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Age:22
State: Richmond, VA

LJR: what do you identify as?

P:queer and nonbinary and black

LJR:have you ever faced discrimination ?

P:YES. all the time. i feel like i face much more discrimination for being black, but i do face significant discrimination for being queer by the black community. i feel like black queer people are erased from both LGBTQ communities and the black community.

LJR:how do you feel about it?

P:it makes me upset because I feel like I have to navigate between two identities and spaces. I'm not sometimes black or sometimes queer - I'm always black and queer. there's a lot of racism in the lgbtq community and a lot of homophobia in the black community. i wanna be in both communities but sometimes it's really hard to.

LJR:how old were you when you came out? how did your friends & family react?

P:i came out to my friends laaate highschool early college. i came out to my friends as nonbinary in my sophomore year of college. i haven't come out to my family.

LJR:not meaning to pry but why not to your family?

P:i don't really feel the need to tell them, especially if it'll make them critical of me. im not concerned w my immediate family as much as w my extended family

LJR:when did you realize you belonged to the lgbtq+ community ?

P:when i was in like 3rd grade and realized i was attracted to women

LJR: your story is new & gives me a new perspective.

P: Thanks :)

LJR: has life after coming out been good or bad for you?

P:much better, i feel like i have a nice community of queer people of color where we can all support one another. it's helpful to know that other people are going through similar things. i think for queer people chosen family is much more helpful than biological family, especially if your biological family is queerphobic

LJR:have you ever felt unsafe in your community?

P:not really in my chosen community, no

LJR:do any of your friends face the same discrimination as you?

P:oh yes, I would say most of it is nearly identical

LJR:if you can say anything to the lgbtq+ youth struggling with acceptance and life, what would you say?

P:i would say that there are queer people all around you, and that it may seem difficult but finding a chosen community of people who love and understand you isn't impossible. for me, i recognize that I don't necessarily need my parents to understand my identity to fulfill my life and that i think it's okay to have separate distinct relationships for friends and family.

LJR: that is so great that you have a great set of friends and a confidence in yourself that many don't have. that's everyone's dream to be totally confident with them self, you are inspiring and helping out many, and getting this interview out there might help them out too it is truly the best that you are happy & able to be around other lgbtq+ and feel good and feel safe i wish you nothing but luck and support when you introduce yourself to the rest of the world other than richmond and began to live the life you truly want to live & more😁

# data[].attributes.body
Age:19
State:Texas

LJR: What do you identify as?

P: Queer Transgender

LJR: have you ever faced discrimination ?

P:Yes. Texas recently passed a bathroom bill that forces me to use the women's restrooms, locker rooms, etc. at my college even though I identify as male. I have also faced discrimination from my family who refused to accept as transgender and as a result I am no longer in contact with them.

LJR:when did you realize you were apart of the lgbtq+ community

P:Not until I was 19 and in college. I grew up in a small town and didn't even know what being transgender was until I got to college.

LJR: has life after coming out been bad or great for you?

P:It's been amazing. I'm finally comfortable with myself. I have confidence that I never had before, and best of all I love myself

LJR: do you have people that support your lifestyle?

P:Yes. I have amazing friends who are also LGBT+ and my mother has supported me since the beginning to make up for the rest of my family who doesn't

LJR:that is so great that you have friends and a mom that supports you

P:Yeah, I'm really lucky because i know not a lot of trans people have the support system that I do

LJR: have you ever felt unsafe in your community ?

P:Yes. One time in class a professor outed me and it was met with hostile reactions from a few of my classmates

LJR: how did you feel after that ?

P:I felt sick and I had to leave because I had a panic attack and everyday I went back to that class I would get the same sick feeling

LJR: How long did it take you to overcome this feeling?

P: I didn't really, I just stopped going to class. It was towards the end of the semester so I could do that and still make a good grade. I didn't want to put myself in danger.

LJR:do any of your friends deal with the same problems?

P: No. Im the only one in my friend group who is publicly out

LJR: if you can say anything to the lgbtq+ youth struggling with acceptance and life, what would you say?

