#sexuallyfluid

While many other cities celebrate gay pride in June, Atlanta does it in October. This month coincides with National Coming Out Day and acknowledges the anniversary of the National March on Washington for Gay Rights. Another reason for holding Atlanta Pride in October is the cooler temperatures. Despite the fall breeze, the celebration doesn't stop from heating up here in the big peach. 

Atlanta has become a melting pot of diversity from all over the country. It attracts many young professionals because of its career opportunities; the median age is only 33. Also, many members of the LGBTQ community have migrated to Atlanta from smaller Georgia cities and towns and from neighboring states. This may partly be why Atlanta is known as the gay epicenter of the South. There is broader acceptance for being gay in Atlanta because of the combination of youthfulness and familiarity.

However, in contrast, it is still a city in the Bible Belt and a major center for traditional religious denominations, such as the Southern Baptist, which is alive and prolific in the South. This incongruity creates an interesting mix of similarities and differences.

If religion preaches love, and Pride does the same, they are not opposing beliefs at the core. Where they become disconnected is in the use of power. One belief system is about having authority over others, while the other is about empowering ourselves. You gain control over another by convincing them your way is the only way. In contrast, you evolve by enabling others to grow by honoring their individuality. 

Pride is more than rainbows and parades. It is about being authentically yourself, regardless of what others think. There is no deeper blasphemy than not being true to ourselves. We are here to express our unique abilities. Helping the world evolve and expand is our natural state for our souls and planet.

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In a spontaneous moment, Mitchell Anderson became the face of gay Hollywood when he came out at the GLAAD Media Awards in 1996, which was pre Ellen Degeneres's coming out in 1997. 

His acting credits include, but are not limited to, "Doogie Howser, M.D.," Party of Five," "The Karen Carpenter Story," "Jaws: The Revenge," and his most recent Amazon Prime series, "After Forever." 

In a time when being gay was not accepted, especially in Hollywood, where the stakes were higher, Mitchell rode out his self-discovery in secret. His only public outlet was becoming an activist for HIV. He is proud to say he helped change the political landscape by promoting the politicians who brought education and funding for HIV, which up until then was condemned as the 'gay plague.'

He was given one of the first gay parts in the TV series, "Party of Five." At the 1996 GLAAD Media Awards, he was asked over and over in the press line, "What is it like to play a gay character when you are straight?" At that moment, he had to decide whether to stay in the closet and support bigotry or come out and bring familiarity to the intersectionality of Hollywood and gay.

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The intersectionality of neurodivergent and queer or neuroqueer is where Pasha Marlowe, MFT, shines. Her work as a neurodiversity coach came after her healing journey, where she discovered she is queer and both ADHD and autistic or AuDHD. Pasha teaches people to liberate themselves from neuronormativity and heteronormativity.

Unhealed trauma hijacks our nervous system to the point that we shut and lock all doors to ourselves. We think we are being safe by being like everyone else. Pasha realized she had been "masking" most of her life to fit in as neurotypical and straight. Finally, she accepted that she didn't fit into any box. Her book, "My Next Husband Will Be A Lesbian," was, in part, her reclamation.

Pasha coaches people to understand and accept that, just like gender and sexuality, we have neurological differences that also put us on a spectrum. It is not higher or lower-functioning people but a society that is often low functioning to accommodate us all when it demands that people process life similarly. 

Pasha Marlowe has a podcast, “Neuro Queering,” where she challenges and disrupts the archaic social models we have been taught to follow. She can also be found on all social media platforms as herself, Pasha Marlowe @neuroqueercoach.   

Go to Sofia Wellman YouTube channel to see the full episode, and subscribe to the media making a difference!