[Liam]

I am attending a three week/six session empowerment workshop for trans folk. My co-attendees range in age from young to old, with those preferring male, female and gender neutral pronouns. I am honored to hear their stories, and they inspire me to continue to be out as a trans man. Forty years ago I could see the importance of being out, believing that the stigma attached to being queer would lose its weight and there would be more acceptance for lesbians and gay men. I've witnessed the truth of this in my lifetime, and while not everyone may embrace the rainbow family, enough do, to make it feel safer to be queer. So I have put aside my fear once again, to say to the world, this is who I am, and it is okay to be me.