Welcome to my new blog! I’m starting a new chapter of my life, so it only seems fitting that I do that with a new blog! A year ago I was dealing with debilitating mental heath, the lowest I’ve ever been. I’m excited to share that, through a long and difficult process, I am now in school full-time again (majoring in Women’s and Gender Studies with a minor in Psychology), working part-time (on my campus’ Office of Multicultural Affairs as a Student Assistant for LGBTQ+ Initiatives), volunteering as a facilitator for queer youth on the weekends, and facilitating a monthly nonbinary support group.
I have gained so much insight on my mental health journey, and I’m excited to share this knowledge with you all over the course of this blog. For now, I would like to share some exciting news!
I have recently been selected to be a @glaad Campus Ambassador! What an incredible honor to be able to represent a group of people that creates so much positive change for the LGBTQ+ community, and inspires youth to take accountability and stand up for what they believe in.
As I head #backtoschool I have been reflecting on my journey as a queer student. I came out in middle school as bisexual, and faced some harassment being only the 2nd “out” LGBTQ+ person in my school. Through my first few years of high school I struggled to understand my fluid queer identity and how it was supposed to fit into the boxes our society has created for us. I fluctuated between labels until coming across a description of non-binary identities, finally realizing there was in fact room for my fluid nature in this world. The term genderqueer is the label I choose for myself because I have always felt weird compared to the cisnormative and heteronormative people I was surrounded by, and the term queer is a poweful one that I refuse to allow to harm me. I was a Junior in highschool when I was elected President of my school’s GSA, continuing to serve the queer community at my school during my Senior year through Day of Silence, educating myself and my peers, and being visible at school events. During this time I came out to myself as genderqueer, but I was out as a lesbian at school, even in the GSA, because I didn’t have anyone in the media I could look up to or point to and say “this is what it’s like to be me.” I was excited to find out that the university I had chosen had a transgender student union, but quickly realized it was inactive. This, and the lack of gender inclusive housing on campus, inspired me to gather my friends (out as trans, not yet out as trans, and allies) for weekly meetings to discuss transgender topics. I soon came out on my campus as a queer, genderqueer person who uses they/them pronouns. My first year, I was the only nonbinary person in my classes, and the first most of my professors had met. I continued to come out to all of my professors, advocate for trans rights on campus, and build incredible friendships with fellow trans and nonbinary people through weekly educational and support meetings. I was the President of this organization for two years and re-branded in all ways the Trans+ Student Union. Even though I was the first trans person many of my friends met, I had the honor to witness many of their journeys to self-acceptance simply through witnessing how authentically I embrace myself, and how compassionately I communicated with them my understanding of the trans community and experience. Now, in my fifth year in undergrad, I’m excited to tell you that I have three to six “out” trans and nonbinary people in all of my in-person classes. It is such a relief on the first day when we go around the room hearing people other than me use they/them pronouns, because I know I will have support in this classroom if I ever feel alone or ostracized for my gender identity in this binary-focused world. Even though this is concentrated because the classes I’m taking specifically relate to queer topics, it shows that these individuals are spread across various disciplines, and proves to me the importance of educating all professors and advisors on trans experience and needs so that these students have a better chance at reaching their full potential.
Even though it can be exhausting and draining, it is important to me to be authentic and visible in all parts of my life (that are safe) so that I can educate people, so that others don’t have to. My vision for my life is to encourage the well-being and success of queer people, specifically queer youth. Thank you for spending this time to learn about me!
Share your story by tagging #backtoschool!
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