Topics: Sexuality

Maxine, an organizer with the Erotic Service Providers Union, shares her perspectives as a prostitute in order to ask the public to respect and listen to the voices of women in the sex industry when it comes to issues of legalization.  

Cristina made this digital poem in her Family Literacy class as an English assignment. She is reading a poem by Pablo Neruda, translated into English. She dedicated the poem to her long-distance fiancé, Cesar.

One woman's tale of being lost for many years, and her path back to life and to finding her identity and purpose.

Ms. Aloha, as people like to call Wendy, was abandoned by her mother at age seven and endured years of abuse within the foster care system. She was finally placed with a family, but was forced to leave once they learned she was a lesbian. Through all of this, plus an unforeseen tragedy in her family, she’s kept a positive outlook on life, helping all of those around her and learning to thrive on her own.

When Remy’s foster mother found out he was gay, he turned to his trusted social worker for help. Unfortunately, his story ended up landing him in juvenile hall after he was arrested for a crime he didn’t even know he was committing. He was made to feel perverted and inhuman simply for having a consensual relationship with a younger boyfriend. With the help of advocates and friends, he has moved beyond the pain of this legal encounter and learned to affirm his own identity.

Nicky, the oldest child in a wealthy, traditional Asian family, was physically abused by her parents — and the abuse escalated after she came out to her family. Nicky’s parents cited Chinese tradition and Buddhist teachings to justify the beatings, but Nicky can see how their particular interpretations of cultural and religious traditions stem in part from their own history of abuse. When she was placed in a foster care facility, Nicky’s peers continued to abuse her, and her social workers did nothing to address this persistent bullying and harassment.

Kira, a male-to-female (MTF) transgender youth, tells the story of the importance of the "permanent connection" she made with an unlikely person -- her heterosexual independent living program (ILP) worker Jasyn. Shortly after they met, Jasyn left ILP but continued to play an important role in Kira’s life, inspiring Kira to be the best she can be and supporting Kira through her transition.

Kevin felt like a boy his whole life, although everyone else continually pressured him to be "normal" and act like a girl. He struggled to please the world around him, but was still teased at school for being different. Finally, he responded in violence and was arrested. It wasn’t until someone took the time to listen to him and look at his strengths that he got a new take on his life, and eventually was free to be the man he is today.

Severely neglected as a child, a medical miracle brought Keli back to life. She was in and out of foster care in Hawaii, continually abused, and eventually ended up back with her mother, to Keli’s despair. Her brother and her aunt, who also served as her mentors, became her support system as she struggled to heal from her past, and began the inner struggle of finding her identity as a lesbian.