Paul Hammer was born in 1991 and grew up in Sylva. He talks about realizing that he was gay and how he navigated that in a small town. He discusses leaving Sylva to attend the School of Science and Mathematics, allowing him to experience a diverse…
Matthew Harris was born in Chapel Hill and moved to western North Carolina for college. He discusses his story coming out in high school, which details his family being homophobic before learning more about the subject. Harris also explains how gay…
This article by staff writer Christy Hicks in the October 10, 1996 Western Carolinian is titled "National Coming Out Day." The article explains that Coming Out Day is October 11 and commemorates the 1987 March on Washington for lesbian and gay rights…
Lyndan Jones shares her experience growing up with a Southern Baptist parent, an atheist parent, and three younger brothers and how these things shaped her views of the world. Jones tells about finding her community in a small western North Carolina…
Lanie Kear discusses her process that led her to understand she was pansexual, starting in middle school when she came out as a lesbian. Kear feels fortunate to have an accepting family and friends and has experienced very few negative interactions.…
This November 14, 1985 letter to the editor in the Western Carolinian titled after the Tom Robbins' quote "There is no such thing as a weird human being" by social work major Michael J. Kinnisen addresses the November 7th article "Gay student…
This September 26, 1985 Western Carolinian letter to the editor by C. Mark Knecht in support of Lavender Bridges is in response to the previous week's columns by Robb Schrof and Billy Graham. Lavender Bridges, an anonymously founded student…
Beulah Land shares her thoughts on gender identity and fluidity. She discusses the attitudes toward queer culture in Asheville as opposed to the rest of western North Carolina and her work to provide safe spaces for people across the region. Land…
Kaleb Lynch moved to Cullowhee in 2005 and discusses transitioning to a man while in college at Western Carolina University and living and working in Jackson County. He talks about the organizations available to him while at Western such as BGLAD,…
Jay Manalo was born and raised in Northern Virginia by Filipino parents. Manalo went to NC Chapel Hill for college where he majored in Computer Science and Chemistry and shares how he switched gears and ended up in a doctoral program for Counseling…