May 10, 2022 Organizations like Safe Space NOVA are life-changing and life-saving. In one’s quest to accept and express who they are, there’s nothing more important than representation and support. Finding any community of queer people is one of the most important steps in moving past the internalized queerphobia that our society embeds in us. [...]
April 26, 2022 My name is Rachel Hirschkind and I’m a 21-year-old lesbian who competes collegiately for the State University of New York College at Geneseo, who is currently obtaining a Bachelor of Science in chemistry. I come from a small town about an hour north of New York City. I knew I was queer [...]
April 5, 2022 When I was in high school, in the mid-to-late-1990s, being gay wasn’t an identity. It was the punchline to a joke. Gay boys were boys who couldn’t catch a football, or who were good at English and math, or who kept to themselves in the library. So imagine my joy at discovering, [...]
February 1, 2022 LGBTQIA+ people have a light in all of us that should be cherished and fostered. Day by day individuals attempt to dim that light because of a lack of understanding or pure hate. Society at large continuously adds to the dimming of someone’s light with the lack of representation. My coming-of-age story [...]
January 18, 2022 “You have to decide who you are and force the world to deal with you, not its idea of you.” — James Baldwin This is one of my favorite quotes, from one of my favorite authors. I absolutely love James Baldwin. He is one of my heroes. He was Black and Brave, [...]
November 16, 2021 When I came out as trans and bi at the age of 33, one of the most common questions I received was "how are you doing?"—not that cultural nicety we pass off as etiquette in greeting someone, but a legitimate dive into emotions. And I've found that while happy, elated, and other such synonyms [...]
September 28, 2021 Q1: What inspired you to work with or be an ally/advocate for Safe Space NOVA? The opportunity to impact the LGBT+ youth community in a positive way at any level is something that will always inspire me. Knowing that I could relate to and help someone struggling with something that I myself [...]
September 14, 2021 Growing up queer can be one of the most terrifying ordeals imaginable. Every day is an out-of-body experience; the fake-it-till-you-make-it mentality forces closeted individuals to put on a show and exist unproblematically. Without a lifeline, it can be traumatizing. Growing up, I wasn’t in an environment that fostered a healthy LGBTQIA+ community. [...]
August 31, 2021 How important is an organization like Safe Space NOVA to the LGBT+ youth community? How important do you think it is to target the 14–18-year-old range? I am thrilled by the mission statement of Safe Space NOVA. In both my personal experience and my queer friend's experiences, the 14 - 18-year-old range [...]
June 22, 2021 How important is an organization like Safe Space NOVA to the LGBT+ youth community? Organizations that allow young people to express themselves and support who they are are incredibly important. Being able to read and hear about other stories similar to mine inspired me to continue to use my voice. I felt [...]
