by Logan M.

An extremely underestimated moment in a LGBTQ+ youth’s development is that first moment we see an older person living, walking, and breathing in the exact dream we were too afraid to think was possible. I would see girls with shaved heads, multiple piercings and tattoos, butch or flamboyant fashion and think in awe (and also a bit of attraction): “Wait. This is allowed!? I can actually do that too?”. 

Obviously the culture of LGBTQ+ is different than the whole romance bit, but as any other 20 year old, I’m still getting a hang of how relationships and love even works in general. I don’t think I’ll ever know. But I do know that my first crush on a boy was in 3rd grade and my first crush on a girl was in 7th. Both were my best friends at the time, and I believe I fell for them for the way they made me laugh. But with the boy, it was expected by our parents that beneath our friendship was a crush, “young innocent love”, and I felt good about the excitement of him maybe liking me back. I did not experience the same freedom with

There was a lot of shame, a lot of guilt. I question back and forth whether my bisexuality is actually valid, whether I actually belong in this warm community of wonderful weirdos or whether I’m not gay enough. Too queer for the norm, too norm for the queer.

A letter to my future child:

“I love you exactly as who you are, and whoever you will be. When I say I’m excited to watch you grow, I mean in any way possible-straight, left, right- and if that dream of who you want to be is laughing in love with a lucky woman, marching your rainbow march with purple hair and 20 piercings, I’ll be standing right next to you.”

I worry I don’t belong in the community. Sometimes I feel I don’t belong anywhere. Embrace the comfort and

But being in the culture of extreme honesty and expression, of art and wonder and color and depth, from pain from confusion from acceptance and self love, to be surrounded in that

Put your children in environments where they can see and be inspired by older LGBTQ+ individuals and find possible role models. For me it was theatre, camp, and pride events.

LGBTQ+ children feel often as if they don’t fit in or belong anywhere, please encourage them that they have a right to exist as themselves in any environment and that they deserve the absolute workld

I am very thankful for my parents and the support they have given me. Although I know it is a new lifestyle to them that theyre not used to, but they have supported me in driving me to and from theatre rehersals everyday filled with my role models, they have supported me and still loved me when I stopped shaving my legs and armpits, they have supported and loved me when im a mess and don’t know who I am. They have supported me growing through therapy.

I would say my parents are pretty traditional, especially in relation to Louisville’s very liberal vibe.