LGBTQIA+

Dani Emma Devine and Cheryl Barbero are girlfriends in their mid-60s – both of whom came out later in life. Dani is a transgender lesbian and Cheryl is pansexual. A few years ago, Cheryl says she nearly gave up on dating all together - but then she met Dani. They spoke about how a mix of love and laughter keeps them young.

Cam Linn is a 19-year-old autistic, agender college student. They spoke about how they conceptualize gender and define what agender means for themself.

Grey Riley was diagnosed with ADHD and autism in their youth and with multiple chronic conditions as an adult. They spoke about how being at the intersection of disability and queerness has impacted their life.

Kennedy Robbins lives in Columbia and came out as a genderqueer lesbian after ending their relationship with their high school boyfriend. They spoke about realizing that they could live as their authentic self and have a happy life.

In August, the Missouri Department of Revenue updated the process for gender marker changes on a state ID – now requiring proof of gender affirming surgery or a court order.Amariah Hardwick is a trans women who lives in St. Louis and is a leader with Transformations, an organization founded and led by trans women of color.She spoke about the impacts of this change and how the process of transitioning looks different for every person.

Jermarcus Perkins is a 25-year-old bisexual Christian who lives in Columbia. He encountered many health struggles during his adolescence and dealt with bullying once he came out as queer in his late teens. He says it's been a long road to self-acceptance.

Olivia Wood is a non-binary college student who falls “somewhere on the queer spectrum.” They spoke about growing up in a rural area, and how going away to college has helped them grow and better understand their gender beyond the binary.

Hannah Dolan is a Jefferson City native who went to college out-of-state before returning home. During her college years, she was able to explore her sexuality. She spoke about embracing her authentic lesbian self.

Cosmo Evans grew up in a small town and are nonbinary and intersex. They’ve known they were intersex since childhood but didn’t really explore the nonbinary side of their identity until lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. They spoke about what it was like growing up in rural Missouri in the 1990s.

Grey Riley has lived in Columbia for most of their life and are a polyamorous, genderqueer, disabled activist with a queer child. They spoke about how radical self-love is an important foundation for stronger communities.