Lyd Shelley is bisexual and uses he, she, they pronouns interchangeably. She grew up in Asheville and coming to Western soon after the 2016 election felt more conservative to her than her high school experience. Shelly discusses her time at Western…
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…
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…
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…
Michelle Cooper was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Copper discusses her time as clinical psychologist at Western Carolina University, which during her time at WCU she began campus wide SafeZone training. Outside campus work, Cooper talks about her…
Morgan Hall graduated from WCU in 2019 and was involved in the sorority Phi Mu, campus ministry at the Wesley Foundation, the UP Program, and the Women's Club Rugby Team. She discusses her experience coming out freshman year after going to a Catholic…
Nancie Wilson talks about Safe Zone training at Western Carolina University as well as Safe Zone activities at Southwestern Community College. Wilson explains the origin of Safe Zone and shares the history of Safe Zone on campus along with the…
Nancie Wilson grew up in a traditional southern family and always knew she was gay. She grew up in Orlando prior to Disney’s presence there and tells stories about the beginning of Disney and how Orlando changed. Nancie moved to western North…
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…
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…