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![Caitlin Cunningham laughs while sitting on their couch on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at their home in Columbia. “When you know so much darkness, suddenly the light is so bright,” Cunningham said. “I mean, queer joy will blind you. You should live so brightly that it hurts people’s eyes. Other people should have to put on sunglasses [because] you’re living so brightly.” Cunningham, who is 40 years old, is pansexual, nonbinary and non-monogamous. “You know the big joke is always, ‘Oh, you know you’re non-monogamous when your color-coded calendar is shared with four other people.’ And, it’s true. You have to be on top of your A game in terms of keeping things organized because you’re going to hurt somebody’s feelings otherwise,” Cunningham said. “Yes, it’s difficult. Yeah, you joke about calendars and getting together and having enough energy and everything, but ultimately time and energy are the limiting factors. Love is not the limiting factor.”](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/468fc3f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1750x975+0+0/resize/280x156!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F2d%2F59%2F5bde8f414630bd00882735cb327a%2F20240420-bas-queer-joy-caitlin-cunningham-0032.jpg)
Caitlin Cunningham is nonbinary and pansexual. They spoke about their first queer crush and how it helped them better understand their sexuality and their gender identity. -
![Queer 16-year-old Mason, who uses any and all pronouns, sits down on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at the Daniel Boone Regional Library in Columbia.
“I was just asking myself, ‘What type of person am I? Who am I to myself?’ Like, when I look in the mirror, ‘Who do I see? Who do I feel like I am,’” Mason said of the questions he asked himself early on in his coming out process. “I think I don't really have those [specific identity labels] for myself. I do see other people around who have those that are in the queer community. But, yeah, for myself, I wouldn't really say I have one.”
“I think [my parents have] been very reassuring in the fact that they accept me for who I am. They still know that I'm their son, and they love me,” Mason said. “And, I can't say that for a lot of other people who have had problems with their identity and just really figuring out who they are. I'm lucky to have that. I'm glad I had that. But, I wish there were more parents or just people out there that were more accepting to this idea [of being queer].”](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c26ad19/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1750x975+0+0/resize/280x156!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0d%2Fab%2Fbda94349471cbb8887367225b7cd%2F20240521-bas-queer-joy-mason-graham-0064.jpg)
16-year-old high schooler Mason is queer and uses any pronouns. Mason spoke about how he doesn’t align himself with exclusively a masculine or feminine identity, as people are more complex than those two labels. -
Two people are hospitalized following a shooting during a high school graduation commencement in Cape Girardeau. -
The Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development has scheduled several events in November and December across the state to help students and parents prepare to file their 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). -
District officials say a Missouri high school teacher who was suspended after officials discovered that she was performing on a subscription-based website known for sexually explicit content has resigned. -
Scammers will often tag school's official social media accounts to appear legitimate. -
An adult high school is scheduled to open next month in a building being vacated by the Columbia Daily Tribune. MERS Goodwill is enrolling students now in…
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Missouri high school students could put computer-science course credits toward graduation requirements under a bill passed by the state…
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Only one alternative charter high school is still operating in Missouri, prompting supporters to suggest the state change the way it measures progress at… -
Three years after its high school was destroyed by a tornado, the Joplin school district is preparing to move into a new high school.Superintendent C.J.…
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![Caitlin Cunningham laughs while sitting on their couch on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at their home in Columbia. “When you know so much darkness, suddenly the light is so bright,” Cunningham said. “I mean, queer joy will blind you. You should live so brightly that it hurts people’s eyes. Other people should have to put on sunglasses [because] you’re living so brightly.” Cunningham, who is 40 years old, is pansexual, nonbinary and non-monogamous. “You know the big joke is always, ‘Oh, you know you’re non-monogamous when your color-coded calendar is shared with four other people.’ And, it’s true. You have to be on top of your A game in terms of keeping things organized because you’re going to hurt somebody’s feelings otherwise,” Cunningham said. “Yes, it’s difficult. Yeah, you joke about calendars and getting together and having enough energy and everything, but ultimately time and energy are the limiting factors. Love is not the limiting factor.”](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/799d701/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1750x975+0+0/resize/560x312!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F2d%2F59%2F5bde8f414630bd00882735cb327a%2F20240420-bas-queer-joy-caitlin-cunningham-0032.jpg)
![Queer 16-year-old Mason, who uses any and all pronouns, sits down on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at the Daniel Boone Regional Library in Columbia.
“I was just asking myself, ‘What type of person am I? Who am I to myself?’ Like, when I look in the mirror, ‘Who do I see? Who do I feel like I am,’” Mason said of the questions he asked himself early on in his coming out process. “I think I don't really have those [specific identity labels] for myself. I do see other people around who have those that are in the queer community. But, yeah, for myself, I wouldn't really say I have one.”
“I think [my parents have] been very reassuring in the fact that they accept me for who I am. They still know that I'm their son, and they love me,” Mason said. “And, I can't say that for a lot of other people who have had problems with their identity and just really figuring out who they are. I'm lucky to have that. I'm glad I had that. But, I wish there were more parents or just people out there that were more accepting to this idea [of being queer].”](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ad1ebfc/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1750x975+0+0/resize/560x312!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0d%2Fab%2Fbda94349471cbb8887367225b7cd%2F20240521-bas-queer-joy-mason-graham-0064.jpg)
