Stories

It’s Okay to Not Know

By : Emily Maker November 21, 2020 No Comment

I grew up in the midwest with zero open queer folk around, which led to me having to figure out where I fall on the spectrum of human sexuality a little bit late. I thought I was odd. Not normal. I mean, who doesn’t know they aren’t straight until their late twenties, or later? Turns out that the more I talk about it, the more common it seems. I feel grateful for my move to a liberal city in my early twenties and the exposure it gave me to all different sorts of people. I was married to a man at 19 and had a baby at nearly 21. Shortly after that divorce, I met another man and was with him during all of my struggles with self identity. In

LGBTQ Friendly College Campuses

By : C. W. B. November 21, 2020 No Comment

If you are applying to college and are also a part of the LGBTQ community, you may have additional concerns about selecting an appropriate school. You may even be worried about the acceptance of your identity or gender expression. There are a multitude of U.S. universities that claim to have LGBTQ pride, and even advertise that they are accepting of students of different sexual orientations. Many of these schools may even have LGBTQ clubs, events, and courses. But which schools have the most supportive communities? If you want a college experience where you feel free to be yourself and engage with a robust queer community, you will want to identify the most accepting college campuses. So, what should you look for when trying to identify an LGBTQ-friendly school? Non-Discrimination Policies

Coming Out at Work

By : C. W. B. November 21, 2020 No Comment

Revealing your identity to coworkers, supervisors, or clients can be intimidating. However, coming out at work can improve work performance and drive success. For transgender or non-binary people, coming out may not be optional, but necessary. Yet for others, coming out at work may not be possible for personal or professional reasons. According to the Harvard Business Review, people who are completely out and open about their sexuality at work are more satisfied and enthusiastic about their jobs. On the other hand, those who are not out at work can face increases in social stress and depression. If you are considering coming out, check out Glassdoor’s workplace guide for LGBTQ professionals along with the steps below to help you get through the process. Know the Company Before choosing to come

Three things I wish the LGBTQIA+ community would address for people like me

By : Kris McElroy November 16, 2020 No Comment

At 36 years old, I have been coming more into my identity as a whole within all the many intersectionalities that make up the fantastic tapestry of who I am. Discovering and leaning into my identity as a biracial black queer transman with multiple disabilities has been a journey with ups, downs, twists, and turns. It has been especially challenging having the intersections of my identity separated and viewed differently across my community groups. That’s why I reflected on what my experience as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community has been like, and areas I wish were different, expanded, and more supportive. Here’s three things I came up with that wish the LGBTQIA+ community would address for people like me: I wish the LGBTQIA+ community would see me not just

Amorphous

By : Elija Ichabod November 14, 2020 No Comment

Despite having not spoken to her in months, my mother had found out about my engagement. I remember not even being surprised. My family collectively has a big mouth, which first became evident when my mother outed me to every person who would listen to her once I came out as bisexual my freshman year of high school - and every iteration of my coming-out since - and later was solidified when my entire extended family found out about my suicide attempt before I was even out of the hospital. I hadn’t spoken to my mother in several years at that point. I wonder if she knows about the attempt. But when she came to my graduation, she congratulated me on my engagement, even though that was the first time

(Kids) Queer Friendly Extracurricular Activities

By : Alyssa Sileo November 1, 2020 Comments Off

*Note: This article was originally published on Pride Pocket prior to merging with MyUmbrella* Extra-curricular activities provide essential developmental opportunities for youth: socially, creatively, and even health-wise. Community service organizations build character, theatre activities encourage teamwork and originality, and sports impart values of hard work and perseverance. One can see these are positive things every young person would hopefully encounter. When any extra-curricular activity leaves out a certain population, kids are missing out on these singular chances. There is an overarching fear that making activities accessible or accommodating to certain participants harms the integrity of the activity or makes it an unequal measure. The truth is, failing to make accommodations is what makes an activity inequitable. We all have the power to rewrite the rules of games, clubs, and competitions

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