Chrissy, 40, Wants LGBTQ Folks to Educate One Another With a Sense of Humor #AMPLIFY

Pittsburgh Lesbian

Name: Chrissy Costa Age: 40 County of Residence:  Allegheny County, formerly Chicago Pronouns: She/Her How do you describe your identity?  Lesbian Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? When I accepted my sexuality I sought a therapist to help me come out to my family. I had become distant […]

Lora, 33, Talks About Coming Out, Family Support, & LGBTQ Narratives #AMPLIFY

Are there issues impacting your LGBTQ neighbors that aren’t visible or part of the local dialogue?

I think everyone is affected by our education system. We need to be taught compassion and understanding for marginalized communities. So often the narratives of people of color and people in the LGBTQ community are either not told or not given the equal space of white narratives. It is easy to see people that are seemingly different from you as “others” when you are not exposed to their stories, their kindness, their humanity while growing up and come to the realization that their narrative is our collective human narrative.

Selene, 60, is genderfluid, pansexual, femme-presenting, neuroqueer and more #AMPLIFY

How do you describe your identity? genderfluid, pansexual, femme-presenting, dom
white as f*ing bleached flour
autistic, neurodivergent, neuroqueer
multiply disabled, invisibly disabled, visibly disabled, auditory processing disorder, executive function disorder, ehlers danlos syndrome, partially ambulatory

Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? Have been more or less out as weird-queer all my life. Had some excellent friends, also some friends of my mother’s were supportive. Several teachers.

Got beat up, excluded, gamed. Autism (undiagnosed) was not helpful in knowing whom to trust.

Scott, 53, is a Gay Man Exploring Transition & Identity Anew #AMPLIFY

genderqueer Washington County

Content Note: sexual assault Name: Scott Age: 53 County of Residence:  Washington County born & raised. Also lived in Indiana & Allegheny counties before moving to New Mexico, where I’ve lived for the past 20 years. Pronouns: they/them/theirs How do you describe your identity? I’ve been an out, loud & proud gay man since 1981. Within the past year […]

Marcia, 58, is Cisgender, Lesbian & Slightly Gender Nonconforming #AMPLIFY

Name: Marcia Age: 58 County of Residence: Allegheny, Pronouns: she, her How do you describe your identity? Cisgender, lesbian, slightly gender nonconfroming Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? My coming out was extremely difficult due to my strong religious upbringing which to this day has created barriers between me and my […]

11 Reasons to Share Your Story with #AMPLIFY Right Now

AMPLIFY

  We would like to have your contribution to the AMPLIFY project. You should be 18+, identify as part of the LGBTQ community and have ties to at least one of the 26 counties in Western Pennsylvania. You can define ties. Your story matters because you matter. Whether you have a grand epic tale to […]

Seth, 21, Came Out as Bi and Trans Via Power Point #AMPLIFY

Name: Seth Giovanni DiMartile Age: 21 County of Residence:  Allegheny, formerly Philadelphia and Mays Landing, New Jersey Pronouns: he/him/his How do you describe your identity? Oh, Lord. I’m bi, but queer and gay are also acceptable, my gender isn’t quite binary; trans, trans boy, transmasculine, boy, guy, and male are all acceptable, I don’t really like the terms […]

Krissy, 34, Talks About Step Parenting as a Bisexual Woman #AMPLIFY

Name:  Krissy Age:  34 County of Residence:  Crawford County.  Formerly, Erie County, Lawrence County, Warren County, and Clarion County Pronouns: she/her How do you describe your identity? I consider myself bi-sexual, but I don’t think I will ever be in a relationship with a man again. My relationship “works” so much better now. Please describe your coming out […]

Rev Leonard, 37, is a Black same-gender loving freedom fighter #AMPLIFY

Reverend Shanea Leonard

We are very pleased to have the contribution of Reverend Leonard as AMPLIFY post number 200. Name: Rev Leonard Age: 37 County of Residence: Allegheny County, formerly Philadelphia County Pronouns: she, her, hers How do you describe your identity? I am a Black same-gender loving freedom fighter, I am a person of faith. I am a lover. I am […]

Wendi, 31, Describes Being a Trans Ally in Her Workplace #AMPLIFY

Name: Wendi Age: 31 County of Residence: Allegheny, formerly Erie Pronouns: Mrs, Her How do you describe your identity? Ummm. I am a lesbian woman. I am white Italian. Wink* Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? I officially came out at 16 to my parents after my dad had seen […]