationary
When something is stationary, it means that it does not move or change, but we need to learn to know that someone's sexuality or identity is not stationary, it can change and in most cases, it will change. Everything is always changing, which is good because years ago you couldn't talk about something much less someone who was part of LGBTQ+, but gradually things came to change. Now you can, but you can't just stop change when it gets to be too much and you don't understand it anymore, because when that happens people don't get the representation they need and deserve.
By Gracie Keener3 years ago in Pride
The first parade
In June 1970, one year after the Stonewall Riots, a group of LGBT+ activists organized the first Pride parade in New York City. The parade, which was originally called the Christopher Street Liberation Day March, was a historic event that would pave the way for LGBT+ rights around the world.
By Openee Article 3 years ago in Pride
Unbound
I wore a binder for the first time today. I know it may seem like a small thing if you've never been uncomfortable in your own skin, but I've always seemed too big, too much, too many. Went to an AA meeting, a restaurant, out for a stroll, and had to weave myself around straight (passing) couples who take up the whole sidewalk–I guess they may not know what it's like to hide, or I wonder if they're insecure, unable to let go of the hand that proves their status quo. I understand that impulse, the urge to blend in with society, with 'normalcy.'
By Bex Jordan3 years ago in Pride
Overcoming Society's Pressures: The Triumphant Love Story of Mark and Alex
Mark and Alex had been in love for as long as they could remember. They had grown up together and had always known that they were meant to be together. However, they lived in a small town where being gay was not accepted, and they knew that they had to keep their love a secret.
By Yusuf Sezer3 years ago in Pride
Lost Island. Honorable Mention in Pride Under Pressure Challenge. Top Story - February 2023.
Dani had lost count of the number of times she'd walked the dingy back hallways of the mall. She thought she knew every stain, each crack in the cheap tile floor, all of the exits and backdoors. Despite her supposed familiarity with the area, she had to admit it.
By Bex Jordan3 years ago in Pride
Rainbow Road: A Journey Through LGBTQ+ History
The history of the gay community is long and complex, encompassing centuries of struggle, discrimination, and activism. Despite the challenges faced by gay individuals throughout history, the district has persevered and made great strides toward acceptance and equality in recent years.
By Jeremy Brower3 years ago in Pride
Why Would Anybody Choose to Be Gay?
I was thinking about my LGBTQ brothers and sisters this morning. The things they endure and have to go through as part of the LGBTQ community. The nasty things that are said behind their backs. You hear it from conservative Christians and mean-spirited bigots far too often:
By The Mouthy Renegade Writer3 years ago in Pride
miles to go. Finalist in 2023 Vocal Writing Awards - Young Adult Fiction. Top Story - January 2023.
It had been three years to the day since his mother passed. He was making the nearly two-hundred-mile trip back to his childhood home to spread her ashes with his family, and he was running late. The sun had risen several hours ago, and now he felt some distance from the task of driving. Now that he could see clearly in the morning light, the road stretched out before him, open and inviting. He allowed his mind to wander and muscle memory to take over. He had made this drive hundreds of times before; living in Southeast Michigan for the past eight years had provided ample opportunity for him to return to his parent’s home and visit while still affording him the space and distance he needed to flourish on his own. The drive was long, but he knew it well, and hours flew by like minutes.
By kp3 years ago in Pride
Transcendence
It had been years since Alex had changed their password. They had been too scared, too scared of what might happen if someone found out their secret. But as they sat in front of their computer, staring at the login screen, they knew that it was time to reset their password.
By Maz De Roxas3 years ago in Pride
Conquering Elements: A Haiku Series on Overcoming Challenges and Finding Love in the LGBT Community
In ancient Greece, love was seen as a force of nature, akin to the elements themselves. And, in this haiku series, we see that love is indeed an elemental force, burning fiercely like fire, flowing adaptably like water, taking root and thriving like earth, and soaring freely like air.
By Maz De Roxas3 years ago in Pride