“Your Story Can Heal” Says Rain, 26, #AMPLIFY

Demisexual Greene Washington Allegheny counties

At the end of the day, your silence is damaging. Your story can heal and make people feel like they’re not alone. Name:  Rain Age:  26 ** Update – I made an error and listed Rain’s age as 44. I am sorry for the error. – Sue County of Residence:  Allegheny, formerly Washington and Greene Preferred […]

Jill, 48, Has Ties to Allegheny, Washington and Westmoreland Counties #AMPLIFY

Washington County

Name:  Jill Age: 48 County of Residence:  Washington, formerly Allegheny and Westmoreland counties Preferred Pronouns:  I am a human being How do you describe your identity? I am me. Short and fat and happy. Lol. Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? I feel I have always been out. […]

Caitlyn, 51, Lives Her Authentic Self as a Trans Woman in Erie #AMPLIFY

transgender Erie Pennsylvania

  Name: Caitlyn Strohmeyer Age: 51 County of Residence: Erie Preferred Pronouns: She/Her/Hers How do you describe your identity? Woman/transwoman/transfeminine Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? My first memory of wishing I had been born a girl was when I was around 5 years old. When I was in the first […]

Melissa, 23, is Androgynous and Queer in Butler County #AMPLIFY

Queer Butler County

Name: Melissa Age: 23 County of Residence: Butler, formerly Allegheny Preferred Pronouns: She/Her/They/Them How do you describe your identity? I consider myself more of an androgynous person. I identify my sexuality as “queer”. Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? I didn’t have a big to-do with my coming out. I told […]

Delilah, 31, Find Trans Community on Twitter #AMPLIFY

Transgender Cambria County

Name: Delilah Age: 31 County of Residence:  Cambria, Indiana, Lancaster, Dauphin, and some others in the Commonwealth that escape me at the moment. Preferred Pronouns: she, her, mademoiselle, and other female pronouns How do you describe your identity? I identify as a trans woman. To a lesser extent, I identify as a lesbian. I say to a lesser extent because […]

Jamie, 52, Celebrates the Queer Tribe Rising #AMPLIFY

Jamie Shupe Pittsburgh

Editor’s Note: Jamie is a friend and a former contributor to this blog. I am so honored to have their contribution as the 150th post in the #AMPLIFY project. That’s a big milestone. Jamie’s milestone as the first legally recognized non-binary resident of the United States is pretty damn big, too. Read on … Name: Jamie […]

Jessica, 28, Is Resisting Bisexual Erasure in Pgh #AMPLIFY

Name: Jessica Age: 28 County of Residence: Allegheny, formerly Erie Preferred Pronouns: she, her, hers How do you describe your identity? I’m a white, cisgender, bisexual woman. Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? I feel like I don’t have a real “coming out” experience, because for years, on and off […]

Benjamin, 35, is a Cis Gay Man Who Came out Four Times #AMPLIFY

Ben Gay Pittsburgh

  Name:  Benjamin Age: 35 County of Residence:  Allegheny Preferred Pronouns: he How do you describe your identity? I self-identify as a gay cisgender man. Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? I’ve probably come out 4 different times. First as someone “into guys,” then as someone with a homosexual […]

Chi Chi, 47, Lives Her Version of Latina, Queer and Spiritual #AMPLIFY

queer latina

  Name:  Chi Chi Rivera Age: 47 County of Residence:  Allegheny Preferred Pronouns:  she How do you describe your identity? I am first and foremost a spirit, that has taken residence within a BIG queer latina female body, this time. Next lifetime, I may be a white drag queen or a straight woman with 16 children, or […]

Cheryl, 42, Wants Us To See Everyone in the LGBTQ Community #AMPLIFY

lesbian allegheny county

Name: Cheryl Age:  42 County of Residence: Allegheny, Blair Preferred Pronouns: She/Her How do you describe your identity? I am two spirited. Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? I came out in college. My friends were supportive but it was a Catholic college and there weren’t any out staff. I […]