Pride

The thing that I’m most proud of in my life is helping queer people be themselves. I have always been out and proud in situations where it was inadvisable to do so, because I was unwilling to hide. It gave other people who were still closeted a touchstone in rooms where queer people were not always invited.

For instance, I was out in high school in a large Republican stronghold. I helped other kids come out, or just to talk about their sexuality in a way that was non-threatening. I had a rainbow flag on my backpack and I wore a rainbow necklace. In a lot of ways, I brought HSPVA with me to Clements, because I wouldn’t have been so brave if I didn’t think queer kids walking the halls in high school was normal.

I have always been someone that other queer people could find in a crowd. It’s mostly the haircut, not going to lie.

There’s something about my presence that makes people relax and be themselves. Mostly because I discovered that being myself is the only thing at which I am truly capable.