National Coming Out Day. Sometimes it feels like so many lifetimes ago that I came out to my closest friends and family. That decision and the events surrounding it led to such things as my dorm room being destroyed, losing a place in an organization I loved being part of, losing some friends and my connection to the church and my plan for the future, harming myself on purpose repeatedly and being assaulted by a police officer simply for being me. It resulted in me being part of the creation of student gay groups, finding friends that helped me figure it all out. It helped me find my tribe, my voice and myself. in 1991 there were no gay people on tv or in movies, there was no internet, there was no DOMA and there were definitely no states that allowed gay marriage. We chained ourselves to the RI State House and protested in peaceful ways. We marched in Providence in groups of hundreds and headed to DC by the thousands to demand that people place us on an equal scale and give us the same rights. 30 years later i am living a life that I never thought possible in a light that allows me to be myself completely. I was proposed to by the cutest man in the world. @jemmeek and have a life that I never thought possible. My home state and my birth state now both allow my man an I to be married in front of our friends and family. Gay is now not a mark of shame for me but one small part of the person I am and somehting I am proud to say be. It truly does get better. I am so loved and so fortunate and so proud to be me. Thank you to everyone that surrounds me love. The fight is not over. We need to keep pushing forward. Our government is coming for our rights every day I am so grateful for what I have but as long as our communities are in crises and marginalized and our trans brothers and sisters are being murdered and our kin of color feel under represented we must keep moving forward. Intersectionality is essential. Ask your friends on the fringes and in the margins how you can support. Use your platforms and personal relationships to stand up. Recognize your privilege. Know when to speak up and when to listen. Stand up fight back. We have no choice.