P: It might not seem like it now, but one day your life will be filled with people who love and accept you for who you are

LJR:that is so great that you have a great support system behind you and in love with yourself. that's everyone's dream to be totally in love with them self, you are inspiring and helping out many, and getting this interview out there might help them out too it is truly the best that you are happy & able to be around other lgbtq+ and feel good and feel safe. i wish you nothing but luck and support when you introduce yourself to the rest of the world other than texas and began to live the life you truly want to live & more😁

# data[].attributes.body
Age:18
State: Southern California

LJR:when did you come out to your family?

P:I've known I've been bisexual for about 5 years and transgender for 3, and I finally came out to my mom about being bisexual 2 years ago and then to my sister a year later. Both my mom and sister when I came out took it very casually, but not in a brushing it off sort of way.  It just wasn't a big deal at all, they didn't ask too many questions and I don't think they were too surprised, which I'm really grateful for. I'm so lucky knowing it's not like that for everyone. I knew for a fact they weren't homophobic or biphobic so I didn't experience as much anxiety as I could've if I didn't have a faint idea of where they stood.
And although I've come out and they've expressed an interest in being educated, I still experience a level of anxiety about it. I've come out yes, but it's one thing to say it and another to act on it. "They won't reject me, but what will they think the first time I introduce someone as my girlfriend to them, and they finally see how serious and real I'm being about my sexuality?" is a question ask myself all the time.

# data[].attributes.body
Age:15
State: Sacramento, CA

LJR: what do you identify as?

P:he/him

LJR: have you ever faced discrimination ?

P:yes ppl would just make fun of me for doing "girl" stuff

LJR:how did that make you feel being picked on because of who you are?

P: it made me feel discouraged in who i was

LJR: do you have a great support system?

P: yes

LJR: do you ever feel unsafe in your community?

P:no i go to a safe school in a safe neighborhood and everyone is pretty welcoming of other identities etc

LJR: that is so great that you have a great support system behind you& are able to be around other lgbtq+ youth and feel safe. i wish you nothing but luck and support when you introduce yourself to the world and began to live life.

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Age:16
State: Texas

LJR: so first off what do you identify as?

P:of course it changes as i have new experiences but currently demisexual biromantic. and i am cis. bisexual if it's just passing in conversation.

LJR: im learning so much already! have you ever faced any discrimination?

P:i'm not out, so no. i've only dated boys at this point in my life, and live in a VERY conservative area. it's safer for me to keep to myself.

LJR: how old are you?

P:16

LJR: where do you live? when did you really feel like you belonged to the lgbtq community?

P:i live in northern texas. i have never experienced lgbtq+ inclusion because i simply have never been around people that aren't straight. my best friend is ace, so she's really one of the only people that i know in my life that isn't straight. the online ace community is wonderful, but often times members of the lgbtq+ community don't believe that ace or bi people always belong.

LJR: what have they said to you? and how did you respond? or feel?

P:it has never been directly to me, since i don't talk about my sexuality much on social media. ill send the thread for an idea. "I find heterosexual couples at pride annoying y'all can hold hands in public any day without being stoned don't @ me" this goes off on a few different branches but the basic idea is negative.

LJR: that's so upsetting.
P:isn't it? but letting those people's opinions intrude into other's thoughts will only bring people down. so i stick with the community that i know will accept me

LJR: okay. are you scared of your parents reaction to your sexual identity? when do you think you will be ready to come out?

P:scared isn't exactly the right word. i would be intimidated, but not scared. if the topic ever came up i would tell my family, but i honestly have no idea what reaction they would have. i'm very lucky to have an amazing mom who puts her humanity before her religion.

LJR: that is so great that you have a great support system behind you.i wish you nothing but luck and support when you do open up and began to live the life you truly want too.

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Are people who's personal identity and gender doesn't match their birth sex

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Means to be strange or odd,people who are queer does not like to be classified as "gay" no title attached would make them queer

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Are males and females who are attracted to both sexs

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A homosexual man.

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A Lesbian is a homosexual woman.