Relationships
Scars
It was November, and the crisp coastal California air started to get that chill you can only feel in your bones when winter was just around the corner. It was my boyfriend Xean’s birthday when I met Jay. My best friend Nell and I took Xean out for what ended up being a seemingly pathetic and awkward celebration dinner at one of the local café’s in Seal Beach.
By Anthony Bryan Riva4 years ago in Pride
Queering the Healing Process. Top Story - September 2021.
*This piece contains descriptions of sexual assault, and may be disturbing for some readers. Before she assaulted me, Lydia seemed like exactly the kind of person I would want to date. She was older than me, with dark eyeliner and carefully curled brown hair. She liked poetry by Emily Dickenson and hikes by the ocean. We met in the usual way: a mutual friend had ushered me casually into her dorm room before we all were set to go out to a bar for the evening.
By Katie Alafdal4 years ago in Pride
They Don't Write Sonnets About Happiness (Part One)
I dreamt of you last night, and I remember gazing at your beauty. Radiant. I was in love. I am in love. You spoke softly, and you listened to me. I told you all the things I missed, all the things I love, and we sat down in an intimate, dimly lit setting. I couldn't recognize the place. I don't even know if this place exists — after all, this was a place where you spoke to me after all. With your warm inviting voice, and you looked on to me with such openness and embrace. It's a feeling I was more than blessed to enjoy in my life, and it was something that brought me the most joy I’d felt in days. To feel again in that brief moment, even if only for an instant, was both a blessing and a curse.
By Mark Santana4 years ago in Pride
Tips for Dating a Transgender Man
I have been in a relationship with my transgender fiancée for over three years. When we first got together, I scoured the internet searching for lists of what to do and what not to do. I found articles about using the correct pronouns, never referring to your parner by their dead name, and being understanding. These are all good things to keep in mind, but there are a few things I had to learn from experience.
By Maricela Ramirez4 years ago in Pride
What is Love
There’s a beautiful pond down a couple of blocks from my house. I’ve lived in this town my whole life. My best friend Tommy and I would go to the pond every winter to skate and play hockey. I love playing hockey. I played from 2nd grade all the way to high school. I got nervous in high school and never tried out for the school team. Boy do I regret that decision.
By Shawn Ross4 years ago in Pride
Growing up Gay
I have always wondered why I never had any problems with my sexual orientation. When I was about 8 years old I started noticing that i was different. At first I didn't pay much attention really. I thought girls had cooties and didn't want much to do with them. During recess my routine was playing soccer or whatever game was being played. I did boy things and always hung around my guy friends. But one day I over heard my aunts talking about how they think I was going to be gay. I had a vague ideas as to what gay meant but did not fully understand what that meant. So me being me walked into the middle of them and asked why they were saying that. They told me it was because I was showing gay tendencies. Which in short was for the way I talked. Which now being older I still don't like to hear myself talk on a recording or video. But back to my point, I knew I was different and when I was around 11 years old i had figured out I liked guys. I was just starting out in middle school around this time. Now growing up with my family was like any other family for the most part. My mom and dad split when i was still in diapers so I did not get to meet my mother until much later in life. My dad and grandma raised me for the majority of my childhood. I had a few stepmoms throughout the years but naturally they never stayed long. The main reason for that was my dad liked the sauce a little too much. His choice was whisky or Bud Light.
By John Barlow4 years ago in Pride
