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6. When did you first discover your gender/sexuality?
I first discovered my gender/sexuality within the past year, but didn’t feel content with it until recently.
7. When did you first learn about racism and how it personally affected you?
I learned about racism in elementary school and it affected me by making me hate the pigment of my skin, my word choice (in fear of being perceived as ‘uneducated’), the texture of my hair and I was overly conscious of aspects of myself most children weren’t aware of.
8. Describe your feelings toward coming out?
I think coming out can be a very liberating for a person, but in my experience it really depends on who you come out to and how they receive it. It’s not easy and it takes time for some people to fully grasp their old perception of you.
9. Has your race/ethnicity ever made you feel like you can’t be queer and/or trans because that’s a “white people thing” or the fact that there weren’t any media representations of you??
My race/ethnicity has made me feel like I can’t be queer and trans because the black community isn’t usually very accepting of us. The majority of representation of queer/trans folk are white and very ‘polished’, both of which I didn’t fit, making it difficult to validate my feelings. Being queer and/or trans in the black community is most likely deemed as unacceptable and scary for families to consider because it places even more oppression onto you
10. What’s your advice to QTPOC who want to come out?
My advice to QTPOC who want to come out is to be careful if you believe your family won’t receive it well. Pay attention to language your family uses when queer/trans topics are brought up. You can also test coming out by telling someone you’re very close to. Lastly, remember that even though some PoC may not be accepting, other queer and trans PoC exist and we’re happy to have another person join our community! Your feelings are valid, regardless of what others may tell you.