Category: LGBTQ+ Intersectional Experiences
This project is becoming a book.
Explore more of these journeys in Northern Lights, Northern Lives.
→ Pre-orders will be open again soon in the Visibility Shop.
-
Finding Identity: A Nonbinary Navy Veteran’s Story of Courage and Creativity
Kadence is a nonbinary Navy veteran, musician, and writer based in Virginia Beach. Their journey of self-discovery began in a group therapy session, when they chose the word “identity” as a guiding light for their future. Over time, music, creativity, and self-reflection helped Kadence embrace who they truly are. In this honest and powerful story,…
-
Cherry Blossoms, Queer Community, and a City in Flux: Notes from the Road in D.C.
Exploring D.C.’s queer communities through cherry blossoms, political complexity, and grassroots activism. A personal journey uncovering the city’s contradictions—invisibility under power and influence, history and resilience, fleeting beauty and enduring community ties in America’s 51st state.
-
Mel Howard: Building a Legacy of Strength for Trans Men of Color
Mel Howard is a force to be reckoned with—a trans man of color whose story is one of resilience, leadership, and unapologetic authenticity. Born and raised in the heart of Newport News, Mel’s journey has been shaped by the intersecting challenges of racism, transphobia, and the deep-rooted history of Black identity in America. As the…
-
Unraveling the Rules: Ren’s Journey Through Gender, Neurodiversity, and Chronic Pain
Ren grew up surrounded by rules—about how to sit, speak, and exist—rules that never quite fit. Diagnosed as autistic at 28 and living with chronic pain, Ren has spent the past few years unlearning what they were taught about gender, identity, and worth. Through books, disability justice, and queer community, they’ve found the language—and the…
-
The Queer Heart of Ohio: Why Columbus might be the Queerest MidWest City
Columbus, Ohio surprised me with its vibrant, deeply layered queer community. From crashing Pride parties to documenting radical self-love, I met people reshaping what it means to belong. This post explores faith, gender, sex work, and joy in one of the Midwest’s most unexpectedly queer and welcoming urban centers.
-
Queer and Appalachian: Exploring LGBTQ+ Life in West Virginia
What does it mean to be queer in West Virginia—a state often overlooked, misunderstood, or written off as too conservative for LGBTQ+ life to thrive? During a three-week road trip across the Mountain State, I met queer Appalachians who are deeply rooted in their land and culture, embracing pride in the complexities of their communities.…
-
Giving Voices to the Voiceless: A Trans and Intersex Experience in Chinatown, Seattle
Celene, a hafu Japanese American and intersex transgender civil rights activist, highlights the importance of community in Seattle’s Chinatown. Despite facing extreme adversity, including losing their voice box and past violence, Celene actively fights for the rights of marginalized groups, promoting unity among diverse communities. Celene takes great pride in being a Maui otokonoko.
-
Riding the Cosmic Web: Lisa Puananimōhala’ikalani’s Embrace of Gender, Wild Wombmynhood and Queer Joy
Lisa Puananimōhala’ikalani identifies as an androgynous cis-wombmyn with a diverse heritage and multidimensional gender and sexual identities. Currently living in the rainforests of Juneau, Alaska, Lisa embraces multiple expressions of self while connecting with nature and city life, highlighting the beauty of queer community in per small, isolated city.
-
A Journey from Christian Roots as a Genderqueer, Black Lesbian in the Heart of Appalachia
Mack, a genderqueer lesbian of color from Southern West Virginia, embraces their Appalachian roots. Growing up in a loving Black American family influenced by Christianity, Mack was afraid to come out. Now in culinary school, they embrace cooking. music and exploring West Virginia’s beauty. They talk about the huge need for queer community and conversation…
-
Inside Fairbanks, Alaska: Queer Histories, Off-Grid Living, and a Moose/Car Collision
Fairbanks is a city of contradictions—military and tourism-driven, yet brimming with underground art and Native culture; a hub of environmental research with some of the worst air quality in the country; home to burlesque fire dancers and centuries-old queer identities reclaimed by Alaska Native people. In this post, I reflect on the wild beauty, culture…