For someone who’s about to come out, it can feel really scary to say the words I’m gay in your head, like every relationship is about to change because of this piece of information that makes you who you are. I didn’t know anybody else who was experiencing any of the same feelings that I was, and so because I didn’t find a place that I necessarily fit into, I decided to create my own.
I Understand You is a community and safe space for queer youth where teens can share and read their own coming out stories and gain access to peer-to-peer mentorship. The stories are so important because they’re dealing with the feelings of being scared and isolated and then finding your true self. It helps people actually see they’re not the only person who’s experiencing what they’re going through and that they’re not weird and they’re not different.
As IUY has grown as a community, we’ve been able to expand our mission, whether that be through our peer-to-peer mentorship program or providing gender-affirming healthcare to trans and queer youth across the country. I understand you can always be a place of acceptance, support, love, and empowerment for me and so many other queer youth.