As part of our "Celebrating Pride" series for June, Garrett, Youth Advocacy Coordinator of the Texas Freedom Network, and Mary, Community Programs Manager
for the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Campaign of North Carolina, wrote about what it means to them to work with LGBT youth.  

Garrett: More and more, young LGBTQ Texans are feeling confident to speak out and demand equal treatment and respect for their community. I’m lucky to work with some of these amazing young people every day. In particular, I have been inspired by James Lee, one of our Cultural Advocacy Mobilization Initiative student leaders, who has grown to become an amazing activist for equality. 

Mary: It’s a privilege for me to be able to work with the gay and lesbian young people on my council.  The selflessness and courage that they exhibit working to empower other youth to work towards justice inspires me and I’m so proud of them and the work that they do.

Click through to read the rest of their pieces. 

This blog by Jordan, a youth activist in South Carolina, was written as part of our "Celebrating Pride" series for June.

I didn't really understand that I was gay until I was in high school, and even then I wasn't too sure. How could I be a 'homosexual'? I grew up around conservative, southern baptists my entire life... How could I be gay?

Coming to terms with my sexuality and accepting the fact that I was, in fact, gay, was a challenge. 

When I finally came out to my friends, I was surprised by how they reacted: they accepted me (most of them anyways) and some even gave me a hug. It was such a relief. Tell my friends I was gay was scary, but It felt so good to let them know and to get it off my chest. The next step was telling my mom. That process took more time. 

I was in the car with my mom, we were on our way back home from getting groceries, and I told her that I needed to tell her something (by this time I finally had a boyfriend and he was coaching me via text what to say). After a few rounds of "20 Questions," I finally blurted out "I'm Gay." She was a little shocked at first, but finally told me that she had a feeling that I was and told me she loved me. I told her I had a boyfriend, and she even smiled. To finally tell the one person person you wanted to tell and have them accept it evoked an amazing feeling of elation. I was über happy.

This blog by Joe Lazzerini, Mr. Gay Rhode Island 2012, was written as part of our "Celebrating Pride" series for June.

Happy Gay Pride month! On June 1^st 2009 President Barack Obama issued a presidential proclamation recognizing June as the official month to celebrate the LGBTQ community. This month is all about celebrating who we’re as a community and the fights that we need to continue in order to be fully equal in this diverse yet unequal society.

Let me take a moment to introduce myself – I am Joseph Lazzerini and I am Mr. Gay Rhode Island 2012. I am 21, a political activist and a fighter for all things equal.  This month is about self-expression and being proud about being who you’re as an individual and celebrating the contributions that you’ve made to your community. It’s also about celebrating your victories.

At a young age I realized that I was gay. However, it wasn’t until I was joining the United States Army did I realize what being gay really met. It meant I wasn’t allowed to serve my country. As I read through paperwork about “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” it came to me that I was in fact gay and that I was about to sign away my right to talk about it. I signed anyways. It took me nearly 18 years to come to terms with my sexual identity and comfortable enough to come out of the closet and express to my family and friends that I am a gay man. My friends were supportive right away – some of my family was also. However, my mom and step father were not so supportive at first. I moved out of the house and got my own apartment. And thankfully today Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is no longer the law of the land and being gay is no longer a rejection to serving your country for me or anyone in our community.

My senior year of high school I wound up working 40 hours a week and went to school and I graduated my senior year. After several months my parents came around and just a few months ago my mother was in the room as I was crowned Mr. Gay Rhode Island and she was also there with me as I sat in the Governor’s chambers and watched him sign the Executive order recognizing out of state same sex marriages.

This month – I am proud that we have a President and Vice President that support marriage equality for same sex couples and that we live in a country that does not deny people of the gay and lesbian community the right to serve their nations in the Armed services or deny members of the LGBTQ community the right to visit their partners in the hospital.