This article by contributing writer Michelle Mazzucco in the October 10, 1991 Western Carolinian is titled "Coming Out Day is Friday." The article explains that National Coming Out Day is October 11 and commemorates the 1987 March on Washington for…
John Miele tells about he and his partner moving to Jackson County and opening a small business in Dillsboro. They became active with the Merchant's Association and active in politics on the town and county level and were welcomed in the community.…
Dawn Neatherly talks about growing up in a liberal family and not being aware of issues surrounding sexuality. She attended Western Carolina University from 1980 to 1984 and again from 1986 to 1988 and talks about the lesbian and gay culture during…
In the November 17, 1988 issue of the Western Carolinian, Dawn Neatherly writes in Counselor's Corner "The facts about homosexuality." The article is in response to the fact that the student body did not show up for Lavender Bridges' information fair…
This October 9, 1986 letter to the editor by Terry Nienhuis titled "Not Freak" is commending the Western Carolinian for the interview published in the September 18 issue in which Editor-in-chief Andrew Dawkins interviews Chris, the founder of…
Lane Wagner, stage name Natasha Noir Nightly, is interviewed by Sarah Steiner as a part of the Gender and Sexuality Oral History project. Wagner, who identifies as a pansexual, cisgender male, is a bearded drag queen and part of the drag family House…
Dean Paulk talks about Safe Zone, an LGBTQ awareness and ally training, at Western Carolina University. He shares the many ways he is involved with the LGBTQ community and programming on campus. Paulk is a pansexual trans man who is homo-romantic and…
Stacy Plumb discusses her coming out story while in high school and her relationship with the church. She also describes her experience as a freshman at WCU in the LGBTQ+ community
Lynnz works in the medical field and tells their coming out story. Lynnz also discusses their experience coming out in a sorority and their thoughts on Greek Life. They include their time in Jackson County and the differences between home, Greek…
Drag queen Beulah Land is on the Bridge Park stage in downtown Sylva, North Carolina wearing a sash reading “Votes for Women.” She is host of the drag show that took place during the day long Sylva Pride Festival. Sylva Pride was founded in 2021 and…